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Who is Michael Rousseau? Air Canada CEO to retire over ‘English-Only’ video controversy after LaGuardia Airport crash
Michael Rousseau, CEO of Air Canada, is set to retire later this year amid criticism over an English-only condolence message.
Air Canada announced on Monday that its CEO, Michael Rousseau, will step down later this year, following backlash regarding his English-only condolence message after the tragic death of two pilots in a collision at LaGuardia Airport in New York.
The largest airline in Canada, headquartered in Montreal, which is located in the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec, stated that Rousseau informed the board of his intention to retire by the conclusion of the third quarter.
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Air Canada's Vagn Sorenson issues statement
Vagn Sorenson, the chairman of Air Canada's board of directors, expressed gratitude to Rousseau for his extensive service as chief financial officer, deputy CEO, and ultimately as CEO.
"We are grateful for the determined leadership he has provided not only in steering our company through the 2007-2008 financial crisis, COVID and other challenges, but also in capturing opportunities such as the acquisition of Aeroplan, in restoring the solvency of our pension plans, and in advancing customer centricity and employee well-being priorities," the chairman said, as per Bloomberg News.
Here's what Michael Rousseau said
Meanwhile, Rousseau said it had been “my great honor to work with the dedicated and talented people of Air Canada and to represent our outstanding organization.”
He further said that he will support the company throughout this significant transition phase.
Why had Rousseau faced criticism?
Rousseau encountered significant backlash, including from prominent Canadian politicians, following his remarks about a tragic accident that occurred after landing at New York's LaGuardia airport, resulting in the deaths of two pilots last week.
The CEO released a condolence video solely in English, accompanied by French subtitles, after the incident. One of the deceased pilots, Antoine Forest, was a French-speaking Quebec resident, while his fellow pilot, Mackenzie Gunther, was an English speaker.
Canada is recognized as an officially bilingual nation, with approximately 80% of Quebec's population speaking French.
Quebec's Premier Francois Legault stated that Rousseau had committed to learning French upon his elevation to the airline's highest position in 2021, urging the CEO to resign, DW reported. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages received numerous complaints regarding the situation.
Prime Minister Mark Carney also remarked that the absence of a French message indicated a lack of empathy and sound judgment, asserting that the public had every right to feel "very disappointed."
Rousseau expressed regret, stating that he was disheartened that his limited proficiency in French had "diverted attention from the profound grief" experienced by the grieving families.
2021 incident
In 2021, shortly after his appointment as CEO, Rousseau delivered a speech to business leaders in Montreal predominantly in English. Following the event, he conveyed a sense of pride in having resided in Montreal for over ten years without utilizing the French language, which incited anger in Quebec, even after he issued an apology.
