Michael Rousseau, chief executive of Air Canada, has issued an apology after facing criticism for a short online condolence video delivered almost entirely in English following a deadly crash at LaGuardia airport.

What happened in the video

The four-minute message included only two French words, bonjour and merci, while the spoken remarks were in English and French subtitles were added. Rousseau said he was sorry that his inability to speak French had shifted attention away from the victims and the airline staff who responded to the incident.

His statement in brief

  • Rousseau said he was deeply saddened that his lack of French diverted attention from the families and the resilience of employees.
  • He acknowledged that, despite lessons and promises, he still cannot express himself adequately in French and apologized for that.
  • He added he is continuing his efforts to improve.

Why people were upset

Critics pointed out that Air Canada is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, where French is the main language, and that one of the pilots killed in the crash, Antoine Forest, was a French-speaking Quebecer. The crash involved an Air Canada Jazz flight that landed at LaGuardia and collided with a fire truck on the runway, killing Forest and Mackenzie Gunther.

Quebec’s premier, François Legault, called on Rousseau to resign. The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, said Rousseau showed a lack of compassion and poor judgment, and said he looks forward to comments from Air Canada’s board of directors.

Background and earlier controversies

Rousseau has previously been criticized for not speaking French. When he became Air Canada’s president in February 2021, he had promised to learn French. He did take lessons, but observers say the results have been limited. The commissioner of official languages has received hundreds of complaints about the recent video.

Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University, noted that less than a year after Rousseau's appointment a speech nearly entirely in English already caused upset among Francophones. That episode led to an apology and a pledge to improve his French.

Other reactions

  • Some politicians and public figures urged stronger action, including calls for resignation.
  • Former minister Jason Kenney said he would prefer the CEO focus on safety and reliability rather than language instruction.

Quebec remains a predominantly French-speaking province, and language sensitivity is a long-standing and emotionally charged issue there. The debate over Rousseau’s message highlights how leadership, language, and tragedy can collide in public life.