Air Canada’s chief executive, Michael Rousseau, was forced to resign after giving a statement of condolence to the families of victims of the collision between an Air Canada passenger jet and an airport fire truck at LaGuardia Airport.
The cause of the crash, which killed both pilots of the Air Canada plane and injured more than 30 others on March 22, has yet to be determined. So why was Rousseau run out of town on a rail?
Rousseau ran afoul of Canada's language police. In this case, he made his statement of condolence almost entirely in English. In a country where about 20% of the population speaks fluent French, mais oui, that's an “erreur critique” (critical error).
Canada's French-speaking population has the English-speaking population by the short hairs. They are a large enough minority to play a critical role in national elections, as well as many regional contests, and the Bloc Québécois, the French-Canadian political party, extracts concessions from the majority like a dentist pulling teeth. Canada is officially bilingual, and the legal framework requires federal services in both languages.
It can make for some comedic moments. For example, if you watch a hockey game played in Montreal or Quebec City, the PA announcer is forced to announce everything in both languages. It's awkward, sometimes confusing, and indicative of what happens when a nation succumbs to runaway multiculturalism.
Only about 42% of Quebecers speak English, while 85% of the rest of Canada speak both French and English. Why won't the Quebecers learn English? It helps if you threaten to secede from Canada every time Quebec nationalism is questioned. The answer is because they don't have to. Until they do, and as long as French-speaking Canadians hold the whip hand in elections, Canadian school kids will be tortured by being forced to conjugate French verbs.
But English speakers darn well better learn how to speak French.
"I am deeply saddened that my inability to speak French has diverted attention from the profound grief of the families and the great resilience of Air Canada’s employees, who have demonstrated outstanding professionalism despite the events of the past few days," Rousseau said in a statement. "Despite many lessons over several years, unfortunately, I am still unable to express myself adequately in French. I sincerely apologize for this, but I am continuing my efforts to improve."
When Rousseau was hired in 2021, he promised to learn French. His condolence statement was delivered almost entirely in English. He said “bonjour” and “merci” while a French translation of his words scrolled across the bottom of the screen.
The French-Canadian outrage machine went into high gear. "In Quebec, lawmakers voted unanimously in favor of a motion calling for Mr. Rousseau’s resignation," reports The New York Times. "Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, said he was “very disappointed.”
The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages has received hundreds of complaints. Don't any Canadians question why the heck they even need a "Commissioner of Official Languages"?
Sheesh.
In its statement, Air Canada framed the move as part of a long-running succession process, saying internal development work had been underway for more than two years and that an external search began in January 2026.
"On behalf of the entire Board, I want to thank Mike for his many contributions to Air Canada as he progressed from Chief Financial Officer to Deputy CEO and then to CEO and Board member," Chair of the Board of Directors Vagn Sørensen said in a statement Monday.
"We are grateful for the determined leadership he has provided not only in steering our company through the 2007-2008 financial crisis, COVID and other challenges, but also in capturing opportunities such as the acquisition of Aeroplan, in restoring the solvency of our pension plans and in advancing customer-centricity and employee well-being priorities," Sørensen said. "Our upcoming AGM will allow us to further recognize his achievements, which include a legacy of financial strength."
"Air Canada's board will now consider possible successors and says French-language ability will be among the criteria," reports Fox News. Such is the power of unrestrained multiculturalism.
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