June 2019. I board an Air Canada flight with my two daughters from Montreal.
We are heading to Las Vegas for a short break in Death Valley. Even as we sit down, a flight attendant takes a seat in our section and shouts out a rousing: “Does everybody here speak English? She is responsible for giving us the safety rules. The general surprise gives way to a long silence until I decide to answer: “No! ”
Incredulous, all eyes are on me. In their eyes, I read the questions. “Well, let’s see, how can he fly to Vegas without understanding English?” Isn’t that pure provocation? Or even arrogance? No doubt it was in a way.
Because whenever we try to impose English as the language of approach or communication and we resist, we feel a little intolerant, preventing us from going around in circles.
The flight attendant’s approach was still subtle, let’s face it. From the height of her authority, she suggested that English was enough. Especially since the safety rules on board, we don’t give a damn. No one really listens to them. And come to think of it, the screaming in the ears session will be shorter, as our thoughts are only on those tasty moments that we will experience once we land in Nevada.
But it was too much. I couldn’t bring myself to let such an affront pass. Forget French when it is, in principle, mandatory on all Canadian flights, and then – since all passengers say they understand English (I mean say, which was certainly not the case) – to be addressed in English in all circumstances.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, ARCHIVES THE PRESS
Michael Rousseau, CEO of Air Canada, during his speech to the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal on November 3
This painful experience came to mind when I announced the speech delivered in English by the new President and CEO of Air Canada, Michael S. Rousseau, on November 3.
The contempt for French is legion in this organization and, he reminded it well, its mastery is even less necessary to live in Montreal, even to reach the highest echelons of the financial gratin.
Despite appearances, Air Canada’s true language is not English. It’s the money. And to have a real impact on this carrier, we should stop giving it. We should use our competitors, Air Transat first, whenever we have the opportunity, hoping that Air Canada will not swallow it one day. For intercontinental flights, Air Transat and European carriers, Air France in particular, do the trick very well.
Only these concrete means can bring about real change, curb Air Canada’s revenues to the point of causing Rousseau’s departure and lead this organization, which is fiercely hostile to French, to appoint from now on at least bilingual leaders and to respect our national language. The Legault government should for its part remove any subsidy to this company and demand, before resuming payment, a concrete plan to upgrade French at all hierarchical levels and in its communications with customers.
Since 1976, many Quebecers have boycotted Sun Life, which announced the transfer of its head office to Ontario in response to René Lévesque’s rise to power. In 1978, the boycott of confectioner Cadbury, who was moving its production to Ontario after 60 years in Montreal, hurt and served as a warning to many others.
Like me, will you dare to boycott Air Canada whenever you have the chance?
What do you think? Express your opinion