Air Canada’s chief executive has apologized to a parliamentary committee in his first comments since his poor grasp of the French language sparked a huge outcry last fall.
“I am sorry. I apologize again here,” Michael Rousseau said in laboured French during video conference testimony to the standing committee on official languages.
Rousseau said his comments last November were “insensitive” when he said that he managed to live 14 years in Montreal without speaking French, which is “to the credit” of the city.
“I admit that I made a mistake by not learning to speak French when I joined Air Canada and I am correcting that mistake at this point,” he said.
Under questioning from Bloc MP Mario Beaulieu, Rousseau said he studies French every morning with tutors from reputable firms.
Rousseau also told the committee that Air Canada, which is subject to the Official Languages Act, understands its obligation to communicate with its customers in the official language of their choice.
Rousseau said unilingual English-speaking employees unable to serve a French-speaking customer, both at the airport and on board the aircraft, are instructed to say “one moment please” while they put them in contact with a French-speaking employee.
Conservative Joel Godin, vice-chair of the committee, told Rousseau that “it’s been 45 years” that the majority of official languages commissioners have described “a systemic problem” at Air Canada.
When Rousseau answered that the language spoken at the board of directors is English, the MP asked how the importance of respecting the French language can be reflected throughout the organization.
Rousseau said the company speaks to its employees in both official languages and half of its employees are bilingual.
NDP MP Niki Ashton said she was disappointed that not only was the Air Canada CEO’s presentation not half in French, which would be the “minimum,” but also that all of his answers were in English.
She said Air Canada shows a “lack of respect” for French, pointing to the CEO as an example.
Training for employees
Since 2016, Air Canada says it has provided more than 130,000 hours of lessons to 10,000 employees to teach them to speak French. The air carrier claims to do “learning retention” for its bilingual employees and develop courses so that employees can “qualify” as bilingual.
“If I calculate quickly, that makes 13 hours per employee,” said Conservative MP Jacques Gourde, who was not impressed.
In response to a Liberal MP who questioned him on how Air Canada will measure its performance in terms of bilingualism, Rousseau said that a decrease in complaints would be a “key indicator.”
Called to assure parliamentarians that Air Canada will fight against the decline of French, Rousseau said that bilingualism is “very important” for the company and for him personally.
“I believe that promoting bilingualism is in the best interest of Canada and Air Canada because it is part of our brand. It is part of our capital and I take it very seriously,” he said.
Air Canada says it has set up a department dedicated to official languages in recent weeks to monitor the carrier’s progress, spent more on training and created an award for promoting bilingualism. In addition, it will offer a bonus to employees who refer a bilingual candidate for a position.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
