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CATSA Newsletter
July 2003
Message from the President and CEO
In last month's column, I wrote about the new CATSA uniform and its importance to customer service. Indeed, the uniforms have started to arrive and will soon be recognized by passengers across the country as a symbol of professional, consistent, efficient and courteous service. This month I would like to talk about one critically important element of customer service - the need to serve passengers in their official language of choice, French or English.
As you know, Canada has two official languages, French and English. As a Crown corporation subject to the Official Languages Act (OLA), CATSA and third parties acting on its behalf must serve Canadians in the language of their choice in areas where there is a linguistic obligation. This means that service providers and screening officers must offer services to the public in both official languages at 24 designated bilingual airports, including all Class 1 airports across the country.
In practical terms, this means that there should be bilingual screening officers on every shift at these airports. It doesn't mean that every officer needs to be bilingual, just that there should always be enough officers on duty who can speak both official languages to cover passenger volume.
An important element of serving travellers in both official languages is to provide passengers with what is called an “active offer”. That means that when passengers are met at the pre-board screening (PBS) checkpoint, they are greeted in both languages, French and English. This tells the passenger that he or she can receive services in his or her language of choice.
If a passenger requests service in his or her official language of choice at an airport where bilingual service must be provided and there are no bilingual screening officers, that passenger has the option of sending a complaint to the Commissioner of Official Languages in Ottawa. (See the CATSA NEWS interview with the Commissioner inside this edition). This complaint is then passed on to CATSA to conduct an investigation and provide a report to the Commissioner. To date, CATSA has received a few complaints and as a result, we are making every effort to enhance our service to the travelling public.
One important way to meet our obligations under the OLA and make passengers feel as comfortable as possible is to prominently display the blue “English/Français” signs at screening checkpoints and for bilingual screening officers to always wear their blue pins. Together, we at CATSA headquarters, service providers and screening officers are taking concrete steps to ensure that everyone's travel experience is as secure and enjoyable as possible; providing service to passengers in their language of choice is an important part of that job. Thank you for your continued cooperation!
Jacques Duchesneau, C.M.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Summer Travel at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
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It is a busy Saturday afternoon at the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport. Jackie and Laura Hawley are standing in a lineup, several feet away from the gate to their flight, at the pre-board screening (PBS) checkpoint. On their way to Newfoundland and Labrador for a choir festival, Jackie and her daughter Laura say they are no strangers to |
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the challenges of summer travel, including lineups. “Airport lineups are a normal thing this time of year. But even when it is a busier day like today, I've always found PBS officers to be very friendly and professional,” says Jackie. Both Jackie and Laura agree that summer travel can be easy if travellers are prepared and well-informed on how to pack their carry-on luggage and checked baggage. “Packing can be more challenging in the summer. That's why we both checked the CATSA website before coming to the airport to know what we can and cannot pack in our carry-on luggage and checked baggage,” says Laura. Several feet away is PBS officer Patrick Robert. He is walking towards the airport's security checkpoint to begin his shift. Patrick says June and July are two of the busiest months of the year. “With school out, many choose this time of the year for family vacations. As a result, we do have longer lineups than we would normally have,” he says. Although he says travellers are usually friendly and cooperative, he admits they are not all aware of what items are permitted or prohibited on the plane. “Travellers don't know enough about prohibited items,” says Patrick. That's why he thinks the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority's (CATSA) Summer Tips for Travellers event, which he attended, was a great success. To increase public awareness on prohibited items,
CATSA organized a press conference at the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier
International Airport where CATSA's President and CEO, Jacques
Duchesneau, addressed the issue of summer travel and provided
the public with tips on how to pack wisely. |
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| “When the travelling public is well-informed before proceeding to the PBS checkpoint, it creates understanding on both sides of the checkpoint and makes our job easier,” says Patrick. As security checkpoints become busier, Patrick says the secret to efficient and effective pre-board screening is courteous, consistent service. “I proceed the same way with all travellers. |
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| I don't treat any traveller differently from the other. If a traveller has a prohibited item in carry-on luggage, I try to explain the procedure politely. Travellers understand once I explain the rules,” he says. Despite busier lineups, Patrick seems to have it under control, resulting in satisfied travellers. “In the times that I've travelled, I've never had a bad experience,” says Jackie as she and her daughter start venturing towards the PBS checkpoint. Patrick proceeds to the checkpoint to start his shift. “Another day of summer travellers,” he says with a smile. “Every day is different. You never know what to expect. I think today will be a good day.” CATSA NEWS would like to thank Brenda Bacic, one of CATSA's summer students, for writing this story and providing the photos. |
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CATSA's Responsibilities Under the Official Languages Act
When Aline Atherton decided to leave her hometown of Sudbury, Ontario to work as a pre-board screening (PBS) officer at Calgary International Airport, she knew she would be joining a francophone minority in what many Canadians consider a unilingual city.
