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.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
12:55 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
Yes. The Ottawa region has also seen a significant increase in recent years. Our efforts are bearing fruit.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
Thank you very much for appearing before the committee today. Your input is certainly very helpful to the committee members. That wraps up our discussion with the Air Canada officials quite nicely. On behalf of the entire committee, I want to extend our sincere thanks.
Before ending this half of the meeting, I want to make a comment that has nothing at all to do with Air Canada. The committee is in the habit of meeting publicly, and I think it is important that we continue to do so. In other words, I do not think that we should meet in camera very often and that we should favour public meetings.
That means, however, that those attending our proceedings have to be respectful towards members and staff. My comment is directed squarely at the journalist at the back of the room who showed disrespect for committee staff. I wanted to point that out and make clear that, going forward, I will not hesitate to turn out anyone who fails to treat members or staff with respect.
Consider yourself warned, sir.
Thank you very much. We will now take a short break.
1 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
The committee is now resuming its study on Air Canada's implementation of the Official Languages Act. We are pleased to have joining us, for about 25 minutes, Marie-Josée Pagé, from the Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Ms. Pagé is a flight attendant and head of Air Canada's francization committee. Also with us is Francis Manfredi, in-charge flight attendant at Air Canada.
Ms. Pagé and Mr. Manfredi, welcome to the committee. You will have about five minutes to give your presentation. We will then move on to the question and answer portion. We have only 25 minutes in all.
I assume Ms. Pagé will be giving the presentation.
Please go ahead, Ms. Pagé.
1 p.m.
Marie-Josée Pagé Flight Attendant, Head of the Francization Committee , Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4091
Mr. Chair and honourable members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. This is a tremendous experience for me.
My name is Marie-Josée Pagé, and I have been a flight attendant since 1986. I was initially based out of Toronto but am now based out of Montreal. The year 2017 marks my 31st year of flying.
During that time, I have had many firsts, met numerous people, and experienced the highs and lows typical of an ever-changing industry. I have flown 21,700 hours, had five different uniforms, worn 60 pairs of shoes, and crossed paths with a wide array of passengers, from rock stars, movie stars, race-car drivers, and sports personalities to prime ministers, presidents, politicians, and the Dalai Lama.
Along the way, I have felt the impact of AIDS, the avian flu, SARS, the Ebola virus, and 9/11, not to mention put my self-defence training to the test.
It is with a positive attitude and all of that baggage that I appear before you in my new capacity as the head of Air Canada's francization committee, as well as a Montreal-based flight attendant. I will do my best to answer any questions you have.
Thank you.
March 23rd, 2017 / 1 p.m.
Francis Manfredi In-Charge Flight Attendant, Air Canada
My name is Francis Manfredi. I've been a service director at Air Canada since 1998, based in Toronto, Ontario. I've been asked by my colleague Marie-Josée Pagé to accompany her today to answer any of your questions or concerns regarding the developments and efforts of my employer, Air Canada, in the past couple of years regarding the bilingual services offered on board and what I see on board. I come at this as a non-French-speaking person, so for today I'll be considered unilingual.
My expertise comes not only from my years of service but also from my day-to-day front-line experience in serving Air Canada customers and from the challenges that arise on board the aircraft. As a service director, I'm the on-board leader and I have a critical role and a sort of nexus of responsibilities on board the aircraft. I'm the conduit between the company expectations, the cabin crew that I'm leading that day, the captain and the first officer, and finally the operational realities present that day. As a service director, I must show leadership; plan; organize; coordinate; control; provide help, coaching, and guidance for the flight attendants; and sometimes stand firm when necessary. There are a number of protocols and targets to meet before the aircraft even takes off, with safety of course being paramount followed by on-time performance targets like leaving on time. Any failure or shortcoming of any of the above is ultimately my responsibility, and I have to answer for it.
Finally, I'd just like to thank the chair and the hon. members who invited me here today. I'd be more than happy to answer any of your questions to the best of my abilities.
1:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Denis Paradis
Thank you very much.
We'll start the comment period immediately with Bernard Généreux.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank the witnesses for being here.
Ms. Pagé, your presentation was short, but powerful. It's interesting to see all the transformations you've experienced over 30 years, not to mention the risks involved in being in an airplane. People who have travelled can quickly vouch for this.
You're here to represent the union. Unions are necessary organizations in our society. They help move matters forward with regard to the wage conditions and conditions, in general, of all employees.
As a union representative, how do you find the relationship with your employer, Air Canada, in particular when it comes to the bilingualism issue?
1:05 p.m.
Flight Attendant, Head of the Francization Committee , Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4091
I must admit that it was difficult, especially with the former board of directors.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
In what way was it difficult?
1:05 p.m.
Flight Attendant, Head of the Francization Committee , Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4091
It was difficult to coordinate our people. It's very hard to explain. We aren't office people and we aren't there often. We go to the office for a few minutes to check our email, our correspondence and so forth. We don't really have direct contact with people, unless we're called to the office for something specific.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
So the context, and not necessarily the company, is difficult?
1:05 p.m.
Flight Attendant, Head of the Francization Committee , Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4091
Yes. The French priority was less important to the former board of directors than it is now. I think things have changed a great deal.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Since when have you observed this change?
1:05 p.m.
Flight Attendant, Head of the Francization Committee , Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4091
For us, the biggest impact was the “Hello, Bonjour”. I wasn't involved in the union at that time.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
It was still fairly recent.
1:05 p.m.
Flight Attendant, Head of the Francization Committee , Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4091
Yes. Exactly. In the past two years, I must say. Before, things were at a standstill. There wasn't much movement. Nobody was hired. The two near bankruptcies occurred. Not many new flight attendants were hired. We had to make do.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
I also imagine that the aging workforce has inevitably resulted in a turnover of employees. People retired and needed to be replaced. You're telling me that the company made an effort to hire more and more people who are at the very least bilingual or open to learning either new language.
1:05 p.m.
Flight Attendant, Head of the Francization Committee , Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4091
Yes. The company also tried to include the people who were already in place, despite the fact that much work needs to be done in this area. Many new employees were hired.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
I imagine that, if bilingualism wasn't really a priority before, as you said, it's also a cultural issue. That's what you seem to be saying.
1:05 p.m.
Flight Attendant, Head of the Francization Committee , Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4091
It also stems from the employees.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
1:05 p.m.
Flight Attendant, Head of the Francization Committee , Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 4091
The issue is closely tied to the generations. For some former employees, it was never a priority. It wasn't a priority when we were hired either. It may have been more of a priority for me at the start. I was hired by CP Air. We were hired in Montreal to be assigned to Toronto because bilingual employees were needed.
1:05 p.m.
Conservative
