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Ottawa summons Air Canada CEO over English-only video after fatal plane crash
The Official Languages Committee voted unanimously to call Michael Rousseau to testify after his video.

Author of the article:Harry North
Published Mar 24, 2026 • Last updated 7 hours ago • 2 minute read

Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau giving a speech at the Montreal Chamber of Commerce in Montreal in 2021.
Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau giving a speech at the Montreal Chamber of Commerce in Montreal in 2021. Photo by Mario Beauregard /The Canadian Press files
Air Canada’s chief executive, Michael Rousseau, is facing political backlash for speaking only in English in an update following the fatal crash of an Air Canada Express flight in New York.

Members of the House of Commons Official Languages Committee voted unanimously on Tuesday to summon Rousseau to testify. The motion calls for his appearance by May 1. Several MPs expressed their indignation at what they described as a failure to respect Canada’s bilingual character.


Rousseau appeared in a video message released Monday, a day after the crash at LaGuardia Airport, in which he said he was “deeply saddened” by the deaths of two pilots. The video, which ran about three minutes and 45 seconds, was delivered in English — aside from a “bonjour” at the beginning and “merci” at the end. Subtitles, however, were provided in both languages.



The crash had occurred Sunday night when a Jazz Aviation aircraft operating as an Air Canada Express flight from Montreal collided with a fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport. More than 40 passengers and crew members were injured. The two pilots were killed.

Earlier Tuesday, federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon called the video message unacceptable, stressing that Air Canada has a legal obligation to communicate in both official languages under the Official Languages Act.

Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, meanwhile, said it called into question Rousseau’s leadership.

“In light of this sad and gross lack of respect towards the relatives and family of the pilot from Coteau-du-Lac, Antoine Forest, a French-speaking Quebecer, the head of Air Canada must seriously consider whether he has clearly disqualified himself from the position he holds,” he said.


The political reaction also extended to Quebec City, where Jean-François Roberge, Quebec’s minister of the French language, described the message as “contemptuous” and “unacceptable.”

Air Canada since defended its chief executive, saying Rousseau still does not have sufficient fluency in French to deliver a message of that sensitivity.

“His ability to speak French does not allow him to convey such a sensitive message in that language as he would like,” the airline’s vice-president of communications told Le Devoir.

In 2021, Rousseau faced criticism after he gave a speech in Montreal mostly in English. That time, he pledged to improve his French.

He was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada in February 2021.

Air Canada has yet to comment on Rousseau being summoned to testify.

With files from the Canadian Press
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2036129588934254918
torontosun.com

Ottawa summons Air Canada CEO over English-only video after fatal plane crash

The Official Languages Committee voted unanimously to call Michael Rousseau to testify after his video.
torontosun.com torontosun.com
 
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In a statement late Tuesday, Air Canada said Rousseau used English to best express a sensitive message.

"Mr. Rousseau felt it was important to personally address our customers, our employees, and those of Jazz, their families, and all those affected in any way," the statement said, referring to Air Canada's regional partner, which operated the flight.

"He therefore recorded a message before leaving for the crash site," it said.

"Despite his efforts, his ability to speak French does not allow him to convey such a sensitive message as effectively as he would have liked in that language."

The statement added that any information about the collision Rousseau gave in the video was also posted online in both official languages.

What would the Carney have preferred with his virtue signalling? “Holy Losing Focus Of The Bigger Picture Le Batman!”
 
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'Can you redo that in English?': Air Canada CEO's 5-year struggle with French
Facing new criticism for not speaking French, Michael Rousseau's language woes started with a 2021 fumble at the Montreal chamber of commerce.

Author of the article:Jack Wilson
Published Mar 25, 2026 • Last updated 10 hours ago • 4 minute read

This week's criticism of Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau for not speaking French is only the latest episode in a series of similar controversies that have dogged him since he landed the top job in 2021. Above, Rousseau speaks to the Montreal chamber of commerce on Nov. 10, 2021.
This week's criticism of Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau for not speaking French is only the latest episode in a series of similar controversies that have dogged him since he landed the top job in 2021. Above, Rousseau speaks to the Montreal chamber of commerce on Nov. 10, 2021. Photo by Christinne Muschi /Bloomberg
When he opted to deliver an English-only response to Sunday’s fatal plane crash at LaGuardia Airport, Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau once again appeared to anger just about everyone across the political spectrum.


Quebec Premier François Legault called for his resignation. Prime Minister Mark Carney accused him of “a lack of compassion.”


The federal Official Languages Committee voted to summon him to Ottawa, where MPs will question what several have described as his failure to respect official bilingualism.

