Official Languages committee  New Brunswick employees do not report to a Halifax office.

Official Languages committee  Management is located in Moncton, Fredericton and elsewhere.

Official Languages committee  Bilingual designation is provided for under the Official Languages Act. Its provisions allow for a determination of which regions are designated bilingual in terms of service to Canadians and language of work.

Official Languages committee  It is not the department's administrative responsibility to designate a region bilingual or unilingual. The clarification I wanted to make...

Official Languages committee  ... was that these designations are...

Official Languages committee  ... provided for under the Official Languages Act.

Official Languages committee  There has been absolutely no change to the linguistic designation of the Atlantic region, nor has there been any change to the bilingual services provided in that region by Service Canada. There has been no change to the designation of bilingual positions. All positions designated bilingual before this administrative change remain so.

Official Languages committee  Mr. Chairman.

Official Languages committee  Okay.

Official Languages committee  Yes, that's right, Mr. Chairman.

Official Languages committee  Thank you very much. First, I would really like to thank you for making the arrangements to enable me to participate in the committee's meeting today. Before I begin with a few brief opening remarks, I would also like to begin by apologizing for the lack of precision I displayed when I appeared on March 8.

Official Languages committee  All right.

Official Languages committee  Actually, I am using the direct line. I'm not using speakerphone. I'm doing my best with the little phone I have here.

Official Languages committee  To begin, as I was saying, I would really like to apologize to the committee for my lack of precision when I appeared on March 8. I am sorry for all of the confusion caused by that lack of precision and clarity, and I hope my comments today will reassure you regarding Service Canada's full compliance with the Official Languages Act and the rights of all Canadians.

Official Languages committee  The mark of 58% was for the active offer. When the commissioner's officers phoned the office in the course of their audit, the first thing that the employee said to them, in 58% of the cases, was “hello, bonjour” or “bonjour, hello”—or something of the sort. The active offer is a specific component of our bilingual service.