Alionka Skup
Chair, AIIC-Canada, International Association of Conference Interpreters - Canada Region
Opening remarks
Good morning, everyone. Mr. Chair and committee members, your decision to assess how new procurement rules will impact the availability and quality of interpretation services in Parliament and other high-level events is both important and timely. As interpreters who have personally worked in Parliament for many years, we can address the question of how service quality will be affected by the new procurement requirements PSPC is about to put in place. PSPC has shared with accredited official languages interpreters, who are potential bidders, their proposals for sweeping changes to the relationship between Canada and individual freelancers. In turn, we have warned PSPC that their proposals would challenge the quality of interpretation services in Parliament. Today, our message is that you should be concerned about being understood when speaking your language of choice in Parliament if these proposals become requirements. Next week, AIIC-Canada will release survey research that will make it clear that PSPC's proposals are likely to cause a critical mass of freelancers to refrain from bidding for Parliament work. This will make the shortage of accredited freelancers in Parliament…