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.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Having been a member of the National Assembly, I can tell you that's what people think.
The employee was sent to Toronto for English-only training, completely in English.
What do you say to that?
12:45 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
I would have to do some checking.
12:45 p.m.
General Manager, Linguistic Affairs and Diversity, Air Canada
At Air Canada, agents can take training in the language of their choice. I'm not sure why someone in Quebec City would be sent to Toronto. I would have to check with Jazz on that.
12:50 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
Do you happen to know when the training took place?
12:50 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
If it's an employee who works at the airport, we will check into it and do some follow-up.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
I think he was a flight attendant.
Are your staff communications always bilingual, whether they are directed at senior executives or flight attendants? When you send an email to a co-worker, do you write it in both languages?
12:50 p.m.
General Manager, Linguistic Affairs and Diversity, Air Canada
If the email is going to only one person, we normally send it in that person's preferred language.
12:50 p.m.
General Manager, Linguistic Affairs and Diversity, Air Canada
If the email is going to a group of people, it is sent in both official languages.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
That's a good answer, and I'm satisfied with that. What I care about are measurable results.
Looking at the tables and charts, I was surprised to see that employees in Montreal had not all completed the language awareness testing.
12:50 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
Actually, I am going to—
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Looking at one of your tables, you have to be an expert on airports to know what all the airport abbreviations are.
12:50 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
No, it's this other table. I will answer the question.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
You do have to be somewhat knowledgeable. YUL is the only one I know by heart.
12:50 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
I'd just like to make a comment.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Only 87% of flight attendants in Montreal completed the awareness module. I thought Montreal would have a better showing.
12:50 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
The table you are referring to is on page 10. I don't want to extrapolate. We really want all employees to complete the training. All our employees in Montreal are bilingual.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Okay, but that doesn't mean someone can't improve their French or English skills.
12:50 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
Of course, but the awareness module is part of initial training on providing service in both official languages. Obviously, the module is less beneficial for bilingual employees than for unilingual employees.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
If they all have the skills, if they know they fall in category A, B, C, or E for exempt—
12:50 p.m.
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Community Relations, Air Canada
That's why I said that our objective is for everyone to undergo the training. The percentage in Montreal is 87%, but the goal is to hit 100%.
