How English-only condolences undid one of Canada’s top CEOs

The Incident That Sparked the Backlash

A tragic accident at LaGuardia Airport last week set off a challenging phase for Air Canada, with the CEO’s retirement announcement arriving just days later. The incident, which killed two pilots, occurred on the evening of 22 March as the airline’s plane attempted to land in New York. It marked the first fatal crash for Air Canada in over four decades.

A Controversial Video Message

Following the event, Air Canada posted a four-minute video from CEO Michael Rousseau on social media. In it, he described the day as “somber” and expressed his condolences to staff and victims’ families in English, with subtitles in both official languages. The message drew immediate criticism, with Canada’s official languages commissioner receiving numerous complaints. By the same afternoon, a parliamentary committee had unanimously called for Rousseau to explain his choice.

Political and Cultural Reactions

Quebec politicians accused Rousseau of “gross lack of respect” toward the French-speaking family of one of the deceased pilots, Antoine Forest. Lawmakers in the province also passed a non-binding resolution urging his resignation. Canadian author Jack Jedwab highlighted this in

La Presse

, stating that Rousseau’s limited French knowledge suggested “bilingualism is a constraint, not a value” and that he was “not suitable to be (the airline’s) spokesperson.”

Historical Context of Bilingualism

As Canada’s largest national airline, Air Canada has long been tied to the country’s official languages policy. The airline was initially government-owned, making it subject to the Official Languages Act, which guarantees services in both English and French. Even after its privatization in 1988, the government required it to uphold bilingual obligations, as noted by François Larocque, a language rights expert at the University of Ottawa. “The carrier was seen as a national symbol,” he explained to the BBC, “and it carried the Canadian identity everywhere it flew.”

Previous Language Missteps

Rousseau’s tenure as CEO was already marked by controversy over his English-only communication. In 2021, his inability to respond in French to a reporter’s question made headlines. When asked, “How can you live in Montreal without speaking French? Is it easy?” he replied, “If you look at my work schedule, you’d understand why.” His lack of French proficiency resurfaced in 2019, when the airline was fined for signage that appeared only in English on a domestic flight. Five years later, his persistent struggles with the language became a final catalyst for criticism.

The Retired CEO’s Apology

Three days after the video caused a storm, Rousseau issued an apology, acknowledging that his English-only message had distracted from the grieving families. He admitted that despite years of lessons, his French skills remain limited. Air Canada later announced his retirement by September, noting that his decision is unrelated to the language issue. However, many questioned the timing, suggesting the backlash was more than coincidental.