Air Canada CEO's Five-Year French Language Struggle Continues Amid Latest Controversy
Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau is once again facing intense criticism for his inability to speak French, marking the latest chapter in a five-year saga of language controversies that has plagued his tenure since assuming leadership in 2021. The recent backlash stems from his English-only response to Sunday's fatal plane crash at LaGuardia Airport, which has drawn condemnation across the political spectrum and renewed questions about his commitment to official bilingualism.
The Latest Episode: Tragedy Response Sparks Outrage
When Rousseau addressed Sunday's fatal crash that killed two pilots, including a francophone Quebecer, he delivered a recorded statement containing just two French words: "bonjour" and "merci." The remainder of his remarks were in English, with Air Canada providing subtitles in both official languages. This decision has prompted Quebec Premier François Legault to call for his resignation, while Prime Minister Mark Carney accused him of "a lack of compassion."
The federal Official Languages Committee has voted to summon Rousseau to Ottawa, where Members of Parliament will question what several have described as his failure to respect Canada's official bilingualism policy. As of Wednesday, the federal Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages reported receiving 795 complaints about Rousseau's latest speech.
A Pattern of Controversy: Tracing Five Years of Language Woes
This week's criticism represents only the most recent episode in a series of controversies that have called Rousseau's respect for the French language into question. The pattern began shortly after his promotion to CEO in February 2021, when he reportedly promised Premier Legault that he would learn French despite having worked out of Air Canada's Montreal headquarters since 2007 without speaking the language.
The Infamous 2021 Chamber of Commerce Speech
The most notorious incident occurred in November 2021, when Rousseau delivered an address to Montreal's business community that contained approximately 20 seconds of French. The Journal de Montréal had learned of his plans for an English-only speech in advance, prompting then-official languages commissioner Raymond Théberge to unsuccessfully plead with Air Canada for the CEO to revise his remarks.
Following the speech, when a reporter asked how he could have lived in Montreal for 14 years without speaking French, Rousseau responded: "Can you redo that in English?" After the question was translated, he suggested his ability to live in the city without French was "a testament to the city of Montreal."
The comments drew widespread condemnation, with Legault calling them "inconceivable" and then-minister Simon Jolin-Barrette accusing Rousseau of insulting Quebecers and showing a "lack of respect." More than 1,000 complaints flooded into the federal language commissioner's office, and protesters rallied outside Air Canada's Montreal headquarters.
Parliamentary Hearings and Promises of Improvement
In March 2022, MPs summoned Rousseau before the federal Official Languages Committee to answer for his chamber of commerce speech. During opening remarks, he told the committee in French: "I regret the impact" on "employees who serve our clients in both official languages." However, when MPs began questioning him in French, he answered in English, prompting further criticism.
Rousseau told the committee at the time that he was studying French for 10 hours every week but that his proficiency wasn't yet sufficient for practical use. Following the 2021 controversy, Air Canada began informing shareholders that Rousseau was learning French, with the airline's March 2025 proxy circular stating: "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."
Mounting Skepticism and Political Fallout
Air Canada has defended its CEO in the wake of the latest controversy, telling Le Devoir that his French ability "does not allow him to convey such a sensitive message in that language as he would like." However, political figures have expressed growing skepticism about Rousseau's commitment to learning French.
Pascale Déry, now Quebec's employment minister but previously the media attachée who stood alongside Rousseau during his 2021 media scrum, said she was "profoundly insulted" by his decision to deliver English-only remarks about the recent tragedy. "In 2021, we really gave him the benefit of the doubt," she noted. "But now, the situation is clear. He doesn't want to learn French."
As Rousseau prepares for his second appearance before the Official Languages Committee, the five-year controversy continues to raise fundamental questions about corporate leadership in Canada's officially bilingual context and the expectations placed on executives of national institutions.
