Air Canada CEO to Quit After Furor About Crash Condolence Video

Michael Rousseau Photo by Christinne Muschi /BloombergArticle content(Bloomberg) — Air Canada Chief Executive Officer Michael Rousseau announced he’s leaving after creating a public relations fiasco with an English-language video about the deadly runway collision at LaGuardia Airport in New York.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentRousseau, 68, will retire by the end of the third quarter, Air Canada said in a statement Monday morning.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentAn Air Canada Express jet flew from Montreal to New York on March 22 and, after landing, collided with an airport fire truck, killing both pilots. Rousseau made a video statement in which he expressed his “deepest sorrow for everyone affected.” But the only words he spoke in French were “bonjour” at the beginning and “merci” at the end. French subtitles were provided. Article contentArticle contentThat caused a furor in Quebec, where the provincial legislature, known as the National Assembly, voted 92 to zero in favor of a motion calling for Rousseau’s resignation. Many French-speaking Canadians pointed out that one of the two pilots killed in the crash, Antoine Forest, was from Quebec.Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentCanada’s largest airline is required to provide services in English and French, the country’s two official languages. It’s also headquartered in the Montreal region, the business and financial center of Quebec, the only Canadian province where French is the majority language.Article contentCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney lambasted Rousseau last week, saying the video showed a “lack of judgment and lack of compassion.”Article content“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,” Carney told reporters.Article contentRousseau apologized, saying he was “deeply saddened” that “his inability to speak French has diverted attention from the profound grief of the families and the great resilience of Air Canada’s employees.”Article contentArticle contentAir Canada said the board has been working on succession planning for more than two years, and that in January it started an external global search. “The Board will consider a number of performance criteria in assessing candidates including the ability to communicate in French,” the airline said. Article contentRousseau was paid C$13.1 million ($9.4 million) last year, according to the company’s latest regulatory filing. Article contentIn 2021, shortly after being appointed CEO, Rousseau gave a speech to Montreal business leaders almost entirely in English. After the event, he expressed some pride in being able to live in Montreal for more than a decade without speaking French, sparking outrage in Quebec. He apologized that time, too. Article contentTrending Posthaste: Gold's fall from grace could be worse than markets expect News Oil rises to US$117 as Iran war escalates with Houthi attacks on Israel PMN Business 'A new floor for oil': Prices expected to be higher for longer, potentially unlocking new spending Energy S&P 500 correction nears end stage, say Morgan Stanley strategists PMN Business Subscriber only. How a Buddhist monk's advice helped this Canadian philanthropist amass a fortune Subscriber only High Net Worth Share this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Posthaste: Gold's fall from grace could be worse than markets expect News Oil rises to US$117 as Iran war escalates with Houthi attacks on Israel PMN Business 'A new floor for oil': Prices expected to be higher for longer, potentially unlocking new spending Energy S&P 500 correction nears end stage, say Morgan Stanley strategists PMN Business Subscriber only. How a Buddhist monk's advice helped this Canadian philanthropist amass a fortune Subscriber only High Net Worth