Official Languages Committee on March 25th, 2021

[Kelly Burke]

I do believe that is the case. The Official Languages Act and all the pieces of legislation that protect language rights have a clear impact on the francophonie in general.

In the federal act, it is a matter of language rights that are attached to the federal government's services. In Ontario, we also have a legislative instrument, the French Language Services Act, which is very useful to us. However, what I am seeing in the Official Languages Act is the duty to do more to help the provinces ensure that their services would be provided in French. This is a legislative framework that, in Ontario, helps us ensure that the availability of services in French and English is protected.

My role as a commissioner is to make sure this is the case.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Okay.

I have a question for the Canada Border Services Agency.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

You have 15 seconds left.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Have you heard about the fact that people may be subject to searches in retaliation for asking to be served in French?

Radio-Canada talked about this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

You have between five and 10 seconds, Mr. Vinette. Be very brief

[Denis Vinette]

I have not heard about this situation. That should not be happening, as it clearly violates our policies.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you, that is all the time we have for this panel of witnesses. It is already 4:37 p.m.

On behalf of all the committee members, on my own behalf and on behalf of the committee staff, I would like to thank you for your participation. Please do not hesitate to send us any complementary information or your briefs. I know that we received briefs from Mr. Vinette and Ms. Burke.

I would like to begin by thanking Kelly Burke, French Language Services Commissioner of Ontario, and Carl Bouchard, Director of Operations, French Language Services Unit. From the Canada Border Services Agency, I would like to thank Denis Vinette, Vice–President, Travellers Branch, and Louise Youdale, Vice–President, Human Resources Branch.

Thank you for your participation.

We will suspend the meeting for one or two minutes while we welcome our next witnesses.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

I call the meeting back to order.

Today, the committee is meeting on its study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the government's ability to deliver information in both official languages.

I am now speaking to the witnesses. Before you take the floor, make sure to unmute your microphone. If a question is addressed to you, you don't have to wait for me to give you the floor. You can go ahead right away.

I remind everyone that all comments should be addressed through the chair.

You have access to interpretation services, and you can choose between the floor, English or French.

I also ask that you speak slowly and clearly. When you are not speaking, your microphone should be on mute.

So I officially welcome you to the standing committee on official languages. Each group will have seven and a half minutes for its opening remarks, which will be followed by a period of questions by members. I will let you know when you have a minute left and when your time is up.

Let's give a warm welcome this afternoon to Alex Silas, Regional Executive Vice–President, National Capital Region, and Chantal Fortin, Alternate Regional Executive Vice–President, National Capital Region, both from the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and Louise Imbeault, President of the Société nationale de l'Acadie.

I must inform you that, during this hour of discussion, we may stop if the bells ring to indicate that it is time to vote.

I would ask the representatives of the Public Service Alliance of Canada to make their presentation.

Go ahead for seven and a half minutes.

[Alex Silas, Regional Executive Vice-President, National Capital Region, Public Service Alliance of Canada]

Mr. Chair, members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages, thank you for inviting us to testify about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the government's ability to provide information in both official languages.

My name is Alex Silas, and I am the Regional Executive Vice-President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada for the National Capital Region. With me is my union sister Chantal Fortin, Alternate Regional Executive Vice-President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, PSAC.

I was born in Moncton, New Brunswick. My family moved to Ottawa when I was younger. I am a proud Acadian, a French-speaking and bilingual people willing to stand up and defend our rights.

PSAC represents more than 48,000 members in the National Capital Region. A little over a year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic entered our lives. As weeks turned into months, our members rolled up their sleeves and continued to provide essential public services to Canadians to support them throughout the pandemic.

Even before the pandemic, the truth is that problems had been noted with bilingualism in the federal public service. Lacking measures to protect bilingualism, the right to work in the official language of our choice and our ability to communicate with the public in both official languages, our response to the pandemic has been affected.

If bilingualism were a priority for the Treasury Board, it would put concrete practices in place to support French in the workplace instead of simply sending out memos to encourage its use. The pandemic has made the situation worse.

To talk about what we see in workplaces, I would like to yield the floor to my union sister, Chantal Fortin.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Go ahead, Ms. Fortin.

[Chantal Fortin, Alternate Regional Executive Vice-President, National Capital Region, Public Service Alliance of Canada]

Apologies, I was on the telephone with the technician to try to resolve my video issues.

Thank you very much for this welcome.