Aline is a Franco-Ontarian, raised in Sudbury where she spoke both French and English for as long as she can remember.
“Having been brought up in a bilingual environment, both languages represent my roots, my family and my upbringing. They represent my identity,” she says.
A self-described champion of bilingualism, Aline firmly believes in offering services to Canadians in both official languages.
“It is the right of all Canadians to receive services in the official language of their choice,” she says.
As a PBS officer at Calgary International Airport, Aline says she is in the ideal position to demonstrate that right on a daily basis.
“When I'm at the checkpoint, I speak my first words in French followed by my second sentence in English. Usually, if a stressed traveller is a francophone, his/her facial expression automatically changes into a smile or a glance of appreciation. That makes all my efforts worthwhile,” says Aline.
In her Ottawa office, the Commissioner of Official Languages, Dr. Dyane Adam, is working from her end to get more Canadians to understand and share Aline's views. According to Dr. Adam, the Official Languages Act, which she represents, is more than just words on a piece of paper, it is the spirit and identity of a bilingual nation.
“When Canadians hear the word bilingualism or service in Canada's both official languages, some think it is just another government legislation to follow. What they don't understand is that bilingualism is what differentiates Canada from many countries. It is part of Canada's identity.
“My role as the Commissioner of Official Languages is to be an agent of change, to bring the power of recommendation, to influence the decision makers, Parliament, Government, public administrations, to act not only to the letter of the Official Languages Act but the spirit of it,” she says.
Part of Dr. Adam's responsibilities is to ensure that federal institutions achieve the sense that biligualism is an important value of our society and to ensure the equality of Canada's two official languages in Canada's institutions and society.
CATSA's President and CEO, Jacques Duchesneau, had an opportunity to meet with Dr. Adam last month where they discussed CATSA's responsibilities toward the Official Languages Act.
“In order to respect the provisions relating to services to the public, CATSA and third parties acting on its behalf (i.e. service providers) must communicate and provide services to the public in the official language of their choice where it has a linguistic obligation. This means that service providers and screening officers must be able to serve the public in both official languages at 24 designated airports, including all Class 1 airports across the country,” he says.
Although CATSA's Champion of Official Languages, Randall McCauley, agrees the Official Languages provisions may sound technical on paper, he insists they are fundamental to the identity of Canadians.
“PBS checkpoints are the doors passengers must go through in order to fly. That's where Canadians and the world get a glimpse of how the Canadian air security system works. And it works in both French and English,” he says.
In Calgary, Aline feels very fortunate to be one of the officers able to provide bilingual service to travellers and says it is not only crucial for linguistic reasons but for security reasons as well.
“It is crucial that the passenger clearly understands
the procedures and what is required of him/her at the PBS checkpoint.
In part, that's what the
Official Languages Act stands for, the ability to provide federal
services to Canadians in the official language of their choice,”
she says.
According to Dr. Adam, bilingualism is not only a question of knowing how to speak both official languages but a deeper understanding of the history and cultural aspects that will create the will to apply it.
“C'est très important de passer du temps à comprendre que le bilinguisme est une question de respect de la culture canadienne et des citoyens canadiens. Si l'agent de contrôle préembarquement ne parle pas une des deux langues, il/elle doit au moins apprendre quelques phrases-clés (“Je regrette, je ne parle pas l'anglais”) et référer le passager à une personne bilingue. Les droits du public prédominent les droits des employés,” dit Dr. Adam.
