Guys like this make me sick.

[bcflyer]

Third time this guy has sued Air Canada. Maybe he should start flying another airline and see how much french service he gets from them.

http://richmobile.metronews.ca/calgary/ ... -of-french

[Bajan Pilot]

Geez, that guy still around. I was the captain on one of his flights where he sued AC for not offering him a 7Up in French and to boot...the guy speaks English.

[Inverted2]

I'd call him a crybaby to his face if I ever see him but he'd likely sue me for not saying it in french. Waaaahhhh!

[SuperSocket]

Seriously, is this the most important thing this clown has to do? I am so sick of the lack of common sense now. Feels like the general population are complete morons.

[teacher]

Insanity

When will this official languages crap end

[ArcticKat]

Doesn't Air Canada have a "Do Not Fly" list. This guy obviously has frivolous lawsuits to try to prove a point that no one but him cares about. I think he's intentionally targeting Air Canada. Terrorizing the staff even.

I'm kinda hoping his legal bill cost more than what he was awarded.

[mbav8r]

Jazz is sending some F/As to europe for a two week intensive french course to get or requalify for thier level 3 or whatever they need, other F/As are in french class for 2 months straight, meaning they are not flying the line, just collecting thier pay. I cannot fathom how much money is paid out annually for this, but I guess it's cheaper than all the lawsuits that would follow.
If only other airlines had to abide by this.
Question, is there anyway to ban this guy and his wife from flying Air Canada? If a person tries real hard, I'm sure they could find someone who can't speak french
edit:The post above mine was not there when I posed the same question

[crazy_aviator]

$500,000 for punitive damages ? SCUM !

[mbav8r]

Just thought of something, do I have the right to be served in english while in Quebec? I have been a few times and you want to talk about arrogance. Maybe I'll launch a frivolous lawsuit next time I'm in Quebec and can't get served in english, 500,000 should do it!

[Xander]

Just thought of something, do I have the right to be served in english while in Quebec? I have been a few times and you want to talk about arrogance. Maybe I'll launch a frivolous lawsuit next time I'm in Quebec and can't get served in english, 500,000 should do it!

In Montreal you would have no problem being served in english.

Outside of Montreal though, it's another story. The thing is, outside of Montreal, not everybody speaks english.

When I started for Jazz I was based in Calgary and the first time I went there I was absolutely astonished to see french indications everywhere at the airport. Even french messages on the loudspeaker.

I think the key concept here is common sense. One has to realize that in this country, there is two official languages and you can not be served in your preferred language 100% of the time.

I think you can not expect perfect bilingual service in a national airline, because not everybody speaks french. No matter how much effort the company puts in, the availability is just not there. We're 30 million in Canada, 5 million speak french, 20 million english, among those a good proportion can speak a little of both, some of us are bilingual and the rest speak neither english or french.

[ArcticKat]

The thing is, the airline really only needs one F/A on board who can speak Quebecios. It's not french, people from France speak french, people from Quebec speak a bastardised version of it called Quebecois, even if they like to claim otherwise.

I wonder what would happen if someone went to this guy's place of employment and no one would serve the client in English. It would be fun.....

[mbav8r]

Last time I was in Quebec city, I couldn't help bit notice the road signs
were French only. Maybe someone should sue the city.

[Fanblade]

My high school history is a bit rusty but I believe......

Canada the nation is officially bilingual. So all Federal gov't services.

Only one province is officially bilingual. That would be New Brunswick.

All other provinces are unilingual. English or French. Quebec is unilingual French.

I think the territories come under Canada as officially bilingual but don't remember for sure.

This is the jist of it. Our fore fathers entered into an agreement with Quebec during confederation as did every other province. That means natural resource rights. Hydro rights. language rights. ect. A deal is a deal is a deal

With that said when the gov't of Canada privatized AC the official languages act should have been severed from applying since it was no longer federally owned and controlled.

Who am I blaming? The liberals and every gov't since the privatization of AC. They did it for political optics. No one will touch it since. Why? Political optics. Look at the mess. Not just for AC but for the whole French vs English relationship.

Go look at the globe and mail comments to see what I mean.

Keep your criticism squarely on the cause of the problem. And squarely on those vested with the ability to fix it.

This isn't this gentleman's fault. It may seem over the top (and I totally agree) but he is just demanding the rights this country has afforded him. If you think the rights are over the top then blame those who created the problem. Not those expecting the law to be upheld.

12K is a drop in the bucket for what the official languages act costs AC. Maybe this 12k is well spent if it generates some people to stop and think for a moment. AC is going to provide French service from MSP? Mumbai? San Paulo? Of course the problem is systemic. It is not possible.