But this is only the latest episode in a series of controversies that have called Rousseau’s respect for the French language into question. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:

February 2021: The new CEO tells Legault he’ll learn French
Having worked as Air Canada’s chief financial officer since 2007, Rousseau was promoted to the airline’s top job in February 2021. Though he’d worked out of Air Canada’s Montreal headquarters for more than a decade at the time of his promotion, Rousseau has said he didn’t speak French.


According to Legault, the new CEO met with him that month, promising the premier that he would learn French.

November 2021: A unilingual speech in Montreal
In November 2021, Rousseau stepped up to the podium at an event hosted by Montreal’s chamber of commerce and delivered an address to Montreal’s business community that contained around 20 seconds of French.

The Journal de Montréal had caught wind of Rousseau’s plans for an English-only speech in advance, which reportedly prompted then-official languages commissioner Raymond Théberge to unsuccessfully plead with Air Canada for the CEO to revise his plans.

Following the speech, a reporter asked Rousseau how he could have lived in Montreal for 14 years without speaking French.


“Can you redo that in English?” Rousseau said.

The reporter then translated his question, to which Rousseau responded that his ability to live in the city without speaking French was “a testament to the city of Montreal.”

The largely unilingual speech and subsequent media scrum drew widespread condemnation.

“It’s inconceivable. It angers me,” Legault said of the comments.

Simon Jolin-Barrette, who was minister responsible for the French language at the time, said Rousseau had “insulted Quebecers” and accused him of a “lack of respect.”

More than 1,000 complaints flooded into the federal Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, and protesters rallied outside Air Canada’s Montreal office.

As his French-language skills became a subject of national discussion, Rousseau said he’d hired a private tutor for intensive French lessons.


March 2022: Rousseau struggles through a committee hearing
Rousseau’s next date with the federal Official Languages Committee will be the second time MPs have summoned the Air Canada CEO to Ottawa in the wake of a language controversy.

In March 2022, MPs hauled Rousseau in front of the committee to answer for his chamber of commerce speech.

“I regret the impact” on “employees who serve our clients in both official languages,” he told the committee during opening remarks in French.

But when MPs began grilling Rousseau in French, the CEO answered in English, prompting further criticism from MPs.

Rousseau told the committee at the time that he was studying French for 10 hours every week, but that it wasn’t yet good enough to use.


2023 to now: Rousseau ‘continues to act on his personal pledge to learn French’
Following the 2021 controversy, Air Canada began telling its shareholders that Rousseau was learning French.

“Six of the seven members of our executive committee are bilingual, and Mr. Rousseau has continued to act on his personal pledge to learn French,” the airline said in its March 2025 proxy circular, a document released to shareholders ahead of annual meetings.

The same text appears in both the 2023 and 2024 documents, though the 2023 document said that five of six executive committee members are bilingual.

March 2026: Responding to tragedy with French subtitles
On Sunday, an Air Canada plane flying from Montreal crashed at LaGuardia Airport in New York, killing two pilots, including a francophone Quebecer. In a recorded response to the tragedy, Rousseau offered two words in French: “bonjour” and “merci.”


Rousseau delivered the rest of the speech in English, though Air Canada subtitled the video in English and French.

As of Wednesday, the federal Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages said Rousseau’s speech had resulted in 795 complaints.

With backlash piling on, Air Canada has defended its CEO, telling Le Devoir that his ability in French “does not allow him to convey such a sensitive message in that language as he would like.”

Pascale Déry, now Quebec employment minister but once the media attachée who stood alongside Rousseau as he faced reporters’ questions following his 2021 speech, said she was “profoundly insulted” by his decision to deliver English-only remarks.

In 2021, “we really gave him the benefit of the doubt,” she said. But now, “the situation is clear,” she said. “He doesn’t want to learn French.”

With Gazette files.

jawilson@postmedia.com
torontosun.com

'Can you redo that in English?': Air Canada CEO's 5-year struggle with French

Facing new criticism for not speaking French, Michael Rousseau's language woes started with a 2021 fumble at the Montreal chamber of commerce.
torontosun.com torontosun.com
 
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spaminator said:
'Can you redo that in English?': Air Canada CEO's 5-year struggle with French
Facing new criticism for not speaking French, Michael Rousseau's language woes started with a 2021 fumble at the Montreal chamber of commerce.

Author of the article:Jack Wilson
Published Mar 25, 2026 • Last updated 10 hours ago • 4 minute read

This week's criticism of Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau for not speaking French is only the latest episode in a series of similar controversies that have dogged him since he landed the top job in 2021. Above, Rousseau speaks to the Montreal chamber of commerce on Nov. 10, 2021.
This week's criticism of Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau for not speaking French is only the latest episode in a series of similar controversies that have dogged him since he landed the top job in 2021. Above, Rousseau speaks to the Montreal chamber of commerce on Nov. 10, 2021. Photo by Christinne Muschi /Bloomberg
When he opted to deliver an English-only response to Sunday’s fatal plane crash at LaGuardia Airport, Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau once again appeared to anger just about everyone across the political spectrum.


