Evidence of meeting #39 for Official Languages in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was vancouver.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:05 a.m.
Chair, Official Languages Advisory Committee, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
Unfortunately, that is not within VANOC's purview. We have no power over what goes on at the airport, although I would say that our discussions with airport authorities are going very well, and I am hopeful that the appropriate service will be available.
10:05 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
It's important that these complaints be passed on to you, so that you are aware of the current situation.
10:05 a.m.
Chair, Official Languages Advisory Committee, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
Yes, we are working on that, as is the federal government, and I can assure you that considerable pressure is being brought to bear.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Yes, it is already up.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind the witnesses and our members that representatives of the Vancouver Airport will be appearing before us on December 1, and that witnesses from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, or CATSA, will be appearing on November 19.
We are now going into our third round.
Mr. D'Amours, I believe you are intending to share your time with Mr. Rodriguez. Is that correct?
10:05 a.m.
Liberal
Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
I will be very brief, Mr. Chairman.
I just want to assure Ms. Boucher that I will stop talking about this the day it is resolved. She should not be concerned, and I will be delighted if she is prepared to help me resolve it. I promise that I will stop talking about it the day the problem is completely fixed.
10:05 a.m.
Conservative
10:05 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Yes. Thank you.
Health care is a subject we haven't been talking about very much, but it is extremely important. I am referring specifically to intervention in that area. In cases where there is an emergency or where someone is injured, is there a guarantee that individuals will be treated in both languages? If someone is injured or ill and incapable of explaining his or her problem, symptoms or injury, will that individual be able to be treated in French?
10:05 a.m.
Director, Official Languages, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
Yes, absolutely. We have medical teams that will be available at each site. There will be one bilingual person in every team at all times. If for some reason that person were to be busy doing something else, we would have access to interpretation services.
10:05 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
So, you have one person, but if three people happen to be injured or involved in an accident at the same time, one will be able to make himself understood but not the other two. Is that correct?
10:05 a.m.
Director, Official Languages, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
No, we also have language services available in order to facilitate discussion.
10:05 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Is it the same thing with ambulance service? Is there a plan in place for a situation where someone would have to be taken to hospital?
10:05 a.m.
Director, Official Languages, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
I don't know exactly what is provided for in the plan in that regard, but I can tell you that we have taken the necessary steps to ensure that athletes will be well served.
10:05 a.m.
Director, Official Languages, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
They will have access to language services.
10:05 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
According to what I have been told by people from Northern Ontario, it's fine to speak French, but if someone wants to really explain his symptoms in French, he will have to wait several hours more in order to do that. If he wants to be seen immediately, he will have to explain them in English. Is that the way it's going to work?
10:05 a.m.
Director, Official Languages, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
I cannot give you a precise answer to that question, but I know that athletes travel with their own technical and medical team, which accompanies them if they have to go to the hospital. We have agreed with the hospitals that bilingual services will be available, so that people can make themselves understood and receive the appropriate service.
10:05 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Between now and the opening of the Games, will you be receiving reports on that?
10:05 a.m.
Director, Official Languages, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
Yes.
10:05 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
It's never important until it becomes important. All it takes is one accident occurring in a context where there are thousands of people visiting from all across the globe. Something can happen, and then it becomes extremely important.
10:05 a.m.
Chair, Official Languages Advisory Committee, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
We will be reporting back to you on that.
10:05 a.m.
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Thank you.
In the course of your organizing, is French used on occasion? I helped to organize the Sommet de la Francophonie which was held in Vietnam in 1997, and I spent three months in that country. All the preparations for the summit took place in English. Is it the same for the Vancouver Games?
10:05 a.m.
Chair, Official Languages Advisory Committee, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC)
Are you talking about VANOC's work?
