Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau has announced plans to retire following controversy over an apology video he posted in only English.
Rousseau issued an apology video following a plane crash last week involving Air Canada Jazz Flight AC8646 at La Guardia Airport in New York. The flight originated from Montreal.
The crash happened when the flight collided with a fire truck on the runway. Both pilots were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. One pilot who died in the crash was a Francophone.
In the video, Rousseau spoke primarily in English, only saying “bonjour” and “merci” in French. The video received significant backlash especially from key figures, including Prime Minister Mark Carney and Quebec Premier François Legault.
“We proudly live in a bilingual country and companies like Air Canada particularly have a responsibility to always communicate in both official languages regardless of the situation. I’m very disappointed – in this unilingual message of the CEO of Air Canada,” said Carney.
Carney even saying that the statement showed a “lack of judgement and lack of compassion.” The video even brought calls from Quebec national assembly for the CEO to resign.
Air Canada said in a statement that Rousseau will be retiring at the end of the third quarter following close to two decades of service for the company. They have also said that any candidates for the CEO position going forward must be bilingual and able to communicate in French.
One expert says that this is just going to reduce the number of qualified candidates that can apply for the role. “It’s going to reduce the pool of qualified CEO’s,” Ian Lee, an associate professor in the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University, said.
“The purpose of the company is to maximize value creation – to the consumers who buy the product of the company,” said Lee. “It’s simply not necessary to speak French.”
Lee said the language of aviation is English. “When a pilot flies into France they’re communicating with air traffic control in English.”
Lee said that this is a result of politcizing private corporations, noting that some very prominent Canadian public figures don't speak French. “The governor general of Canada does not speak French.”
He also said the CEO is not directly serving the customers so it is not necessary that the CEO speaks French. “I’ve never met the CEO on an airplane coming into the back and servicing me with my drinks and my food.”
Air Canada says a global search for their new leader is underway.