Quebec Premier François Legault called for his resignation. Prime Minister Mark Carney accused him of “a lack of compassion.”


The federal Official Languages Committee voted to summon him to Ottawa, where MPs will question what several have described as his failure to respect official bilingualism.

But this is only the latest episode in a series of controversies that have called Rousseau’s respect for the French language into question. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:

February 2021: The new CEO tells Legault he’ll learn French
Having worked as Air Canada’s chief financial officer since 2007, Rousseau was promoted to the airline’s top job in February 2021. Though he’d worked out of Air Canada’s Montreal headquarters for more than a decade at the time of his promotion, Rousseau has said he didn’t speak French.


According to Legault, the new CEO met with him that month, promising the premier that he would learn French.

November 2021: A unilingual speech in Montreal
In November 2021, Rousseau stepped up to the podium at an event hosted by Montreal’s chamber of commerce and delivered an address to Montreal’s business community that contained around 20 seconds of French.

The Journal de Montréal had caught wind of Rousseau’s plans for an English-only speech in advance, which reportedly prompted then-official languages commissioner Raymond Théberge to unsuccessfully plead with Air Canada for the CEO to revise his plans.

Following the speech, a reporter asked Rousseau how he could have lived in Montreal for 14 years without speaking French.


“Can you redo that in English?” Rousseau said.

The reporter then translated his question, to which Rousseau responded that his ability to live in the city without speaking French was “a testament to the city of Montreal.”

The largely unilingual speech and subsequent media scrum drew widespread condemnation.

“It’s inconceivable. It angers me,” Legault said of the comments.

Simon Jolin-Barrette, who was minister responsible for the French language at the time, said Rousseau had “insulted Quebecers” and accused him of a “lack of respect.”

More than 1,000 complaints flooded into the federal Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, and protesters rallied outside Air Canada’s Montreal office.

As his French-language skills became a subject of national discussion, Rousseau said he’d hired a private tutor for intensive French lessons.


March 2022: Rousseau struggles through a committee hearing
Rousseau’s next date with the federal Official Languages Committee will be the second time MPs have summoned the Air Canada CEO to Ottawa in the wake of a language controversy.

In March 2022, MPs hauled Rousseau in front of the committee to answer for his chamber of commerce speech.

“I regret the impact” on “employees who serve our clients in both official languages,” he told the committee during opening remarks in French.

But when MPs began grilling Rousseau in French, the CEO answered in English, prompting further criticism from MPs.

Rousseau told the committee at the time that he was studying French for 10 hours every week, but that it wasn’t yet good enough to use.


2023 to now: Rousseau ‘continues to act on his personal pledge to learn French’
Following the 2021 controversy, Air Canada began telling its shareholders that Rousseau was learning French.

“Six of the seven members of our executive committee are bilingual, and Mr. Rousseau has continued to act on his personal pledge to learn French,” the airline said in its March 2025 proxy circular, a document released to shareholders ahead of annual meetings.

The same text appears in both the 2023 and 2024 documents, though the 2023 document said that five of six executive committee members are bilingual.

March 2026: Responding to tragedy with French subtitles
On Sunday, an Air Canada plane flying from Montreal crashed at LaGuardia Airport in New York, killing two pilots, including a francophone Quebecer. In a recorded response to the tragedy, Rousseau offered two words in French: “bonjour” and “merci.”


Rousseau delivered the rest of the speech in English, though Air Canada subtitled the video in English and French.

As of Wednesday, the federal Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages said Rousseau’s speech had resulted in 795 complaints.

With backlash piling on, Air Canada has defended its CEO, telling Le Devoir that his ability in French “does not allow him to convey such a sensitive message in that language as he would like.”

Pascale Déry, now Quebec employment minister but once the media attachée who stood alongside Rousseau as he faced reporters’ questions following his 2021 speech, said she was “profoundly insulted” by his decision to deliver English-only remarks.

In 2021, “we really gave him the benefit of the doubt,” she said. But now, “the situation is clear,” she said. “He doesn’t want to learn French.”

With Gazette files.

jawilson@postmedia.com
torontosun.com

'Can you redo that in English?': Air Canada CEO's 5-year struggle with French

Facing new criticism for not speaking French, Michael Rousseau's language woes started with a 2021 fumble at the Montreal chamber of commerce.
torontosun.com torontosun.com
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So woke is more important than competency for running a company. And we wonder why Canada is in such poor shape.
 
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