(Sun Media circulated the following story by Althia Raj on August 20, 2009.)
OTTAWA — The commissioner of official languages launched two investigations Thursday into allegations Via Rail did not offer emergency instructions in French to 334 passengers who had to be evacuated from a train.
It is the latest twist in a language saga that emerged after passengers evacuated Ottawa-bound train after its engine caught fire Sunday evening.
Some passengers, including a francophone journalist, reported emergency instructions were given only in English.
A fuming Bloc Quebecois MP, Richard Nadeau, said he would raise the issue with a House of Commons’ committee when Parliament resumes this fall.
The Fédération des communautés francophones et acadiennes du Canada launched a complaint with the language watchdog.
Thursday, the commissioner’s office confirmed two cases were received, including one by an individual, complaining about French services during the Via Rail incident.
“The investigation starts today,” spokesman Robin Cantin said. It could take weeks or possibly months to conclude because the commissioner wants to ensure the problem is fixed and won’t be repeated again, Cantin said.
Via Rail spokeswoman Catherine Kaloutsky said the company “is not disputing” that some customers heard messages only in English. But, she said, there are reports other customers heard messages in French and in English.
Staff on board spoke French and the Crown corporation has not hired any front-line workers who are not bilingual since 1985, she said.
Anne Marie Harbec, a passenger on board train 46, said she witnessed Via Rail employees giving instructions in French.
“They went above and beyond, I certainly have a lot of praise for how they handled it,” the Kingston resident and Franco-Ontarian said.
Harbec thinks some firefighters or fellow passengers who volunteered to help with the evacuation effort may have been unilingual.
“But I don’t think Via can do anything about that,” she said.
On Wednesday, the Crown corporation issued an official apology and said it was launching its own investigation.
It is interviewing the staff on board and reviewing its emergency response, including why messages from its megaphone weren’t clear.
Harry Gow, a French-language advocate and president of Transport 2000 Canada, said people should now put the matter behind them.
Earlier this week, he wrote an angry letter to Via Rail’s president telling him francophone passengers had been treated like second-class citizens.
But after Via Rail’s apology, Gow thinks the company is sincere in its renewed commitment to serving customers in the language of their choice.
“It’s unfortunate because Via, of all the transport services in Canada, is possibly the only one to apply the (official languages) law from A to Z.”