Official Languages Committee on Oct. 22nd, 2009

[Johane Tremblay, Acting Assistant Commissioner, Policy and Communications Branch, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages]

In fact, I'm not aware that there is that kind of budget, but, under Part VII of the act, Heritage Canada can take measures to encourage the provincial and municipal governments to offer services in both languages. Consequently, Canadian Heritage may have funding programs that can support translation requests.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Thank you.

What is the obligation of third parties or private businesses, such as the hotels that will welcome people. I think that 50% of the Canadian Olympic team, or thereabouts, consists of people from Quebec. So there'll be a lot of people coming here and accompanying their families.

What are the obligations of restaurant owners, hotels and so on? In particular, inside hotels, what is the obligation to provide channels that broadcast in both languages?

[Graham Fraser]

I recently spoke to a member of the consortium. That person told me, concerning Vancouver's hotels, that they were still at the discussion stage with them. Most of those hotels have agreed to make the Games accessible in French, but that's not yet resolved in the case of some of them.

With respect to private sector bilingualism obligations, it's simple: there aren't any. There are nevertheless some hotels where it's possible to be served in French. I myself had that experience at a Vancouver hotel. It's often said that there are two accents in Whistler: the Quebec accent and the Australian accent. I've been surprised to hear people speaking French quite often in Vancouver streets. In British Columbia, with the support of Industry Canada, RDÉE has intervened to increase francophone tourism and to ensure that a welcome is provided in French. This is the only tourism sector in British Columbia that has experienced an increase. Yes, an effort is being made, but there isn't any obligation.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

The approach is more commercial than regulatory.

Mr. Godin.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Commissioner, I don't have to apologize for remarks I make at meetings of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. It must be kept in mind that you are an officer of Parliament, that you report to us and work for us. Your mandate is to ensure the official languages are respected; you are the watchdog in that area. When the time comes to comment on your reports, in no case will I have to apologize. I have no lessons to learn from my colleague Ms. Glover. She can indulge in spectacles such as the one she gave earlier as much as she wants; that will not prevent me from continuing to discharge my responsibilities as a member of Parliament. If ever I trouble you, if you think I've gone too far at a committee meeting, I don't think you'll hesitate to phone me. We can talk it out at that time. If I don't approve of the content of one of your reports, it's in my interest, and it's also my responsibility, to make comments publicly.

In Recommendation 10, you state the following: The Commissioner recommends that the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police demonstrate, by November 30, 2009, that they have discussed the implications of their official languages obligations with counterparts at the provincial and local levels of government, in view of ensuring that Canada's linguistic duality is adequately taken into consideration in the coordination of health and security responses at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Even if panels and everything else are installed, you have to wonder what kind of services will be offered to people in the streets of Vancouver. You say that these organizations have to report by November 30. I see you're also talking about Air Canada, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and the Canada Border Services Agency.

Do you intend to come back to the committee to tell us about the reports of those organizations once you've received them so that we can know how they responded to your recommendation?

[Graham Fraser]

I'm entirely prepared to appear before the committee any time, but I don't control your agenda.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

I understand, but I may have worded my request poorly.

In view of the fact that you're requesting a report for November 30, are you prepared to come back to tell us about the information you've received? You do have to get answers before the Olympic Games.

[Graham Fraser]

I'm entirely prepared to do so.

Furthermore, I would like to point out that at no time have I sensed a lack of respect on the part of anyone on this committee. I've never felt that members had to apologize for their remarks. I even think that it is the duty of a member who receives a complaint from someone on his or her committee to come and ask questions here. We explain what we have done and why, and I am always prepared to provide those explanations, before you or in private. I am entirely pleased with the work of our staff. I believe there has been some lack of understanding of how this complaint was handled, but I think that the member was entirely warranted in raising that question.

Mr. Chairman, the members all receive complaints from citizens in their communities. I think it utterly appropriate to talk about those complaints before the committee. It is my role to do business with all members, not just with those on the committee, but also with all members of Parliament, and from all parties. I believe that the expertise of the Office has indeed been useful to all parties when technical questions have arisen on the act or on bills introduced by various parties. That's my understanding of the situation.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Fraser, thank you for that answer. I wasn't expecting it, but I sincerely thank you. We parliamentarians have certain responsibilities and you have others. On the day we are unable to talk about our differences, we'll have a serious problem.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

We'll conclude with Ms. Guay.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

I'm going to close the circle. Mr. Godin, I hope you haven't used part of my time period. I know that Mr. Godin talks a lot, but I like him all the same.

Mr. Fraser, I have a question about translation. While the House is sitting, couldn't we use the translation services from here to lend a hand during the Vancouver Games? Is that possible?

[Graham Fraser]

Do you mean the translation or interpretation service?

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

I'm talking about written translation because we have a lot of problems in that regard and we can see it.

[Graham Fraser]

That's an idea that I raised at one point in my discussions. I don't know exactly how the Translation Bureau will react because the House translators, as far as I know, work for Parliament and not for the Translation Bureau.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Yes, I know, but on an exceptional basis, they could lend a hand for the 2010 Olympic Games, if possible. If we use translation services in August, it's for a very brief period. I'm sure they could translate a curriculum vitae. I'm not talking about long documents. They could even work overtime to lend a hand and ensure that everything is done in both official languages. Can you verify that possibility?

[Graham Fraser]

I'll take note of that, but I can't provide any details at this time.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Fraser, there will be a period of time when the House doesn't sit. Quite simply, that will create work for these people. We finish in mid-December perhaps, and we don't start before the end of January. We could very well use the existing translation services and that will provide employment during that time.

[Graham Fraser]

We'll pass on that suggestion.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

I would like you to give us an answer later because I believe this is an essential service. It's here and it's therefore less costly than trying to create a base elsewhere.

My second question doesn't concern Vancouver, but rather the neighbouring cities because not everyone will be living in Vancouver. The athletes will have buildings, of course, but I'm talking about visitors, and so on. We talked about Whistler. It's not a surprise that Whistler is completely bilingual. A lot of Quebeckers will be working there. Some of my nephews and nieces have worked in Whistler. That's not surprising, but I'm talking about surrounding municipalities that have a lot more anglophones.

Will there really be French-language services in those municipalities, in the restaurant business, the hotel sector, the tourism sector and signage, for all the people living in those municipalities? It's that way because there isn't enough room in Vancouver.

Where do things stand?

[Graham Fraser]

As I said, the restaurants and hotels don't have any obligation. So that becomes a commercial greeting matter for them.

In the neighbouring municipalities, I hope that, in the context of the discussions that have started at the municipal level—

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

They should already be completed. They shouldn't be started. Go ahead.

[Graham Fraser]

Indeed, that's an aspect I'm going to emphasize during my conversation with the organizers.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

At the municipal level, is there an obligation with regard to signage and the rest?

[Graham Fraser]

Mr. Chairman, the signage obligations apply to the federal institutions and as soon as you leave the grounds, or the Olympics, or federal institutions, you're more in an area where this has to be negotiated, where it cannot be imposed.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

All right. That means that it's only in Vancouver that you can ensure that there will actually be negotiations for things to be done completely in both languages. Outside the city, the small municipalities are not part of those discussions?