Air Canada CEO Resigns Amidst Backlash
Michael Rousseau, the CEO of Air Canada, is stepping down following significant criticism over a video statement he released primarily in English, which many perceived as diminishing the importance of French—the official language of Montreal—after a tragic plane crash earlier this month.
Having held the CEO position since 2021, Rousseau plans to exit by the end of the third quarter of 2026, as communicated to the board. According to a statement from Air Canada, this decision is in line with the company’s succession plan, though it’s hard to ignore the timing considering the recent unrest over his comments.
When asked if the backlash influenced his resignation, an Air Canada spokesperson noted that Rousseau, now 68, had reached what they considered a natural retirement age.
Rousseau’s exit follows widespread outrage in Quebec, where many criticized his English-centric video as disrespectful. The provincial parliament even took a stand in favor of his removal from office.
In a four-minute video, Rousseau expressed “deep sorrow for all the victims” involved in a crash at LaGuardia Airport that tragically resulted in the deaths of two pilots and left 41 others injured. However, the only French phrases he uttered were “bonjour” at the beginning and “merci” at the end, which did not sit well with many.
This situation has compounded Air Canada’s public relations issues, as the airline has been dealing with previous fatal incidents and an upsurge in complaints reported to Canada’s Official Language Agency.
Air Canada operates primarily in Montreal, where French is the dominant language and legislation mandates that services be offered equivalently in both English and French.
It was also noted that one of the deceased pilots, Antoine Forest, grew up in a predominantly French-speaking area, further escalating the emotional response from the public.
Rousseau later issued a written apology in both languages, expressing deep regret that his limited French skills “diverted” focus from the victims’ families and Air Canada employees involved in the incident. He admitted that despite numerous lessons, his proficiency in French remained poor, and he is committed to improving.
This is not Rousseau’s first encounter with such backlash; he faced criticism in 2021 for delivering a nearly all-English speech to business leaders in Montreal shortly after being named CEO. In that instance, he expressed pride in living there for over ten years without utilizing French, later apologizing and vowing to take lessons.
The crash at LaGuardia occurred shortly before midnight on March 22 during landing when an Air Canada passenger plane collided with a rescue vehicle responding to another emergency. The impact damaged the front of the aircraft and led to airport closures for most of the following day.
Tragically, the incident resulted in the fatalities of both pilots, including co-pilot Mackenzie Gunther, 24, from just outside Ottawa.
Audio recordings revealed air traffic controllers frantically trying to avert the crash, repeatedly shouting, “Stop, stop, stop!” One controller was later heard lamenting, “I failed.”
