Air Canada CEO to retire after “English-only” condolence for Quebec pilot killed in New York crash sparks national outrage
Air Canada announced Monday that its CEO will retire at the end of the year, after he was criticised for delivering an English-only obituary for Michael Rousseau following a fatal crash in New York this month.
Canada’s largest airline, based in French-speaking Quebec, said Rousseau told the board he would leave at the end of the third quarter.
Canada is officially a bilingual nation, and Prime Minister Mark Carney said the English-only message showed a lack of compassion and judgement. The Prime Minister of Quebec and others called on the airline executive to resign.
Antoine Forest, a French-speaking Quebecer, was one of the two pilots killed in the crash at LaGuardia Airport. Forrest and Mackenzie Gunther died when an Air Canada Jazz flight from Montreal collided with a fire truck on the runway shortly after landing.
Canada’s largest airline is headquartered in Montreal.
Rousseau was previously criticised for not speaking French. He delivered his condolence video message in English with French subtitles. The Office of the Official Language Commissioner has received hundreds of complaints in this regard.
Canadian Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon thanked Rousseau in a social media post and said the government will continue to work closely with Air Canada to ensure a “safe, reliable, affordable, and bilingual service” is provided to all Canadians.
Quebec Premier François Legault stated that Rousseau pledged to learn French upon his appointment as president of the airline in February 2021.
The identity of Quebec has been controversial since the 1760s, when the British took control of what was then known as New France. Quebec is about 80% French-speaking.