My name is Chantal Fortin, and I am the Alternate Regional Executive Vice-President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, National Capital Region. I am a proud Franco-Ontarian who was born here in Ottawa. I am comfortable speaking in both English and French, having lived my whole life in the National Capital Region. Although I am bilingual, my mother tongue is French, and I was educated in French. So it requires more time and effort for me to work in my second language—time and effort that, at work, would otherwise be devoted to my main duties. I have been working for the Government of Canada for 19 years, and I am very concerned about the ability of workers like me to use the official language in which they are most comfortable.

The following is what we hear from PSAC members. Important information is not always sent by managers in both official languages. When documents are sent only in English, management tells us that [Technical difficulty—Editor] French translation. Often, Francophones have the impression that they have to use their second language—

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

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Yes.

I apologize, Ms. Fortin. Can you wait a minute?

I am stopping the clock. Two committee members have raised a point of order.

Mr. Godin, go ahead.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

We lost a small part of her remarks. I would ask the witness to repeat the last 15 seconds of her presentation.

I apologize, Ms. Fortin. I understand that you have a technical problem, but your testimony is very important, so I would ask you to repeat your comments.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you.

Madam Clerk, go ahead.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Nancy Vohl]

Ms. Fortin, I would remind you that, since we cannot see you right now, you need to speak a bit slower because, without an image, it is difficult for the interpreters.

[Chantal Fortin]

Okay. I understand.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Okay.

Mr. Arseneault, was it the same point of order? So we will continue. Everything is going well.

Ms. Fortin, as has been proposed, could you repeat your two or three last sentences and continue your presentation?

[Chantal Fortin]

Certainly.

I will make sure to speak a bit more slowly.

I have been working for the Government of Canada for 19 years, and I am very concerned about the ability of workers like me to use the official language in which they are most comfortable.

I would like to share with you some testimony from our members.

Important information is not always sent by managers in both official languages, and when documents are sent only in English, management tells us it will take more time to get a French translation.

Often, francophones have the impression that they have to use their second language so as not to be left behind by their co-workers, because the translation is either not available or not ready on time.

Francophones sometimes have trouble understanding what is said in English during meetings and, owing to virtual work, they no longer have easy access to their co-workers to ask questions and get a better understanding of what was said during the meeting. Conversely, anglophones feel uncomfortable speaking French in a formal meeting context where everything is being done in English.

Bilingual workers are sometimes expected to step in and translate during meetings in place of organized translation services. This means that bilingual people have a double duty: to carry out their regular work and to provide backup translation services. I hope you agree with me that this is unacceptable.

We also hear that, in client contact centres, more unilingual anglophones are hired than unilingual francophones and are then offered private training to improve their French, but the same opportunities are far fewer for unilingual francophone applicants. This is a disadvantage and inequity for francophones and immigrants from francophone countries.

Francophone members must fight to gain access to work tools in French, such as software, documentation, programs and applications. This is unacceptable.

The Government of Canada regularly stresses its pride in having a competent, diverse, dynamic and bilingual public service. However, to maintain and improve its capacity, the necessary support systems and tools to support the use of French in the workplace must be put in place.

I would like to name a few solutions that could help improve bilingualism in the federal workplace. The bilingualism bonus has remained at $800 per year for 30 years. We have pushed the government several times to review its policy, but it refuses to budge.

The bilingualism bonus must be increased to recognize the value of working in both official languages. More language training must also be provided to encourage anglophone and francophone employees to improve their second language.

If the government seriously wants to increase bilingualism in the federal workplace, it should enhance the bilingualism bonus and extend second-language training. This is not a case of one or the other.

The Treasury Board must also stop all subcontracting of language training and focus on bringing back a public-sector training program delivered by public service workers.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Ms. Fortin, I'm sorry to interrupt you. Can you wrap up in 15 or 20 seconds, please?

[Chantal Fortin]

I was just about to give the floor to Mr. Silas to finish our presentation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Mr. Silas, can you wrap up in 10 seconds, please?

[Alex Silas]

In conclusion, if the Government of Canada really wants to preserve our bilingual identity and improve its ability to communicate and provide services to Canadians in both official languages, it will take work, investment and a concrete mandate.

As part of this discussion on our country's official languages and colonial languages, we mustn't forget the importance of preserving indigenous languages. We must all—

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Unfortunately, Mr. Silas, that's all the time that we have. You can add to your comments when you answer the questions.

I'll now give the floor for seven and a half minutes to Louise Imbeault from the Société nationale de l'Acadie.