Air Canada chief criticized for largely English condolence video after New York crash

The Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada publicly reprimanded Air Canada’s outgoing CEO Michael Rousseau for a condolence video that was delivered almost entirely in English, with only the French greetings “bonjour” and “merci.” The office’s annual report recorded a high volume of complaints, underscoring Canadians’ expectation that leaders communicate equally in both official languages during emergencies. The video followed a tragic incident on March 22, when an Air Canada regional jet departing Montreal struck a fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, resulting in the deaths of pilots Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther and hospitalizing over 40 others.

The commissioner stressed that bilingualism is a vital skill for leaders across sectors and that messages should not rely solely on interpreters or subtitles. Seven days after the video’s release, Air Canada’s board announced Rousseau would retire by the end of the third quarter of 2026 and indicated French language ability would be considered in selecting his replacement. The report also touched on broader language policy concerns, including budget cuts and AI bias toward English.