Air Canada CEO to step down amid French-language controversy

Air Canada Chief Executive Officer Michael Rousseau announced that he will retire by the end of the third quarter, following widespread backlash over his English-only video statement addressing the deadly runway collision at LaGuardia Airport in New York, Bloomberg reports.

The March 22 accident involved an Air Canada Express jet flying from Montreal to New York that collided with an airport fire truck after landing, killing both pilots. In his video statement, Rousseau expressed his “deepest sorrow for everyone affected.” However, the only French he spoke was “bonjour” at the start and “merci” at the end, with French subtitles provided.

The decision ignited outrage in Quebec, where the provincial legislature passed a unanimous motion, 92–0, calling for Rousseau’s resignation. Critics highlighted that the airline is subject to Canada’s Official Languages Act, which mandates equal services in English and French, and that its headquarters are in Montreal, Quebec’s business and financial hub. Many also noted that one of the deceased pilots, Antoine Forest, was a Quebec native.

This is not the first time Rousseau has faced criticism over language issues. In 2021, shortly after his appointment as CEO, he gave a speech to Montreal business leaders almost entirely in English. Following the event, he expressed pride in living in Montreal for more than a decade without speaking French—a comment that provoked widespread outrage in Quebec, despite his subsequent apology.

Air Canada has not provided additional details about Rousseau’s retirement or who will succeed him.

By Vafa Guliyeva