The following Email to the Editor follows Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau’s apology for his English-only condolence message after the death of two pilots in a jet crash at LaGuardia airport in New York. Despite taking French lessons, Rousseau said he was not able to express himself adequately in French.
Michael Rousseau should step down from his position, as doing so would help restore public trust. If he does not resign voluntarily, the board of directors or the Liberal Government of Canada should encourage him to do so.
Having lived in Saint-Lambert, a predominantly francophone community on Montréal’s South Shore, he should reasonably be expected to communicate at least basic French, especially in a public-facing leadership role.
Despite years of French tutoring and living in a community that is 75% francophone, he struggled to deliver even simple French lines from a teleprompter—a fundamental expectation for the CEO of a national airline.
His handling of this tragic situation reveals a serious lack of judgment and empathy. As the CEO of Air Canada, a company subject to the Official Languages Act, he represents an institution that is both legally and symbolically tied to Canada’s bilingual identity. While the law applies to the organization as a whole, its leadership should embody the spirit of that law.
In this context, stepping down would send a strong signal of accountability and respect toward francophone communities across the country, as well as the victims.
Mario Leclerc