Official Languages Committee on June 10th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

You wish to have a recorded vote, very well.

Therefore, I would just like to check on one thing, in order to refresh my memory. Our clerk will oversee the recorded vote.

(Amendment negatived: nays 6; yeas 5)

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Ms. Glover, you expressed a desire to—

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Yes, I just wanted to repeat that I would like to move another amendment. Here it is:

That the Standing Committee on Official Languages invite Air Canada to once again place a prescribed complaint and congratulation form for services in both official languages in the front seat pocket of all its aircraft, with prepaid postage and addressed to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and to Air Canada.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

I am improving, I do not even need to consult the clerk.

Ms. Glover, you will understand that, as the committee has just studied the first part of your amendment, it is not possible to move the same one, because we are already aware of the committee's position, therefore, your amendment would only be in order if it was to add the words "and to Air Canada".

I would invite you to make comments on Ms. Glover's amendment.

Ms. Boucher.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I was saying this earlier on, but now I can speak to it. I find this quite brilliant that we would have a comment form that was addressed not only to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, but also to Air Canada, because both parties could have frank and open discussions, at some point in time, even though there may already be discussions underway between them.

However, it is very important that both parties have access to the same comments. If there are negative comments made to Air Canada, the Commissioner of Official Languages should be informed of them at the same time as Air Canada. In that way, neither party could claim that they had not received the complaints or comments, either positive or negative.

It is very important that the commissioner work alongside Air Canada, and that at the same time, he be aware of the issues. We met with representatives from Air Canada and from the commissioner's office at different times, and often they seemed not to have received the same complaints or comments, or the comments were not referred to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages or vice versa.

Therefore, it is very important that the Commissioner of Official Languages and Air Canada both have access to the same comments, whether they be positive or negative.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Fine. Thank you very much, Ms. Boucher.

Mr. D'Amours is asking me to reread the motion. I will reread it while pointing out the addition. Essentially, it would add the words "and to Air Canada" before the very end of the motion, so that the motion would read as follows:

That the Standing Committee on Official Languages invite Air Canada to once again place a prescribed complaint form for services in both official languages in the front seat pocket of all its aircraft, with prepaid postage and addressed to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and to Air Canada.

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

I will accept it so that we can move on.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

It is a friendly amendment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Therefore, as the mover, you say that you will accept the amendment. If I have your consent, we could indeed move on to—

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

This is a friendly amendment to my motion. We can then move on to other business.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

For the information of the other members of the committee, Mr. Jean-Claude D'Amours has accepted to amend his motion by including the proposal of Ms. Glover. I will therefore accept comments by members of the committee on the subject of the motion.

Mr. Godin, do you have something to say on the motion as informally amended?

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

I will try to respond quickly.

First of all, we are discussing a complaint form. There will only be one form. If it is to be addressed both to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and to Air Canada, which way will it go?

Secondly, the Commissioner of Official Languages has the right to verify whether or not the complaint is valid before referring it to Air Canada. We are discussing complaints that come under breaches of the Official Languages Act. Normally, the Commissioner of Official Languages and his team will check on the complaint. If it is not valid, Air Canada will never hear about it. If it is, do not worry, Air Canada will be informed of it. The commissioner will work with Air Canada. This is the normal process for any complaint addressed to the commissioner, under the Official Languages Act.

I have already filed complaints with the Commissioner of Official Languages, copies of which I sent to Air Canada or to another party. Canadian citizens have the right to be able to complain to the Commissioner of Official Languages. Under his mandate, he is in a position to decide whether the complaint is valid or not. If it is unfounded, it stops there. In this instance, we are taking away the commissioner's responsibility to decide whether or not the complaint is founded.

That is why I cannot support the amendment. That should be an amendment and not the motion as such.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

It is now part of the motion, Mr. Godin.

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

How can it be part of the motion? In order to change a motion, the consent of at least three-quarters of the members is required.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

You are raising minor points of procedure, Mr. Godin.

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

I'm very proud to be of assistance, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

You are aware of the tradition at the committee according to which we accept what we commonly call friendly amendments on a friendly basis.

Having said that, Mr. Godin is raising a practical issue and I invite the committee members to take it under advisement. In fact, there are two parties destined to receive this form.

I will now give the floor to Mr. Weston.

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

I would like to say something about Mr. Godin's comments. If we consider the objective of the Official Languages Act, the business itself must be aware of its clients' comments. I believe it is in the spirit of the legislation, and in line with what Mr. Godin himself defends as a promoter of the vitality of both official languages in Canada, to inform Air Canada.

That is why I would support this amendment. I believe that it is also in the spirit of the act to obtain both the criticisms and congratulations for services offered by Air Canada, whether they be positive or negative.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you very much, Mr. Weston.

Now we'll move to Ms. Wong.

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond, BC]

I'm also speaking in favour of the friendly amendment, since our honourable colleague has agreed. I think in other committees, once the person who submits the motion agrees, there is a friendly agreement and then there is no other required procedure. I do not know why this committee acts very differently from other committees. I absolutely support the procedure; it is definitely the right way to go. Procedurally, I do not think we're violating any normal procedure in committees.

It doesn't matter whether it's bilingualism, official languages, immigration, or status of women. Once the person who presents the motion has accepted that as a friendly amendment, then I think we can just move on.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you for your comments, Ms. Wong. You could have almost called it a point of order.

I would kindly say that the rules are for the members, not the members for the rules.

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond, BC]

No.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Ms. Boucher, would you like to speak to the motion?

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I agree with Ms. Wong. Mr. D'Amours had accepted a friendly amendment. I don't see any problem with sending the forms to them both, namely the Commissioner of Official Languages and Air Canada. Both can receive the forms.

Sometimes, we receive them by the boxful. When you have something to send to somebody, you send it. I do not see any problem. I think that it would be important that they receive them. The people at Air Canada will be aware of the fact that the commissioner has received complaints, and the commissioner can talk to them directly about such complaints. If only the commissioner received the complaints and he did not discuss the matter with the people from Air Canada, there would be a breakdown in the communication at one point.

I'm entirely in favour of Ms. Glover's amendment. In my opinion, it respects the idea behind Mr. D'Amours' motion.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Ms. Boucher.

Mr. Nadeau.