Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
You read the report, so you know Ms. Pascale Houle. For your information, the commissioner's office has also received complaints that show it is sometimes hard for travellers returning to the country by land to be served by the Canada Border Services Agency in the language of their choice. That is indeed your agency, isn't it? One French-speaking woman had her vehicle and the horse she was importing from the United States seized at the Lansdowne border crossing in Ontario—a crossing that has been the subject of frequent complaints—because of a linguistic misunderstanding that could have been avoided if she had been served, as she was entitled to be, by a border services officer who could speak French instead of a unilingual anglophone officer. I quote Ms. Houle:
I didn't know that I could ask to be served in French at an Ontario border crossing, and none of the five or six officers that I had before me in the main building led me to understand that by saying "Bonjour" or informed me that I indeed had that right...
Ontario is in Canada, as far as I know.
The act has been in existence for 40 years. I know you've only recently become head of the agency. As you can understand, I am a sovereigntist and indépendantiste. I come from Hawkesbury, Ontario. I taught Franco-Ontarians for quite a long time. I remember crossing the border at Lacolle into New York state. We were received on the American side by a Mr. Bourque, who did not speak French, but who spelled his name, Bourque, as francophones do. And yet we had more trouble on the way home. It was at an Ontario border crossing. We asked to be served in French—I ask for that, as you can understand—and, dear lord, they just stared at us. That was in 2004; your agency were already established. You can tell me about September 11; I understand the situation, but you were already established.
I also lived in Saskatchewan, and we used to go through the United States to get to Windsor. We went through Detroit. The same thing happened in Windsor. They asked me, in English: "Who's in your car?" I answered, in French: "My two children, Myriam and Marysa." I answered in French and I continued to do that. They eventually found someone. I nevertheless waited at least 45 minutes. I was returning to the Canada, and Ontario, as I said, is part of Canada. That was before September 11. The fact nevertheless remains that, when you're returning to the country that is supposed to be your own, this raises some serious questions in your mind. That's a personal story. You may tell me it's worth what it's worth.
According to the report, there has not been much change in active offer. That is to say 46%. On average, one in two persons is able to provide active offer. "Hi! Bonjour! May I help you? Est-ce que je peux vous aider?" It starts with that.
Tell me what you're going to do to convince me that every citizen who wants services in French can get them if he or she goes crosses into Quebec, Ontario or Alberta, where Canada still has provinces. I'm listening.