"Do I address you in French or in English?"

We recently wrote about Canadian tourism continuing to gain momentum and it has has almost reached pre-COVID levels. The removal of travel and flight restrictions is also encouraging Canadians to travel from edge to edge of their home country.

Again and again, however, French-speaking Canadians have difficulties: they cannot always be provided with services in the language they prefer, whether it be air travel, car travel, or train travel.

This problem is once again addressed by Raymond Theberge, Official Languages Commissioner. He has previously brought the issue to the attention of those responsible: so far, in a country where two languages are recognized as official languages, services are not provided to citizens in these two official languages.

After more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians have finally been able to return to a certain degree of normalcy and resume activities that were put on hold due to pandemic-related health restrictions. This normalcy, however, has highlighted official language issues that I've repeatedly raised in the past, but are still very much present," Theberge told reporters Tuesday after presenting his annual report.

His report from last year shows that Air Canada received the most complaints on this issue. The complaints tend to be a lack of bilingual services and staff. The report also highlighted the lack of signage in English and French and and not having multilingual reservation systems.

Some 495 complaints were lodged against federally regulated travel institutions between April 2022 and the end of March, with 276 of those complaints about Air Canada, Theberge said.

The number of complaints against Air Canada reached 495. Even in 2021, when Air Canada's director was speaking only in English during one of his performances, there were not that many complaints.

It didn't take long for Air Canada to make a statement.

"We are one of the few Canadian companies, and the only airline, to be subject to the Official Languages Act. We have maintained our commitment toward the act for the past 50 years, in an industry governed by complex rules, while serving our customers in more than 20 languages in 51 countries in addition to Canada," the spokesperson said in a statement.

The commissioner's report also notes that airport authorities have described their problems recruiting bilingual staff.

A bill is now being debated in the Senate that would allow the commissioner to fine companies CAD 25,000 for each and every violation, but not all experts believe it would make companies fear for their future.