Evidence of meeting #72 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 languages.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Yes, and he is probably right.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
As an Individual
We have not yet received a response concerning the “exit” sign.
However, we have received one regarding Air Canada Cargo.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
That is curious because, in France, the word “exit” is used more than the word “sortie,” and yet it is a francophone country.
That is simply to say that francophones who travel to Paris on Air Canada will probably hear more English words there than they did before leaving Quebec or Canada.
I am still playing the devil's advocate. I want to hear what you have to say so I can understand the arguments you make. I am not defending Air Canada in any way.
Do you think that a business like Air Canada, which is now a private company, makes a good faith effort to provide the service for which it is responsible under the Official Languages Act? There is a certain breach.
I am coming back to the situation that occurred in Wabush, of which you spoke.
Incidentally, 3.9% of Wabush's population of 1,800 inhabitants is francophone. So that is less than 5%.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
That is what my assistant just told me. That figure comes from Statistics Canada. I do not know the year in which it was established, but it must not have been that long ago.
However, is it possible to make an error or breach in good faith in a business like Air Canada, which serves 46 million passengers a year?
Do you feel that there is no leeway and that Air Canada should make no more errors, anywhere, without exception, as it is still doing by using unilingual anglophone cabin personnel, for example, or a pilot who does not speak French, or whatever?
4:30 p.m.
As an Individual
If you are framing your question in absolute terms, I will not answer it.
Instead my answer is as follows. I am saying that I have a right to be served in the country's two official languages. Furthermore, it is up to Air Canada to take the necessary measures to serve me in the official language of my choice. The government has set forth obligations in the charter, which is the supreme legal instrument in this country. A business in Canada, a country that has two official languages, must serve its customers in both languages. What is being debated today, and what we are trying to define, is the mechanism that should be used where that obligation has been breached.
I am not prepared to defend Air Canada and say it is incapable of doing so for one reason or another. According to Air Canada, only a small percentage of the millions of passengers it serves complain. However, based on my experience and the number of trips I have taken during which I was not served in French, the percentage in my case is enormous.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Has it declined? Do you get the impression that the problems have diminished in the last 17 years you have been conducting your fight? Do you feel the situation is less serious?
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Air Canada representatives testified before us and said that measures had been put in place and bilingual personnel had been hired across Canada. We know perfectly well that it may not be easy to find bilingual personnel in Wabush, but they found a bilingual employee to serve you.
Coming back briefly to the Wabush case, you said that Air Canada went and found someone who was bilingual, but you nevertheless felt that the company had violated your rights—
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Is that because that bilingual person did not stay on site to provide the rest of the service until you had boarded the aircraft?
4:30 p.m.
As an Individual
It was not just that.
When you talk about proper and equal service in both official languages, there has to be an active offer of service.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
The expression “active offer” is important.
4:35 p.m.
As an Individual
There is also the matter of the time it took to find that person. Service must be equal in both official languages.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
4:35 p.m.
As an Individual
French Canadian citizens must not feel they are being served less well than anglophones.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Earlier, in response to a question from Mr. Lefebvre, you touched on the matter of other organizations that are subject to the Official Languages Act in Canada. There are many.
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Have you previously had problems related to the Official Languages Act and compliance with your language rights in the provision of services by other businesses or government organizations?
4:35 p.m.
Conservative
Bernard Généreux Conservative Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Did you file complaints against those organizations?