Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau has issued a public apology for expressing condolences after a fatal crash in English and not in French, the country’s second official language. The apology comes after the CEO of Canada’s largest airline Air Canada came under fire following a botched expression of condolence. Rousseau said he was “deeply saddened” that his inability to speak French had diverted attention from the profound grief of the victims’ families. Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his dismay with the Air Canada CEO. Carney called Rousseau’s English-only message a lack of “judgment” and “compassion”.For those unaware, an Air Canada jet struck a fire truck last week as it landed at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing both pilots. In the days since two young pilots, Captain Antoine Forest and first officer Mackenzie Gunther died in the fatal runway collision, their deaths have increasingly led to a national debate over whether Rousseau’s French-language skills meet the expectations of his own company, the public, and the government.
Statement from Michael Rousseau, President and CEO of Air Canada.
“I want to reiterate my deepest condolences to the families of the Jazz Captain and First Officer who tragically lost their lives, and recognize the profound impact this accident has had on our employees and customers. Air Canada is cooperating fully with U.S. and Canadian authorities in the investigation.As President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada, it is my duty to support those affected by this tragedy. I am deeply saddened that my inability to speak French has diverted attention from the profound grief of the families and the great resilience of Air Canada’s employees, who have demonstrated outstanding professionalism despite the events of the past few days.Despite many lessons over several years, unfortunately, I am still unable to express myself adequately in French. I sincerely apologize for this, but I am continuing my efforts to improve. I am also very grateful to those who have given the very best of themselves throughout the last few days to take care of our customers and each other while coping with the weight of this tragedy and I have been moved by the messages of support received from so many people who have reached out to express their thoughts for those impacted by Sunday’s tragic accident.”
What is the controversy
In a four-minute video published online last week, Rousseau delivered his condolences almost entirely in English, speaking only two words in French: “Bonjour” and “Merci”. This outraged many in Canada as language is a sensitive issue in the country, particularly in predominantly French-speaking Quebec, the second-most populous of the 10 provinces.Outrage has been fiercest among politicians in Quebec so much so that Quebec’s National Assembly overwhelmingly passed a motion calling for Rousseau’s resignation, with MNAs arguing that his inability to speak French reflects a lack of respect for francophones across the country. Language is a sensitive issue in Canada, particularly in predominantly French-speaking Quebec, the second-most populous of the 10 provinces.What makes things tough for Rousseau is that Air Canada — formerly a Crown corporation — is headquartered in Montreal, where French is the sole official language.
