Air Canada revealed on Monday that its CEO, Michael Rousseau, plans to retire by the end of the third quarter following criticism regarding his English-only condolence message in the aftermath of a deadly crash in New York.
The airline stated that the 68-year-old CEO had informed the board of his intention to step down later this year.
As Canada has an official bilingual status, Prime Minister Mark Carney commented that this decision is appropriate and highlighted the importance of the next CEO being bilingual.
Rousseau faced significant backlash for delivering a message of condolence solely in English, with only French subtitles included, after a tragic incident at LaGuardia Airport. Many critics, particularly officials from Quebec, expressed their discontent, arguing that the action demonstrated a lack of sensitivity and poor judgment.
Quebec Premier François Legault expressed his approval of the decision, emphasizing that the succeeding leader of the airline must be proficient in French.
The crash involved an Air Canada Jazz flight from Montreal that collided with a fire truck shortly after landing, resulting in the deaths of two pilots, Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther.
Operating in Quebec, where approximately 80% of the population speaks French, Air Canada faced ongoing criticism regarding Rousseau's lack of French language skills, prompting him to pledge in 2021 to learn the language.
Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon acknowledged Rousseau’s contributions to the company and assured that the government would work closely with the airline to guarantee safe, reliable, affordable, and bilingual services.
The situation has also brought to light broader discussions about the importance of language in public life in Canada. Daniel Béland from McGill University remarked that language remains a politically charged issue in the country, and Rousseau’s failure to follow through on his commitment to learn French did not favorably influence public perception.
Nevertheless, former Conservative Cabinet minister Jason Kenney argued that the priority for the CEO of a national airline should hinge on safety and reliability rather than language proficiency.
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