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Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau retires after French Flub

Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau is retiring 'by the end third quarter', the airline announced a few days ago. This comes after the recent criticism for sending condolences in English, and not in French, which is one of Canada's two official languages, following a fatal crash.

Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada last week, said Rousseau lacked judgment when he made a video in mostly English to express condolences after an Air Canada Express plane collided with a firetruck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The collision killed both pilots as well as injured dozens.

Airlines CEOs are increasingly expected to speak out after fatal accidents that involve their aircraft. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, in January 2025 expressed his "deep sadness" in a video after one of its regional jets collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helo near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The accident resulted in 67 deaths.

Rousseau helped Air Canada recover from the COVID-19 pandemic but also received criticism for how he handled a four-day flight attendant strike that grounded hundreds of planes?last year.

The issue of language is still a hot topic in Quebec, Canada's second most populous province. In the 1970s, unhappiness with the dominance and influence of English led to the rise of separatists like the Parti Quebecois.

Air Canada is a publicly traded company that must provide services in English and French. This is in accordance with the Official Languages Act of Canada. The Act states that the public has a right to communicate in either language.

Rousseau’s comments after the LaGuardia accident marked the second time that his limited French skills caused controversy at Canada’s largest airline, where he's had nearly two decades' experience.

?Rousseau apologized in 2021 and pledged to improve his French skills after he was criticized by then-Prime Minster Justin Trudeau for giving a speech that was almost entirely given in English?in Montreal where the airline's headquarters is located.

The carrier has said that a process to find Rousseau's successor is in progress.

Last week, Quebec's provincial parliament?adopted an non-binding resolution calling for Rousseau to resign over his alleged lack of respect for the French Language. Elections are scheduled for the province in the fall. Reporting by Allison Lampert and David Ljunggren, in Montreal and Ottawa; Additional reporting and editing by Shivansh Tiwary and Paul Simao in Bengaluru

(source: Reuters)