Rant over.

[Blue Yonder]

Rather than giving this guy $12k cash, it should be given to him in Aeroplan points.

This way he can enjoy Air Canada's fine service even more!

Heck he can even have a 7up on me

Blue

[ChallengerDan]

This guy was interviewed by a french tv media outlet this morning.
Apparently this all started 11 years ago, when he flew from Montreal to Ottawa and couldn't be served in french. AC, instead of greeting him in Ottawa with a French speaking CSA, greeted him with the Police and said he was a dangerously disturbing passenger.The war was on...

[CD]

Here are some earlier news articles:

AvCanada: Ottawa man lobbies for bilingual bus drivers

[Bajan Pilot]

I called the police...he must love me.

[Sea2Sky]

Didn't a member of the Quebec government recently declare in its legislature that "multiculturalism is not a Quebec value"? Sooooo, is that only when Quebecers are required to open THEIR minds?

And please don't sell this as a "lesson to Air Canada" while attaching a dollar value to it. In another suit, he demanded damages for not being served in French in Altanta. In 2000, he pulled the same 7up-order stunt. He got Sprite. Lawsuit.

Be an an opportunistic money-grabber if you want, just be honest about it at least.

[Xander]

The thing is, the airline really only needs one F/A on board who can speak Quebecios. It's not french, people from France speak french, people from Quebec speak a bastardised version of it called Quebecois, even if they like to claim otherwise.

We speak French just like the Scots speak their English: with a different accent and some unique words and expression. Same with the Aussies. It's different from your Anglo-Canadian English but it's still English.

Even if you claim otherwise.

[Panama Jack]

OK, I know its the alcohol talking but . . .

Can we please have another referendum in Canada? The two they had in Quebec didn't work so can the other provinces please have a referendum on whether they want to separate from Quebec to put this madness to rest once and for all?

[MackTheKnife]

OK, I know its the alcohol talking but . . .

Can we please have another referendum in Canada? The two they had in Quebec didn't work so can the other provinces please have a referendum on whether they want to separate from Quebec to put this madness to rest once and for all?

That would be akin to ACPA having another vote on AGE 60. Ain't gonna happen !

[Turbo]

Fanblade, are you nuts...... (Gentleman)???? He's an opportunist and a bloodsucker. Nothing to do with rights. I can assure you if I say "evacuate, evacuate, evacuate" he will not just sit there and wait for a translation. If you think he's a "gentleman" I am glad not to know you.

[

i]This isn't this gentleman's fault. It may seem over the top (and I totally agree) but he is just demanding the rights this country has afforded him. If you think the rights are over the top then blame those who created the problem. Not those expecting the law to be upheld[/i].

[coreydotcom]

As a French Quebecer (or however you spell that), this f**ker makes me sick to my stomach. He is an embarassment to all of us. I enjoy being served in French on flight from SFO - YUL but if the service is unavailable or the FA is clearly having trouble in French I will switch to English to 1) relieve of some stress and 2) to be considerate.

As previously stated, common sense is the order of the day. My grandmother who doesn't speak a word of English regularly travels around the world without any problems, seemingly.

We are proud of our identity, our culture and especially our language, here in Quebec, but come on, this guy is ridiculous. Again, embarassing - marginalizing us even further.

BTW, what was said above is completely true. In Quebec, you do not have the right to be served in English. While a lot of people speak English in Montreal and the younger folks outside of the island should have some basics of the language, it is not your right. Although you will find that a lot of people will try and help you no matter what - too bad the only things that come up in the news are the things like this or when a merchant throws someone out of his store for speaking English.

The French language is dying and we have to protect it, but again, idiots like this guy make me sick. The concept of it being "your right" to be served in a certain language is absurd to me, but then again, I don't make the rules. Why should it be your right to be served in a certain language. The merchant should chose the language he operates in and he could be quite willing to accomadate other languages but if he doesn't its your choice to go somewhere else - that's how I think it should work. i.e. if AC wants to only serve in English, I think it should be their right, and if I (or this a$$hole) don't like it - I can choose another airline.

I wonder if you can demand to be served in French on the new YUL - DOH flights... lol.

End of rambling rant.

[vic777]

When will this official languages crap end

Never, do you have any idea how many Quebecers have jobs, because they speak French?

[Dave Grohl]

Right off the bat I've got to say that I don't mind nor would deny Quebecers their right to speak French.
With that said, however, the thing that really ticks me off is the ATC/pilot French interactions on ATC frequencies when operating in Quebec airspace...it automatically cuts a bunch of people out of the loop (American and foreign carriers, as well as anglophone Canadians) with a partial loss of situational awareness...totally unsafe.