Air Canada announced that Chief Executive Officer Michael Rousseau, 68, will step down by the end of the third quarter. The decision came after Rousseau issued a message of condolence in English only following a crash earlier in the month at LaGuardia Airport in New York.
The incident involved Air Canada Jazz Flight that collided with a fire truck on the runway shortly after arriving from Montreal. Two pilots were killed in the crash, including Antoine Forest, a French-speaking resident of Quebec. Rousseau’s decision to deliver the condolence video in English, with French subtitles only, drew significant criticism given Canada’s status as an officially bilingual nation and Air Canada’s headquarters location in Montreal, the capital of French-speaking Quebec.
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that the retirement decision was “appropriate” and emphasized that the next leader of Air Canada must be bilingual. Quebec Premier François Legault and other officials called for Rousseau’s resignation, noting that he had promised to learn French when appointed president in February 2021. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages received hundreds of complaints regarding the message.
Canada’s Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon thanked Rousseau in a social media post and indicated the government would continue working with Air Canada to ensure it delivers “safe, reliable, affordable, and bilingual service” to Canadians. Political analysts noted that language remains a significant issue in Canada, particularly in Quebec, which is approximately 80% French-speaking. Some observers argued that Rousseau’s high compensation combined with his failure to fulfill his French-learning commitment contributed to public disapproval, though others suggested the CEO should prioritize operational matters over language training.
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