Forestville, Que. — A Conservative government would abolish a law requiring Canada's national airline to operate in both official languages, say documents obtained by The Canadian Press.

The decision to drop the bilingual requirement would be part of a vast series of measures the Conservatives would put forward to help Air Canada out of its financial crisis and modify air travel regulations in Canada.

They would also include allowing Air Canada to move its head office from Montreal.

"A Conservative government ... would eliminate the Air Canada Public Participation Act," says a document that was part of an e-mail exchange between the Tories and an Air Canada employee.

The letter, written June 9 and signed by Craig Maguire, a member of Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's staff, responded to a question about the future of the airline that has been under bankruptcy protection for several months.

The letter indicates that a Conservative government would aim to "create a competitive environment in the airline industry and leave airlines alone in their fight to attract customers."

The Conservative party has long been against the public participation act, which was passed shortly before the airline was privatized in 1988.

It subjected Air Canada to the Official Languages Act as well as obligated it to maintain its head office in Montreal and maintenance services in Montreal, Winnipeg and Mississauga, Ont.

The struggling airline has been clawing at the brink of bankruptcy for the last year.

Had it not been for an eleventh-hour deal with its unions last month, it had faced the possibility that Deutsche Bank and GE Capital Aviation Services would pull their support.

The German bank is to underwrite an $850-million equity offering to the airline's creditors, while GE is to provide $1.5-billion (U.S.) in financing and restructure leases on more than 100 aircraft.

Both companies have said they hope Air Canada would be subjected to "the same rules of the game concerning regulations" as their competitors.

The act is perceived as a ball and chain by Air Canada, the only airline affected by the regulations.

While the Liberal government had suggested it would consider easing some of the regulatory restrictions facing the airline, Pierre Pettigrew, minister responsible for official languages, said Saturday that the Liberals stand by the act.

But Mr. Pettigrew said the e-mail shows Mr. Harper hasn't been forthcoming with his intentions regarding official languages.

"Mr. Harper has kept all his doors open by never making his intentions clear. Here, very concretely, is an example where he shows he is ready to modify the act."

Dimitri Soudas, a spokesman for the Conservative leader, said the position on Air Canada was known and that the party wants to re-establish equity between airlines.

"Air Canada has a bilingual clientele," he said. "It's their choice to decide to offer bilingual services and we hope that they do it."

Mr. Harper has faced controversy on bilingualism since the Conservative languages critic, Scott Reid, mused earlier in the campaign about a possible revamp of bilingual services. Mr. Reid later resigned his position as critic.

Mr. Harper said he would not change the basic principles of the Official Languages Act, but said a Conservative government would debate the question.

Bloc Quebecois MP Benoit Sauvageau said abolishing the Air Canada Public Participation Act would be "really catastrophic."

"It's a concrete demonstration that if the Conservative are elected it's the end of French at Air Canada in spite of all efforts," he said.

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