CATSA Announces Its New Uniform
| July 8, 2003, was a memorable day for Valentino Bartolini. Standing less than two feet away from CATSA's President and CEO Jacques Duchesneau, Valentino looked picture perfect in his new CATSA shirt and cargo pants, staring straight ahead to avoid getting distracted by photographers and TV cameras. Valentino is one of twelve pre-board screening (PBS)
officers in three different cities who participated in CATSA's
launch Three simultaneous announcements were made in Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver. CATSA's Executive team (Chairman Brian Flemming in Halifax, President and CEO Jacques Duchesneau in Montreal and Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Duncan in Vancouver) presented the new CATSA uniform that has been expertly designed to meet the everyday work tasks of a PBS officer. Valentino says he feels honoured to have been chosen to participate in this event. “It was great to be part of such a wonderful event. The new uniforms are providing us with a new level of consistency and as a result a new level of authority. When travellers see the CATSA uniform at airports across the country, they realize that PBS is a national service implemented by one Authority, CATSA. The uniform is just making all these facts clear to the public,” he says. Since CATSA's takeover of PBS on December 31, 2002, the Authority has been demonstrating its commitment to PBS and to air security in Canada. |
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| “The security of passengers is our top priority. By implementing a standard uniform, we are further demonstrating our commitment and dedication to air security,” says CATSA's Chairman Brian Flemming . Since its takeover of PBS, the Authority has also developed a new multi-level training program for all screening officers. Each level provides training and testing of newly acquired skills to ensure continuous improvement and monitoring. Specialized training is currently offered in a variety of aspects within the PBS field. The new uniform is yet another example of CATSA's presence across the country. “CATSA has greatly improved training programs and consistency of screening across the country. We are proud to unveil this new uniform today as a symbol of the pride, professionalism and competency of the screening officers and service providers,” says CATSA's Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Duncan. CATSA's uniform program was a lengthy process that included focus testing across the country and working closely with Logistik Unicorp, a Canadian company that produced the uniforms carrying CATSA's new logo. “Uniforms are a symbol of consistency, respect, authority, security, responsibility and pride. We wanted this uniform to represent all of these qualities, for CATSA and for the officers who wear them,” says CATSA's President and CEO, Jacques Duchesneau. |
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Interview with Montreal PBS Point Leader Beverly Dubuc
| Walking through Montreal-Dorval International Airport
with pre-board screening (PBS) Point Leader Beverly Dubuc is like
walking into an unusually large family gathering guided by the host.
Beverly is right at home here. “These are the international PBS checkpoints. And those are the PBS officers,” she says while waving at a line of men and women of varying ages and cultural backgrounds but with something in common: their uniform. |
 PBS Point Leader Beverly Dubuc |
“They look great. There are no words to describe how great they look,” she says waving to the PBS officers stationed at the nearest checkpoint waiting for the next departing international flight.
A younger gentleman in a CATSA uniform walks towards Beverly and in a playful spin shows off his new blue cargo pants and white shirt, one hand pointing at the CATSA logo, the other pointing at the CATSA badge on the left side of his chest.
“I look good, I know. I look good,” he says, proudly modeling for his chuckling co-workers.
On our way out of the PBS checkpoint, Beverly lets out a sudden laugh before revealing what she calls an embarrassing secret.
“I remember the first time I wore my uniform as a screening officer. I used to go out of the airport whenever I could, just so that people could see my new uniform,” she says, the soft creases on each of her cheeks now stretched into a full smile.
“I was so proud. Now with CATSA's new uniform, I can't describe how proud I feel. We're somebody, we're somebody important,” she says.
Known at Montreal-Dorval International Airport for her God-given youthful looks and a spirit to match, it takes a confession on her part for a stranger to believe Beverly is not only a mother but a grandmother of two. Having worked in PBS at Montreal-Dorval International Airport for the past 10 years, she says she only wishes she had discovered the profession earlier.
“I've been working as a PBS officer at the airport for 10 years and I love it. I feel like I belong at the airport. The world revolves around an airport. There's so much diversity. Nothing is ever the same. Everyone is diverse, including the employees,” she says.
Although it is a diverse group of people, Beverly insists PBS officers have the spirit of a team, a spirit reinforced by the new uniforms.
“The new uniforms will give PBS officers across the country a new sense of unity. When they wear their uniforms, they get a feeling of authority, the feeling that they belong to this country-wide group of people that provide a national security service on a daily basis across Canada.”
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