TORONTO (AP) — Air Canada has announced that its CEO, Michael Rousseau, will retire later this year following significant backlash regarding an English-only condolence message he delivered after a tragic crash at LaGuardia Airport, New York, which claimed the lives of two pilots.
As Canada’s largest airline, headquartered in the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec, Air Canada is expected to maintain bilingual communication standards. Rousseau, who has faced past criticism for his inability to communicate in French, informed the board of his decision to step down by the end of Q3 2023.
Prime Minister Mark Carney highlighted the insensitivity of the English-only message, stating that it lacked compassion and judgment, a sentiment echoed by Quebec Premier François Legault and others advocating for greater inclusivity in Canada's public discourse.
The crash on March 24 occurred when an Air Canada Jazz flight from Montreal collided with a fire truck on the runway, resulting in the tragic death of pilots Mackenzie Gunther and Antoine Forest, the latter being from Quebec and a native French speaker. Following the accident, Rousseau's English-language video message included French subtitles, sparking considerable outrage and leading to hundreds of complaints submitted to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.
The transportation minister of Canada, Steven MacKinnon, expressed gratitude to Rousseau for his service and indicated that the government would continue to collaborate with Air Canada to ensure it provides safe, reliable, and affordable bilingual services.
Rousseau’s commitment to learning French had been promised when he was appointed president of the airline in February 2021. Today’s announcement has sparked discussions regarding the importance of bilingualism in an increasingly diverse Canadian society, particularly in light of Quebec’s unique historical and cultural context.
