Official Languages Committee on June 10th, 2010

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Chair, could you reread the exact wording of what we are discussing at present?

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Absolutely.

As I told Mr. D'Amours earlier, Mr. Nadeau, it is essentially the same motion in the original version, with the words "and Air Canada" added at the end. Is that all right?

[Richard Nadeau, Bloc, Gatineau, QC]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

We have heard everybody on the list with respect to the motion.

Ms. Glover, do you wish to make a comment?

[Shelly Glover, Conservative, Saint Boniface, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I appreciate what Mr. Godin said. However, it is important that everybody listening to us at present realize that they can send their complaints directly to the Commissioner of Official Languages. There is no problem with that. If they are not comfortable with the form found in the pocket, or in the enRoute magazine, they can send it secretly. We will not take this opportunity away from them.

However, I am completely against this idea whereby parliamentarians want to promote the secret filing of complaints, to the detriment of organizations that work with the Government of Canada. Should this happen, they would not be able to improve their services quickly. It is incumbent on parliamentarians to ensure that Air Canada improves the situation and its services and fulfils its responsibilities. Of course, the Official Languages Commissioner, upon receipt of the complaints, can initiate investigations. However, that can take time, sometimes 2, 4, 6 or even 10 months—this has already occurred. I think that Air Canada should find out as quickly as possible if one of its employees violates the Official Languages Act.

I am upset to hear a parliamentarian suggest that such things be done in secret. That is not our job. We do what we can to improve the situation. We are not here to prove that we are better than anyone else, or to catch organizations in the act. That is not our role. If we see problems, we deal with them, we try to resolve them. Air Canada's customers, Canadians—

They deserve better. They deserve service that is appropriate, and if someone is working on behalf of Air Canada and they do not follow the law, Air Canada ought to know right away so they can put into place some measures that will fix it. To try to circumvent their managerial responsibilities I think is wholly wrong. I do not agree with what Monsieur Godin said.

That is why this amendment that I'm making, although I'm not satisfied it is entirely inclusive and I'm unhappy we are not including that it contain positive reinforcements as well as the complaints--I would be wholly unsatisfied if we didn't at least tell Air Canada as well, when we asked them to put a pamphlet into their own seats.... My goodness, we've got to tell them if there is a problem so they can take some measures.

That is my comment on this.

I'm thankful that Monsieur D'Amours was prepared to accept the slight changes I've suggested. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Ms. Glover.

It's now time to vote on the motion.

We will now vote on the motion. I will reread the motion one last time.

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 Air Canada.

Ms. Boucher?

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

Could we have a recorded vote?

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Yes, absolutely.

We will proceed with a recorded vote on the motion.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 10; nays 1)

I will not have to rule on the motion as it has been adopted.

To conclude on the subject of Air Canada, I would remind you that Mr. D'Amours, in an opening comment when he presented his motion, referred to the Dialogue language award.

In the exchanges that occurred over the past two hours, there have been many comments on the positive and constructive aspects as well as the committee's role to encourage the advancement and to promote the equality of both official languages.

I take it upon myself to request that our clerk and our analyst ask Air Canada to provide us with a status report on this Dialogue award, in order to find out where the company is exactly with this and to find out what mechanisms it has set up to recognize anecdotes pertaining to linguistic success.

Ms. Boucher, do you wish to add anything to this matter?

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

I would like some clarification. Earlier, when Mr. D'Amours talked about his motion, he said that he had not seen this anywhere.

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

That is what I said.

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

Perhaps we could also check why it cannot be found anywhere.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Would somebody move the motion, so that we can obtain more information and find out where—

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

I will move it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

So I have somebody who will move this motion regarding the Dialogue language prize.

Are there any other comments, can we adopt the motion?

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

What's that?

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Where were you, Mr. Godin?

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

I was on the moon.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Ms. Boucher moves:

That the Committee request that Air Canada inform the Committee about the status of the Dialogue Award program in order to promote success stories with its Air Canada employees and find out where the Committee can obtain information and what steps have been taken to inform both employees and the public about this program.

Do I have the unanimous consent of committee members to proceed with the motion tabled by Ms. Boucher?

(Motion agreed to)

Thank you.

We will see each other next Thursday, to continue with committee work.

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

Mr. Chair, according to the agenda, we have five minutes remaining.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Yes, but this was an internal housekeeping motion. We need more than three minutes to begin discussing it. I do not want us to be rushed by the other committee that is coming in.

The meeting is adjourned.