Official Languages Committee on June 1st, 2022

[Tracy Robinson]

Whether or not it's a requirement, 90% of our senior executives in Quebec speak French. I think we are demonstrating that we are very supportive. We take the language very seriously. We operate a North American organization. English will always be part of our company, but in Quebec, where we're proud to have our headquarters, 90% of our executives speak French.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Do you think French-language proficiency should be a factor in executives' performance evaluations?

[Tracy Robinson]

Right now, it's a very active part of what we do in the company every day. As I said, I'm surrounded each day, in the Montreal head office, by very active, French-speaking, passionate.... French is part of our day-to-day dialogue here. Certainly, we speak English as required, but French is part of our daily dialogue.

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

I have a final question for you, Ms. Robinson.

Do you understand why many Quebeckers and Canadians are upset when they hear that large Crown corporations such as yours, CN, which is headquartered in Montreal, or Air Canada, don't show leadership on official bilingualism?

As you said just now, you like to lead by example.

What is your feeling about this? Going forward, if we want to repair this, we need to know what has been damaged and tampered with. What do you read from this? What do you get from this? As you mentioned many times today, you have lots of Quebeckers around you. What's the feeling you get, internally, and what do you intend to go forward with?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

I'm sorry, Mr. Iacono, but you have largely passed your three minutes.

Before we leave, we have Mr. Beaulieu for just a second.

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

I'll be very brief, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Robinson, you've often repeated that 90% of your executives in Quebec speak French. Would you please send us a document outlining your basis for saying that?

[The Chair, Liberal, René Arseneault]

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu.

Ms. Robinson, if you can provide us, in writing, with any further information to complete the question you couldn't complete, please feel free to provide that to our clerk. It would be very much appreciated. If you could complete the answer to Mr. Iacono's question, as well, it would be very much appreciated.

Mr. Finn and Ms. Robinson, I wish to apologize on behalf of the committee. Voting often occurs in the House of Commons, and that sometimes delays committee meetings. We thank you for your patience and your testimony.

The meeting is adjourned.