CEO to Step Down After Backlash Over English-Only Message Following Air Canada Crash
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OTTAWA: Air Canada has announced that its President and CEO Michael Rousseau will retire later this year, following mounting criticism over his response to a recent plane crash.
The Montreal-based airline confirmed that Rousseau informed the board of his intention to step down by the end of the third quarter of 2026, with a search for his successor already underway.
The decision comes after backlash surrounding a condolence video message issued by Rousseau following a fatal crash at New York’s LaGuardia Airport earlier this month. The four-minute message was delivered almost entirely in English, with only minimal French phrases, sparking widespread criticism in French-speaking regions.
In Canada—where both English and French are official languages—the response drew sharp reactions from political leaders. Prime Minister Mark Carney described the message as lacking compassion and judgment, while François Legault and other officials called for Rousseau’s resignation.
The controversy was particularly sensitive in Quebec, where French is the dominant language and where Air Canada is headquartered. The province’s legislature unanimously passed a motion urging Rousseau to step down.
The crash involved an Air Canada Jazz flight arriving from Montreal, which collided with a fire truck on the runway shortly after landing. Two pilots, including Quebec native Antoine Forest and his colleague Mackenzie Gunther, were killed in the incident.
Rousseau also faced criticism for not being fluent in French, despite previously committing to learn the language after assuming the role in 2021. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages reportedly received hundreds of complaints regarding the issue.
Air Canada had initially defended the CEO, but the growing political and public pressure ultimately led to the announcement of his planned retirement.
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