Official Languages Committee on June 15th, 2016

[David Rheault]

Obviously, serving customers in both official languages is one of the services we offer our clientele. It's part of our service offering. We are very proud of that, but I don't think we've ever assessed that element specifically.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

So you don't have any program, any method, any study, or any assessment?

[Arielle Meloul]

I don't think we have an assessment program, but I can tell you that, when we explain it to our staff, we do so in a very positive light. It's part of the services we offer our customers. So, in that sense, it gives us a competitive advantage. Yes, we tell our people that being bilingual is a good thing, that it matters, and that it's one of the services we provide to customers. We present it to our employees through a very positive lens, as Mr. Rheault said earlier.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Do I have any time left, Mr. Chair?

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

A few seconds.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

It's now over to Mr. Nater.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

First, I just want to say that I do recognize that significant efforts have been made by Air Canada to encourage bilingualism and to provide bilingual services. I use Air Canada from London, Ontario to Ottawa, and I've been quite impressed with the bilingual service, despite there not being a large francophone population in southern Ontario. I do appreciate that.

My concerns rest, though, with Air Canada's seeming defensiveness when it comes to official bilingualism, as though it were a burden. It's been mentioned time and time again by them that this is somehow a burden that's not placed upon other airlines. I just want to go back to something that Mr. Généreux said at the beginning: is there not an acceptance that Air Canada is different from every other airline? Is there not an acceptance of that simple fact that, because of the unique nature of Air Canada, it does have this extra requirement?

[David Rheault]

First, on your comment regarding the defensive nature of Air Canada with respect to official languages, I would just say that in some instances where we are actually sued before courts, we have to defend ourselves. That's the nature of the judicial system in which we live. If we look at the complaints—and we raised the Thibodeau matter before.... Actually, the court awarded certain damages, but the lawsuit was for half a million dollars, and the commissioner asked for a structural remedy against Air Canada, so we were put in a situation where we had to defend ourselves. That is the first thing I really want to clarify for the record.

The other thing I would mention regarding our view that we should have a level playing field and that other carriers should also be looked at, the fact of the matter is that Air Canada is looked at closely by the Commissioner of Official Languages, whereas passengers with other airlines simply have no linguistic rights. In a context where we have 50% of the domestic market share, we are saying that you can look at seeking perfection from us, but you should also be looking at what is done with the remaining passengers on other airlines.

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Okay, I accept that fact. I can go to WestJet or I can go to Porter Airlines, and they have bilingual websites. I do recognize that they are not subject to the Official Languages Act, but they do, nonetheless, as good corporate citizens make the good business decision of providing services in both official languages. That said, the fact remains that Air Canada is different: they are subject to the Air Canada Public Participation Act. They are different because as a former crown corporation, as an institution that has been privatized, they are subject to requirements of that act. Therefore, they must respect the act.

The question I have goes to the report by the official languages commissioner. He's made a number of recommendations on of how he would like to see measures taken to enforce the act. The president said earlier that he does not agree with this. He would rather see some kind of committee of all the other airlines and our aviation industry create the rules, but again I go back to the fact that the other airlines are not subject to the Official Languages Act, rightly or wrongly. That's another conversation to be had. Air Canada is, so of these recommendations that the official languages commissioner has made, are you willing to undertake or consider any of them in terms of enforcement mechanisms?

[David Rheault]

Just to come back to the findings of the commissioner, one thing that we know we disagree with is that the recommendations are directed against Air Canada. Some specifically are, because we are portrayed as one of the worst offenders regarding official languages.

One of the issues we have is that according to the previous audit and report conducted by the commissioner, when compared with other entities in the industry that are also subject to the Official Languages Act, such as airport authorities and CATSA, we always rank first. Our level of compliance, as audited by the commissioner, is better than that of the other institutions also subject to the act. Therefore, our position is basically to say that these specific recommendations against Air Canada are not justified in light of the fact that we are not the worst offender in the delivery of both official languages in the transportation industry.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

I just have a comment and a question.

I'm troubled to see you on the defensive. I'm troubled by the tone you are taking with us, as parliamentarians who are trying to do their job. Report after report, year after year, the findings look the same. Whether it's one, two, or three people who aren't satisfied, that's three people too many. You've been consistently defensive in answering our questions.

We are trying to ensure compliance with the Official Languages Act for ourselves, as francophones, for Canadians who live in French-speaking minority communities, and for those of us who have flown Air Canada and received unacceptable service in 2016. What I'd like to understand is why you're being so defensive when we talk to you about official languages.

[David Rheault]

I think what we wanted to show in our presentation was that we had made an effort and would be taking further steps in the next few years. In that sense, then, we've taken a constructive tone. We want to show you that we are aware of our obligations and that we are communicating them to our employees. Right now—

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

That may be, but if you're this aggressive when you discuss it with them, I can see why they don't want to talk to us in French. Your tone is aggressive, sir. No one here is attacking you. All we are trying to do is understand the situation and do our job.

[David Rheault]

If you think I'm being aggressive, I apologize. That wasn't my intent.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

I'm telling you because it's been bothering me for a while.

[David Rheault]

Your comment is duly noted.

[Louise-Hélène Sénécal]

I'd like to say a few words, if I may, Ms. Boucher. The reason we are surprised and disappointed, and feel the need to defend ourselves is the commissioner's decision to call Air Canada one of the worst offenders when it comes to official languages obligations, even though that's not what the reports and statistics show. The commissioner is saying he needs the authority to impose enforcement measures on Air Canada only, not on all the companies subject to the Official Languages Act.

What we would like you to do is consider the actions we are taking and see just how far we've come. We'd like you to take a close look at the rulings by the Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal, both of which held that Air Canada did not have a systemic problem. That may help to convince you that Air Canada is being specifically targeted for no reason. The claim is misguided. It's misplaced, and it's a misrepresentation of the reality.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Ms. Boucher, your time is up.

I'd just like to say something before we wrap up. I'm often on Air Canada's website. When I search in French for things on other websites, the page appears in French. In Air Canada's case—I'm not sure whether it's my computer or your server that's the problem; I don't know which end the problem is on—

[Louise-Hélène Sénécal]

It's—

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

Please let me finish.

After being on your site for a while, the English page reappears. When I open the site up again, I get the English version. What's more, my city of departure is always Montreal, but Toronto is the one that shows up. I'm not sure where the problem lies: my computer or your server.

[Louise-Hélène Sénécal]

Does anyone else use your computer?

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

No.

[Louise-Hélène Sénécal]

You must have booked a flight to Toronto, and so your browser is applying certain information from the past.

[The Chair, Liberal, Denis Paradis]

At any rate, that's the situation.