Official Languages Committee on Dec. 1st, 2009

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

And today, you're telling me you read the September 2009 report of the Commissioner of Official Languages and that you started to take action in the matter of respect for the official languages at Vancouver Airport.

[Paul Levy]

That's correct. We have been working throughout the six years.

In fact, once Vancouver was announced as the official host city for the Olympic Games, our planning and preparations got under way. We've been upgrading and adding new facilities. One of our main objectives has been to make sure that all our facilities are upgraded and have the capacity to deal with the Olympic Games.

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Levy, you'll understand that we only have five minutes for my questions and your answers.

I am very disappointed. I went to Vancouver. I was well served by the CATSA people when I requested service in French. They sent me someone and I got the necessary service. Since your web site, which is built in a professional manner and is a global reference point, is not yet up to date, you wouldn't pass the test. I've said what I had to say on that and I'm very disappointed about it.

Ms. Moore, you have to know that, with respect to the people you will be welcoming at the airport, 34 francophone countries will be taking part in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, but there are also approximately 10 million Canadians and Quebeckers whose first or second language is French. These people are also entitled to service in their language. The Official Languages Act has been around for 40 years. The fact that you tell me today that you are in the process of putting something in place for the games disappoints me enormously. Under the Official Languages Act, you are a major airport that receives more than one million visitors a year. You should always be able to provide service in French. You mustn't hide behind the cover of the Olympic Games and say that you're starting to take action. This has to be in perspective. I don't know whether I'm speaking for no purpose, but one thing is certain: for a francophone living in Quebec or Canada right now, I'm being told that it is fortunate that the 2010 Winter Olympic Games are being held in Vancouver so that the Vancouver Airport can start taking action.

Mr. Benoit, I want to talk about the issue of third parties, whom you call tenants and concessionnaires. They have obligations under the act. If I get caught speeding, I get a ticket and I deserve it. Under the Official Languages Act, the federal government is responsible for airports. You manage the airport and you are required to comply with the Official Languages Act. The same is true for the people who lease services at that airport, whether it be Tim Hortons, the book store or the duty free stores. So this is an obligation. Where there's an obligation, you must not complain and say that you are in a bad way because you have to manage the act.

I regularly go to Ottawa Airport. I don't go there as often as others who live farther away because I live in Gatineau. Some go there more often than I do because they live farther away. I had a quite unfortunate adventure with CATSA in October. I agree that's not you, but you'll notice that, at Ottawa Airport, some public announcements are still made in English only. If we can't develop a bilingual character for an institution directly related to the federal government to comply with the Official Languages Act, you can be sure that third parties, whether it be CATSA, Tim Hortons or other franchisees or partners or the absolute delinquent Air Canada and others, won't consider you a model. You must understand that situation.

There's one other thing. In the same vein as what I mentioned to Ms. Moore, you should not just respect the French language for foreign countries, you must also do it for people from here, who pay their taxes and who make it so this airport exists.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Mr. Nadeau.

Mr. Godin.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome to all the witnesses.

Mr. Benoit, you said you had received a few complaints. How many complaints have you received?

[Paul Benoit]

According to the report of the Commissioner of Official Languages, we have received three complaints in the last evaluation period, that is in the first quarter of 2009. The complaints mainly concerned a car rental dealer, a Tim Hortons counter and CATSA.

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

Did the three complaints concern French or English?

[Paul Benoit]

In all three cases, it was French.

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

Do you have any complaint forms available at the airport? Where are they?

[Paul Benoit]

Yes, when you say forms available—

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

Are there places that are easy to locate where complaint forms can be found?

[Paul Benoit]

From our web site, people can contact me directly. I normally answer them within 24 to 36 hours. There are also comment cards throughout the airport.

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

Where are they?

[Paul Benoit]

They are on the airline counters and the counters of certain franchisees. There are large tables in front of the counters. They are inside the airport, in the common areas. We keep a record of all complaints, whether they concern languages—

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

Earlier you were talking about training. In your opinion, the situation in this regard is not just attributable to the fact that the federal government subjects you to the same act that it must comply with but does not pay for the same type of training. The following question concerns a number of you.

The language issue is a concern of mine. I would like to talk about Part II of the Employment Insurance Act. If a welder needs to learn to make an assembly, he gets training to improve his skills so that he can keep his job. Would you be prepared to say that languages should fall into the same category?

[Paul Benoit]

Probably. At first glance, I would say yes.

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

For 40 years, the act has provided that, to keep one's job, a person must be bilingual. Shouldn't that be part of training? People could apply for financial assistance under Part II of the Employment Insurance Act to learn the language. It's as important for a person who communicates with the public as for someone who is learning to weld metal. Some people work manually and others communicate.

[Paul Benoit]

What you're saying seems very logical and intelligent to me, but I'm not familiar enough with that part of the act to answer you. I would like to have a look at it before stating an official position.

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

Part II talks about the fact that the government grants financial assistance for training.

[Paul Benoit]

If it's just that, that's not a problem for me.

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

You mentioned money earlier, and this part covers the granting of funding.

[Paul Benoit]

We don't limit ourselves to that. We're offering our employees programs that we're trying to carry out ourselves. In English, it's called “Lunch and Learn”. It's offered to franchisees at noon.

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

You teach them to say, “I don't speak French”?

[Paul Benoit]

I wish it was that easy. I have some examples—

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

The Olympic Games will last only two weeks. On the other hand, I've been taking the plane at that airport for two years.