Evidence of meeting #38 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 bilingual.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
It is true that not all complaints are made formally.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
But it is important for us to understand. If there are specific missions involved, we could work on a specific plan for those places.
Bloc
Monique Guay Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Ms. Deschênes, I would like to tell you that before we call on you, we try to handle cases ourselves because sometimes there are major emergencies. We do not wait for you to handle the case for us. We have to act quickly, and it can take a very long time to get a response from the departments.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Thank you, Ms. Guay.
I would add that many MPs' offices have an immigration branch.
Conservative
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Welcome.
I have to agree with the chair on this point. Our offices have become immigration offices rather than MPs' offices. Something is certainly wrong somewhere, and I can guarantee you that the chair, Ms. Guay and I are not the only ones who are saying so. Something is wrong somewhere. It makes no sense for MPs' offices to have to do the work of Immigration Canada. I am sorry, but that is the reality. The work our employees have to do, whether in Windsor or elsewhere, is incredible. All some MPs' staff do is immigration. Something is wrong at Immigration Canada.
Ms. Deschênes, you say that the employees who are sent abroad now have a “CCC” profile. What about those who have been sent to Charlottetown? Do they also have a “CCC” profile?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
What do you mean when you say the employees who have been sent to Charlottetown?
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I am told that the office staff in Charlottetown are not bilingual. Does that make sense in our bilingual country, in an Atlantic province? I do not know whether the same thing is true in Newfoundland and Labrador, but I am told that there are no francophone employees in Charlottetown.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
It also depends on what region the offices are in, but we try to have bilingual people in every office. I do not think Charlottetown is in a region designated as bilingual. In that case, we could hire a—
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
We are talking about a province in our bilingual country. I know you are quite proud to say that when someone is sent abroad, they have a “CCC” profile, meaning that they are bilingual. But in our own bilingual country, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, there is not enough French to provide service in French. Do you mean that this is an area designated as non-bilingual? Is that what I am to understand?
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
If the people in the Évangéline region of Prince Edward Island want to call the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, they cannot get service in French in Charlottetown. I do not think you have two offices in Prince Edward Island. How many offices do you have in P.E.I.?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
One.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
There is one office in Prince Edward Island, and it does not even provide services in French. That means that in the Évangéline region, the people in the French-speaking community of P.E.I. cannot even get services in French. They have to wait a long time to talk to someone who speaks French, is that not true?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
All the calls are directed to a call centre in Montreal, where all the staff are bilingual. I will confirm what the minister said: the system serves all clients in the same way, whether they are francophone or anglophone.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
Because some things need to be done to finalize cases.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
The vast majority involve anglophones.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Department of Citizenship and Immigration
No. If they need service, we can serve them in French.