Michael Rousseau, 68, announced his resignation as chief executive of Air Canada on Monday, stating he would step down by the end of the company’s third fiscal quarter. The decision follows immediate backlash over a statement he issued in English regarding the deaths of two pilots during a U.S. plane crash at LaGuardia Airport.
The collision occurred on March 22 when an Air Canada aircraft carrying 72 passengers struck a fire truck on LaGuardia Airport’s runway, leaving dozens injured. Rousseau released condolences for the victims but faced criticism because his statement was in English rather than French. Canada is a dual-language nation, and Air Canada operates from Quebec, a French-majority province.
Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly endorsed Rousseau’s resignation, calling it “appropriate” and emphasizing that “the next CEO of Air Canada must be bilingual.” Quebec Premier François Legault also praised the decision, noting that Rousseau had pledged to learn French upon becoming CEO in 2021. Legault added: “The Air Canada board of directors will have to ensure that the next CEO speaks French.”
The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages reported hundreds of complaints about Rousseau’s statement. National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy stated on Tuesday that the investigation into the crash is ongoing but identified “multiple failures” contributing to the tragedy. She said: “We have found in all of our investigations that it is not a single error that led to a terrible tragedy. … So we’re going to look very comprehensively.”
