Official Languages Committee on Dec. 14th, 2010

[Claudette Deschênes]

I did not say there were no francophones, although I cannot say for sure that there are. I said the region was not designated as bilingual.

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

I would like you to tell us whether there are any francophones at the Charlottetown office and, if so, whether they are qualified to serve clients.

[Neil Yeates]

Okay.

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

As for the telephone lines, what is the proportion of English-language to French-language lines? I hear the same thing about Air Canada and Aeroplan. They provide service in both languages, but you can spend a whole weekend on the line waiting for a francophone to talk to you at Aeroplan. The lines are always busy. It is funny that when you call the same number and choose service in English, you get a faster response, whether it is Thursday, Friday or Sunday.

Have you done a study to find out how long a francophone can wait on the line? I am not saying the message is not the same in the end. There could be 200 English-language lines and 10 French-language lines, and the French-language lines would be busy much more quickly. Can you tell us the ratio of the two types of lines?

[Claudette Deschênes]

All our lines are bilingual. Clients do not call into a place where there are 25 English-language and 20 French-language lines, for example. People are assigned to a workstation, and the first person who can answer the telephone does so and provides bilingual service. The call could be in French or English.

We are trying to explain that we do not understand the commissioner's methodology. A person got an answer not because he was francophone or anglophone. It may just be because too many lines were busy. Our system does not allow us to have more than a certain percentage of calls waiting.

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

Maybe the problem occurs when the bilingual employee has to determine how to serve the client. Maybe it is when the employee transfers a client who speaks only French to a French-language service. You do not have any bilingual employees who provide full service, do you? Is service bilingual from the time the phone rings?

[Claudette Deschênes]

When the phone first rings, the automated system answers. The person then waits for someone to answer. All the agents who answer calls are bilingual. All calls are taken. If I am the next person in line, even if I want to speak French, my call will be taken next. If the deputy minister is the next person, even if he wants service in English, he will come next, and I will come after.

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

At the next stage, are all of the agents bilingual?

[Claudette Deschênes]

All agents at the call centre are bilingual.

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

At the call centre?

[Claudette Deschênes]

Yes.

[Neil Yeates]

Yes, completely.

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

Did the commissioner explain his methodology to you? The francophone client was put—

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

—on hold.

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

The individual is put on hold, or he or she must call back later.

[Claudette Deschênes]

He explained his methodology, but we want to follow up with him. The system does not allow—

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

What is his methodology?

[Claudette Deschênes]

He calls. If he is put on hold for five minutes, he hangs up and calls back five minutes later. But there may be fewer people waiting in the queue five minutes later. He therefore—

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

Where did he get his methodology for distinguishing between French-speaking and English-speaking lines?

[Claudette Deschênes]

He can call today and pretend to be francophone one moment and call back five minutes later as an anglophone.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you.

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

I can tell you, I called Aeroplan and I did not pretend. I know there is a difference between the two, I can guarantee that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Godin.

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

We will try it. We will pretend, too.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

We will now hear from Mr. Rickford.