Evidence of meeting #8 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.
9:30 a.m.
General Manager , Languages and Diversity, Employee Relations, Air Canada
There is no need at Moncton airport. Also, I think that it is Air Canada Jazz in Moncton, and here, we are talking about positions with Air Canada.
9:30 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Oh, we're only talking about Air Canada and not its affiliates.
If the law does not present a problem, it should not be a problem to clarify it further, correct?
9:30 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
I don't know what needs to be clarified, as you seem to believe.
9:30 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
I have often taken part in negotiations. In negotiations, we often use the expression "the company will" but here, it says "the company shall". However, we say that we will do it anyway. I see a difference between the words "will" and "shall".
9:30 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
In a number of jurisdictions, the meaning is the same.
9:30 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
If a jurisdiction indicates that the meaning is the same, why do we need to go fight about it in court? If we write the word "will", they will do it.
9:30 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
The exact wording is the company has the duty to ensure. Therefore, the word "shall"...
9:30 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
So it is an attempt to make the wording confusing so that lawyers can go to court and have fun in front of the judge.
9:30 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
I invite you to read section 25 of the Official Languages Act carefully. It provides the solution, in my opinion.
9:30 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
I apologize for interrupting you, but section 25 does not deal with subsidiaries. Section 25 deals with what happens when services are provided in our name.
To come back to the question that Mr. Bélanger asked me initially, I will say that, in 1989, when the Air Canada Public Participation Act was created, there was no Air Canada Jazz, but various companies such as Air Alliance and Air Ontario. These companies did not provide services on behalf of Air Canada. They operated their own flights with their own codes. Today, these are all Air Canada flights.
9:30 a.m.
NDP
9:30 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
Yes, when there is significant demand. They are baggage claim attendants. The people who put the bags in the plane don't need to be bilingual.
9:35 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
They don't need to be bilingual.
9:35 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
They don't need to be bilingual at Air Canada.
9:35 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
At Air Canada, okay.
The act needs to be clear. Once again, I am not alone in saying this and we are not alone in saying this, even the Official Languages Commissioner says so. If there are concerns, it will not bother you at Air Canada if we clarify the legislation to make sure that it is properly understood.
9:35 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
We would like to know what you find vague in the act.
9:35 a.m.
NDP
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
In good time. There will be other meetings.
If the government has taken the trouble to introduce three bills in the House of Commons, it is because something is not working. This bill is not coming back any more and we are asking the government to bring it back.
Could you tell me who violated the act in the plane I took between Bathurst and Montreal? It was a Jazz flight. Who violated the act and who will resolve the problem?
9:35 a.m.
Assistant General Counsel, Law Branch, Air Canada
Jazz is an independent company that provides services for Air Canada. Under section 25, you were on an Air Canada flight. So, if the law was broken on that occasion, Air Canada was responsible for the violation.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Steven Blaney
Thank you, Mr. Godin. In order not to “violate“ the time we have remaining, I will turn the floor over to Ms. O'Neill-Gordon.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Tilly O'Neill-Gordon Conservative Miramichi, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and welcome, guests. It's great to have you here this morning.
I know you mentioned that one of your top priorities is to make sure that all of your customers are served in both official languages. I have to say that any time I travel I'm always greeted by an Air Canada agent in both languages. I feel they're doing their job any time I see them.
You also have to be congratulated on the success you have been achieving when you say that one out of 1.5 million... I know you have just said that one is too many, but sometimes those things happen. We should think of the positive part of the job you are doing, because that's a pretty good rate. We should be blowing about it, be very happy with it, and be working hard to get rid of that one. I think you're doing a good job so far. It's an achievement you can be very proud of.
There are no doubt other Canadian airline transporters that do not comply with the Official Languages Act. Do you believe you are disadvantaged compared to other Canadian airline transporters because of your compliance with this act?