Evidence of meeting #10 for Official Languages in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was office.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
The point is they know how these things happen. I just joined the committee; I'd like to know if the cost of handling a complaint can be estimated.
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
Mr. Chairman, overall, $6.9 million a year are earmarked for compliance assurance, but that also includes legal cases. I can give you more detailed information later in terms of—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Fine, you can send it to all members through the committee, Commissioner.
I won't use the word "veteran", but we will continue the second round with Mr. Godin.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Généreux referred to some misprints in a text, but as far as I'm concerned the whole thing is a misfire.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
With regard to your computer system—I don't know, I can't tell you what's going on there, but we're here to throw out ideas—why wait until the entire system crashes and tell us that it's going to cost $7 million to upgrade it? Why doesn't the annual budget of the Office of the Commissioner contain money for electronics, computers, and for making sure that the equipment is kept up to par?
There's no reason why the system at the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages should be obsolete and why Treasury Board should decide whether your office will be functional or not. You are a representative of the House of Commons and you have a responsibility under the law. I think that that should be included in the budget and tabled in the House.
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
In the final analysis, it is parliamentarians who vote for the budgets of the Office of the Commissioner and as I tried to explain, on an annual and regular basis, special amounts have been allocated to maintain and support the current system, but the very nature of modern technology means that sometimes you have to—
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
No, no, Mr. Fraser, I understand. Even here, in Parliament, computers are replaced every year. It doesn't make any sense that they wait five years until the system crashes. In my opinion that makes no sense at all.
I'd like to raise another subject. We always talk about two official languages and one common space. Let me submit to you one case that arose this week. It doesn't happen too often that cases are given to me, but this time I have one. A young man in Caraquet wants to take a course to become a marine pilot, to pilot cargo ships, cruise ships, tugboats, big ships that go to sea. The only place where this course is offered in French is at the Institut maritime du Québec which is attached to the CEGEP in Rimouski. That institution gives preference to Quebeckers and there is no space for anyone else. So I called the Department of Transport which finally found a solution—because a course is given in Newfoundland and in Vancouver—and the young man agreed to register in an anglophone institution.
That problem is solved. We can impose bilingualism on Supreme Court justices, but we tell our francophones that if they want to become cruise ship pilots, there's a solution. At age 18, the candidate is sent to an anglophone institution to become a pilot. Otherwise, he has to give up on his dream. This is going on in Canada! Two official languages, one common space.
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
Mr. Chairman, it saddens me to hear that. That's exactly the type of situation that we try to eliminate. It saddens me. It's the first time I ever hear of a case like that.
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
I'll await additional information—
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
That's just an example. That's why I was late for the meeting: I was talking to someone at the Department of Transport who was very happy to have found a solution. The young man agreed to attend an anglophone institution.
In your budget, do you have enough money to investigate all these situations?
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
It has to be said that we don't lack for work. The challenge continues to be considerable.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I have a complaint concerning Air Canada and Jazz. The Department of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities informed us that the case of Jazz doesn't come under federal jurisdiction and that the Commissioner of Official Languages informed the government that this was not under its jurisdiction. Is that true?
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
Jazz is a subcontractor of Air Canada. Air Canada is subject to the Official Languages Act and hired Jazz to provide certain services.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Who's going to question the employee who claims to be bilingual but isn't?
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
That's Air Canada's responsibility.
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
That's exactly why I hope there will be a bill that will apply not only to Air Canada, but to all its subsidiaries as well.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Thank you, Mr. Godin.
That completes the first part of our meeting regarding votes.
If members of the committee so wish, we could proceed with the adoption of the two motions regarding the adoption of the votes. Could someone propose the first motion.
PRIVY COUNCIL
Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
Vote 20—Program expenditures ...............$18,429,000
Ms. Glover, you have the floor.
Conservative
Shelly Glover Conservative Saint Boniface, MB
I wish to thank our witnesses.
To continue in the same vein, I'm prepared to move the motion. Do you want me to read it?