Accused of Neglecting Official Bilingual Duties by Speaking Only English
Quebec Legislature Unanimously Approves Resolution Calling for His Resignation...Prime Minister Carney Also Says He Should Step Down
Quebec Legislature Unanimously Approves Resolution Calling for His Resignation...Prime Minister Carney Also Says He Should Step Down
In Canada, where English and French are both official languages, Air Canada’s CEO became embroiled in controversy and announced he will step down after addressing a recent incident exclusively in English.
Bloomberg reported that on the 30th (local time), Air Canada said CEO Michael Rousseau will leave his post this fall.
Rousseau’s decision to step down followed criticism over his language choice. On the 22nd, he posted a video message apologizing to the families after one of the airline’s passenger planes collided with a fire truck on the runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing two pilots. In the video, Rousseau spoke only in English, using only the French words bonjour and merci at the beginning and end; French subtitles accompanied his remarks.
The decision to address the public primarily in English drew sharp rebukes, particularly in French-speaking Quebec. Critics argued that Air Canada, as the country’s largest carrier, has an obligation to provide services in both official languages and that Rousseau’s approach violated that duty. The backlash was intensified by the fact that Air Canada’s headquarters is in Montreal, Quebec’s largest city, and that one of the deceased pilots was from Quebec.
Rousseau had faced similar criticism before. In 2021 he provoked backlash when he said, “You don't need to be good at French.” He made that remark at a Montreal Chamber of Commerce event after a reporter asked in French why he did not speak the language despite living in Montreal for more than 14 years. Rousseau asked the reporter to repeat the question in English, said he had lived in Montreal without any problems without using French, and added that he had been too busy to learn—comments that drew heavy criticism.
As the controversy grew, the federal Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages logged more than 1,800 complaints, and Quebec’s legislature passed a resolution demanding his resignation. Members of the House of Commons also called for him to appear and testify before Parliament.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he agreed that Rousseau should resign. “I respect his competence as an airline executive and the work he has done,” Carney said, “but leadership carries responsibility. That video demonstrated poor judgment and a lack of empathy.”
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