Evidence of meeting #53 for Official Languages in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was jazz.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
What you have in hand is the original English version. The translation on the back was prepared by the Translation Bureau. Here we always have to present documents in both official languages. The one that was sent to the employees was the English version.
Is it possible for you to tell us who signed the letter from the union and who received it at Jazz? Could you send us that information?
12:30 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
We will check to see whether that is possible.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Fine. You can send the information to our clerk.
Secondly, who answered on behalf of Jazz or Air Canada? Ultimately, I suppose the same people take care of this, unless you tell me I am mistaken.
12:30 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
It is Jazz that...
12:35 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
It isn't the same people. Jazz deals with its union.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Yes, but at Jazz, who answered the letter? The union indicates that it will have to meet with the company to mitigate the negative impact of complying with the Official Languages Act.
12:35 p.m.
Vice President, Human Resources, Air Canada
We will look into that.
12:35 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
Yes.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Fine. Perfect.
In any case, I can't ask you questions about the union. I understand that.
To your knowledge, was a letter also sent to Jazz in French?
12:35 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
We will look into it.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Fine.
Mr. Samson, did you want to continue?
I replaced you because you were gone.
12:35 p.m.
Director, Government Relations, Western Region, Air Canada
Could I ask you for a clarification?
When you ask if a letter was sent in French, are you talking about a letter from the union?
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
12:35 p.m.
Director, Government Relations, Western Region, Air Canada
You want to know if the person who wrote the letter also produced a French version of said letter.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
I would like to clarify a point concerning the English version, which is the official version.
It says that “Air Canada is being forced to revert to the Bilingual Service”.
What led up to this?
12:35 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
Since we are not the ones who wrote the letter, what I'm going to say is of course what I understand of it.
I can say, however, that this is about the governmental moratorium concerning the review of the error that meant that certain offices or routes, where Air Canada is concerned, no longer have the level of demand that is needed to be designated bilingual, that is to say 5%. The government issued a moratorium. And so those routes once again have to align with demand. That is what I understand, but there too, I need to verify the situation.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
That is a good interpretation. I am not sure the moratorium was announced on February 8. Otherwise it would mean that this message was delivered very quickly and very efficiently.
When was the moratorium announced?
12:35 p.m.
Conservative
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
It was in November.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
In November? That is possible.
The question is to see what measuring tools are in effect to ensure that the carriers under your purview respect the Official Languages Act, and to ensure that their services are at least comparable to yours.
12:35 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
They are our passengers. Passengers using a regional carrier that flies on behalf of Air Canada are Air Canada passengers.
12:35 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
We have mechanisms. For instance, a complaint that originates with a regional carrier is managed by Air Canada. We talk with the regional carrier and see what the situation is.