The fallout was immediate and fierce. Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau’s decision to address a devastating plane crash – a crash that claimed the life of a Quebec pilot – almost entirely in English ignited a firestorm of criticism across Canada.
Quebec’s Premier François Legault didn’t mince words, publicly calling for Rousseau’s resignation. Former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney condemned the response as demonstrating “a lack of compassion,” a sentiment echoing throughout the province and beyond.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. Rousseau’s relationship with the French language has been fraught with controversy, stretching back to his appointment as CEO in 2021. He initially promised Premier Legault he would learn French, a pledge that remains largely unfulfilled.
Early signs of trouble appeared just months into his leadership. Speaking to the Montreal Chamber of Commerce, Rousseau delivered a speech with a mere 20 seconds of French, despite being based in Montreal for over a decade. Attempts to persuade him to deliver the speech in both official languages were unsuccessful.
When pressed by a reporter about his lack of fluency after 14 years in a predominantly French-speaking city, Rousseau’s response was dismissive. “Can you redo that in English?” he asked, then later attributed his linguistic gap to a “testament to the city of Montreal.” The reaction was swift and overwhelmingly negative.
The incident triggered over 1,000 complaints to the federal Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and sparked protests outside Air Canada’s Montreal headquarters. Rousseau claimed to have hired a tutor, but the progress remained largely unseen.
A subsequent appearance before the federal Official Languages Committee offered little reassurance. While opening with a few words in French, Rousseau quickly reverted to English when questioned by MPs, further fueling the criticism.
Air Canada has consistently maintained that Rousseau is actively learning French, noting in shareholder reports that six of seven executive committee members are bilingual and that he “continues to act on his personal pledge.” However, the reports have remained largely unchanged for years.
The latest controversy, following the tragic crash at LaGuardia Airport, saw Rousseau offer only “bonjour” and “merci” in French before delivering the remainder of his statement in English, relying on subtitles. This sparked another wave of 795 complaints to the Commissioner of Official Languages.
Pascale Déry, a former spokesperson who witnessed the fallout from the 2021 speech, expressed profound disappointment. She stated that after giving Rousseau the benefit of the doubt, it’s now clear he has no intention of mastering the language. The situation, she believes, has reached a breaking point.
The ongoing saga raises fundamental questions about leadership, respect for official languages, and the commitment of a national airline to serving all Canadians equitably.
