Air Canada CEO will retire this year after English-only crash message criticized
abcnews.com • • general
Key Points:
- Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau announced he will retire by the end of the third quarter following criticism over his English-only condolence message after a deadly crash in New York involving two pilots, including a French-speaking Quebecer.
- The airline, headquartered in Montreal and Canada's largest carrier, faced backlash as Canada is officially bilingual; Prime Minister Mark Carney and Quebec Premier François Legault criticized Rousseau for the lack of French in his message.
- Rousseau had previously been criticized for not speaking French and had promised to learn the language when appointed president in 2021; his condolence message was delivered in English with French subtitles, prompting hundreds of complaints to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.
- Canada's transport minister, Steven MacKinnon, acknowledged Rousseau's service and emphasized ongoing collaboration with Air Canada to maintain safe, reliable, affordable, and bilingual services for Canadians.
- The controversy highlights ongoing sensitivities around Quebec's French-speaking identity, which has been a contentious issue since British control began in the 1760s.
