[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Zoupa]

I meant that Air Canada is subject to the Official Languages Act, not its CEO.

This report is from 2016. Nothing has changed because there is no consequences for ignoring complaints.

https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/publications/annual-reports-other-reports-parliament/2016/special-report-parliament-air-canada-road-increased-compliance-through-effective-enforcement-regime

I leave you with this quote from 1976

There is hardly a technical or administrative problem in language reform that Air Canada could not solve if its attitude were different. From the start, the Corporation's approach to language has been fearful, defensive and negative. No wonder so many of its employees seem to have the impression that respecting the official language preferences of paying passengers on the State airline is not a high priority. And no wonder reasonable wishes of its own employees to work at least part of the time in their preferred language have caused near trauma.

Keith Spicer, Commissioner of Official Languages, Sixth Annual Report, 1976

[Jacob]

The Official Languages Act.

It is why you here everything in French and English when you take a flight.

Yeah that last part I'm familiar with. It's also why there's French labels on our groceries.

I'm not familiar enough with the Official Languages Act to know whether executives of affected organizations are required to be bilingual. But I guess that's the case then? And Air Canada is still subject to the official languages act it seems, in spite of being privately held?

And then they tried to exploit a bit of leniency with a "he's not fully bilingual, but he'll get there... give him a bit of grace" and then he did sweet fuck all about it in that time?

If that's the case I'm absolutely in favour of Air Canada getting slapped down for that. That's bullshit.

And I'm in favour of that on two separate grounds. 1: because I support our official bilingualism policies; and 2: because corporations and rich executives should not get away with ignoring our laws. Fuck that.

[Jacob]

I meant that Air Canada is subject to the Official Languages Act, not its CEO.

This report is from 2016. Nothing has changed because there is no consequences for ignoring complaints.

https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/publications/annual-reports-other-reports-parliament/2016/special-report-parliament-air-canada-road-increased-compliance-through-effective-enforcement-regime

I leave you with this quote from 1976

There is hardly a technical or administrative problem in language reform that Air Canada could not solve if its attitude were different. From the start, the Corporation's approach to language has been fearful, defensive and negative. No wonder so many of its employees seem to have the impression that respecting the official language preferences of paying passengers on the State airline is not a high priority. And no wonder reasonable wishes of its own employees to work at least part of the time in their preferred language have caused near trauma.

Keith Spicer, Commissioner of Official Languages, Sixth Annual Report, 1976

I see. Thanks.

Whether the CEO is legally required to be bilingual at this stage or not, I agree that the basically unilingual condolences to the family of the deceased Quebec pilot is fucking disgraceful.

I also agree that the anemic implementation of the official languages act in general is reprehensible. Its proper implementation should be a point of pride in Canada, for all Canadians, whether or not they're bilingual, Francophone, or Anglophone. Air Canada, of all fucking organizations, should be a shining example of this and that it isn't is straight up shameful.

[Grey Fox]

Being unilingual anglo is only a small part of the problem. He's not a politician he doesn't need to hold conversations in french. He just needed to do the Hockey player special and read phonetically a prepared statement of 4-5 lines. But he can't do that because Michael Rousseau is a very toned deaf person. The tolerance of AC share holders is astounding to me.

[crazy canuck]

The Official Languages Act.

It is why you here everything in French and English when you take a flight.

Yeah that last part I'm familiar with. It's also why there's French labels on our groceries.

I'm not familiar enough with the Official Languages Act to know whether executives of affected organizations are required to be bilingual. But I guess that's the case then? And Air Canada is still subject to the official languages act it seems, in spite of being privately held?

And then they tried to exploit a bit of leniency with a "he's not fully bilingual, but he'll get there... give him a bit of grace" and then he did sweet fuck all about it in that time?

If that's the case I'm absolutely in favour of Air Canada getting slapped down for that. That's bullshit.

And I'm in favour of that on two separate grounds. 1: because I support our official bilingualism policies; and 2: because corporations and rich executives should not get away with ignoring our laws. Fuck that.

The CEO was making a statement on behalf of the company publicly. Therefore the legislation applies.

Legislation does not require the CEO to be bilingual but when making a public statement, the CEO has to at least learn a few lines to say in French. It is a bare minimum.

That's also why you hear so few Canadian CEOs, who are federally regulated say anything publicly. Very few of them are bilingual.

[Valmy]

That's also why you hear so few Canadian CEOs, who are federally regulated say anything publicly. Very few of them are bilingual.

As always, the best and brightest rarely end up in positions of power. A very simple requirement to be able to speak French at a toddler level is too much for these incompetent morons.

You are paid millions a year and you can't do this elementary school easy bullshit that any 8 year old could do? What a disgrace.

[crazy canuck]

That's also why you hear so few Canadian CEOs, who are federally regulated say anything publicly. Very few of them are bilingual.

As always, the best and brightest rarely end up in positions of power. A very simple requirement to be able to speak French at a toddler level is too much for these incompetent morons.

You are paid millions a year and you can't do this elementary school easy bullshit that any 8 year old could do? What a disgrace.

They mainly come from the US or were educated in American universities.  And federally regulated companies rarely pay their CEOs millions a year.

[Jacob]

Looks like Canada and Mercosur are set to sign a free trade agreement this year:

Mercosur and Canada near free-trade agreement with April talks

MONTEVIDEO/BRASILIA, March 27 (Reuters) - Canada and South America's Mercosur bloc are advancing towards a free-trade agreement that could be signed by the end of the year, with more negotiations scheduled for next month in Brasilia, ‌according to three sources familiar with the talks.

The government officials, from Canada, Argentina and Brazil, told Reuters they expected the deal to be concluded in 2026, with one noting that talks were progressing well and could be wrapped up before September.

The Argentine government official said the agreement was expected to be signed in September or October, marking roughly a year since negotiations formally restarted.

Another diplomat, based in Brazil, also told Reuters negotiations were going at a record speed and extremely well, confirming the countries would probably reach a deal this year.

Full article her: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mercosur-canada-near-free-trade-agreement-with-april-talks-2026-03-27/

[Zoupa]

Calgary zoo got a polar bear from a zoo in qc. Polar bear does not understand training commands in English. Nobody at the Calgary zoo could be arsed to learn like 10 commands in French. They're flying in a QC trainer as, I quote "transitioning the bear to learn commands in English ".

Canada: where we're so francophobic that it's easier to teach a polar bear English than an Albertan 10 sentences in French.

[Valmy]

That's also why you hear so few Canadian CEOs, who are federally regulated say anything publicly. Very few of them are bilingual.

As always, the best and brightest rarely end up in positions of power. A very simple requirement to be able to speak French at a toddler level is too much for these incompetent morons.

You are paid millions a year and you can't do this elementary school easy bullshit that any 8 year old could do? What a disgrace.

They mainly come from the US or were educated in American universities.  And federally regulated companies rarely pay their CEOs millions a year.

Look when I interviewed to work for Samsung here in Austin (I did not get the job just FYI) I was told that to go very far in that company I was going to have to learn Korean and they would supply Korean lessons. They had a special Korean language classroom in the building and everything. All the managers, all Americans, had taken the time to learn Korean to the point they could communicate with upper management in Korea. If our monolingual Texas asses can learn fucking Korean for the sake of our middle management careers surely it shouldn't be hard to teach us French. Once money is at stake it is amazing how bilingual we can become.

This just shows Canadian companies don't really care.

[Grey Fox]

The real issue.