Official Languages Committee on March 21st, 2022

[Michael Rousseau]

Mr. Chairman, our interests are aligned. We do take our responsibility to promote bilingualism and to adhere to the Official Languages Act very seriously.

I believe we have a very rigorous system to ensure that we continue to improve. Enhancements have been made, as I just mentioned, over the last couple of weeks. This comes to the executive committee on a regular basis to review progress and potential new initiatives.

This is a very important area for the company. It's a very important area for me personally. I do believe that promoting bilingualism is in the best interests of Canada and Air Canada because this is part of our brand. It's part of our equity and I take that very seriously.

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

Mr. Chair, I have no doubts about his intentions or the intentions of management.

Mr. Rousseau, in your Linguistic Action Plan 2020‑2023, why aren't bilingual applicants prioritized when the time comes to hire managers? The plan only covers front-line employees. Why not make it applicable to all workers, regular employees as well as members of senior management, including the president and chief executive officer, who is well aware of, and concerned about, the French fact?

[Michael Rousseau]

Mr. Chairman, we do consider French to be a core asset when we promote and when we hire, no matter where it is in the company—customer-facing or otherwise.

Although it may not be specifically in the 2020-23 plan, it is an objective of Air Canada to hire as many people as possible who are bilingual.

On a more detailed level, I'd like to defer to David Rheault to provide some more colour.

[David Rheault]

Thank you, Mr. Rousseau.

The plan clearly emphasizes the importance of employees who are in contact with the public, because it's through them that we meet our obligations to the public.

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

Excuse me for interrupting, Mr. Rheault, but I would like to ask Mr. Rousseau a brief question. I have less than 30 seconds left.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

What you have left is five seconds, but go ahead and ask your question.

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

Why doesn't your linguistic action plan state, in black and white, that all employees have to be bilingual and hired on the basis of their level of bilingualism?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Godin and Mr. Rheault.

[David Rheault]

I can answer that question.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'm afraid it's too late. You could perhaps return to it later.

Ms. Kayabaga now has the floor for five minutes.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to begin by thanking our witnesses for being here today.

My colleague asked you a question earlier, Mr. Rheault, and I'd like to give you time to answer it.

[David Rheault]

Your colleague Ms. Lattanzio's question was about areas of jurisdiction. I pointed out that Air Canada complied with provincial legislation in every province in which it conducts operations, including laws to protect French in Quebec.

Air Canada Vacations, a subsidiary of Air Canada, is a travel agency and tour operator. It is subject to provincial laws and has a francization certificate issued under Quebec's Charter of the French Language.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Thank you.

Mr. Rousseau, I know that there has been a lot of talk about the speech you gave on November 3, but what I'd like to know is what lessons you might have drawn from the experience following the reaction of francophones from Quebec and the rest of Canada and from Quebec anglophones in particular. What lessons have you learned from it?

Given this reaction, what would you do differently?

[Michael Rousseau]

Mr. Chairman, what I learned is that to participate fully in Quebec society, I need to learn French, and I should have started that earlier in my career at Air Canada. That was a mistake on my part. I'm correcting that at this point in time with relatively intensive lessons. I hope to be able to converse as soon as possible in French with all Air Canada stakeholders, francophone stakeholders, as soon as possible.

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Thank you.

I'm delighted about the efforts you're making to learn French, but beyond the fact that you're going to take French courses, what, more than anything else, did this experience teach you about our country, which is bilingual and believes in protecting both official languages?

Secondly, what did it teach you about francophone minority communities, which are in decline in Quebec and outside Quebec, in places like London, Ontario, where I live?

What have you learned about the people who live in official language minority communities?

What would you do differently to support the survival of French in Canada?

[Michael Rousseau]

Mr. Chairman, there's no doubt that French is a minority language in North America and it cannot be taken for granted. It needs a sustained effort to ensure that we preserve it. I believe a key strength of Canada is that it is bilingual; it has two official languages. I believe a key strength of Air Canada is that it does promote bilingualism.

I certainly hope that my example of learning French can be an example for others living in Quebec and outside Quebec, that supporting both official languages is important for the entire country.

[David Rheault]

I'd like to add my own comments, Mr. Chair.

You're right, Ms. Kayabaga. With respect to official language minority communities, we are all collectively responsible for supporting these people and improving their conditions. At Air Canada, we reviewed our community support program specifically to develop an aspect of it that would support organizations across the country involved in promoting bilingualism. We support events in every province, including the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. We have been partnering with them from the very outset. We have also been providing assistance to the Festival fransaskois, and Vancouver's Festival du voyageur.

So, for us—

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

I'm sorry to have to interrupt you, but I have only 10 seconds left.

I just wanted to emphasize the fact that we are not just talking about a language, but an entire culture.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Ms. Kayabaga. I try to interrupt as politely as possible, but those are the rules.

It's Mr. Mario Beaulieu's turn now, for two and a half minutes.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Rousseau, you're saying that Air Canada is complying with the Official Languages Act, but Air Canada generates the most complaints to the official languages commissioner's office.

Do you believe this is a credible response?

[Michael Rousseau]

Mr. Chairman, I do find my response credible. Our performance has been improving on a relative basis over the last several years.

We know we can do more. We know we can do better. My objective is to do that.

Again, we recently put in some new enhancements. We are encouraged by what's in the draft Bill C-13 regarding immigration and education. We do believe our performance will continue to improve.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Would you hire a unilingual anglophone in Quebec?

You're taking your time to answer that.

I have a second question for you. You say that you try to have a bilingual flight attendant on every plane. Was this always the case?

[David Rheault]

Can I provide some details, Mr. Beaulieu?

The number of flight attendants per aircraft depends on the size of the plane and its route. For flights leaving from Montreal, there are a lot more bilingual flight attendants. We are aware of high customer demand.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Okay.

I also find it rather simplistic to say that it's impossible to find enough employees who speak French. Is it a priority? Do you offer bilingualism bonuses?

I find it hard to imagine that you can't find enough bilingual employees, particularly in Quebec.

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

You have 20 seconds.