The CEO of Air Canada will retire later this year, after being criticised for failing to speak French in a condolence video following last week's fatal collision at LaGuardia Airport that killed two of the airline's pilots.
Michael Rousseau informed the airline that he will be stepping down by the end of the company's third quarter, Air Canada said in a statement on Monday.
Rousseau had faced calls to resign after delivering his condolences in English only. One of the pilots who died, Antoine Forest, was from French-speaking Quebec.
He later apologised and said he was unable to express himself adequately in French - an official language in Canada - despite taking lessons over the years.
Announcing his retirement, Rousseau said: It has been my great honour to work with the dedicated and talented people of Air Canada and to represent our outstanding organisation. I look forward to supporting our company during this important transition period.
In the same statement, Air Canada said Rousseau was stepping down after nearly two decades of strong and dedicated leadership with the airline, which is headquartered in Montreal.
Rousseau's English-only condolence video was criticised by Canadian politicians, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said it showed a lack of compassion. Quebec Premier François Legault suggested that Rousseau should resign if he was unable to speak French.
The condolence video was released after an Air Canada plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia airport in New York shortly after landing, killing Forest and another pilot, Mackenzie Gunther. Rousseau expressed deepest sorrow for everyone affected in the video, which included both English and French subtitles.
After facing backlash for his oversight, Rousseau was summoned to Ottawa by Canada's parliamentary committee on Official Languages to explain himself before MPs. Following the criticism, he issued an apology in both English and French, expressing regret that his inability to speak French diverted attention from the pilots' grieving families and Air Canada staff.
He added that his French remained weak despite many lessons over the years and committed to continue improving it.
Rousseau, who has lived in Montreal but is an anglophone, has faced scrutiny regarding his French language proficiency since he was appointed as CEO of Air Canada in 2021. The airline, which became private in 1988, is subject to Canada’s Official Languages Act, requiring bilingual announcements on flights.
