After Disastrous Condolences, Air Canada CEO Is Retiring

Air Canada's boss is heading for the exits after a language firestorm he couldn't put out—and presumably he'll use the newfound free time to take some French lessons. The airline said Monday that CEO Michael Rousseau will retire this fall, wrapping up nearly 20 years at the company just days after backlash over his English-only video message following a deadly crash in New York, reports the CBC. His replacement will be selected on multiple factors, the company said in a statement, "including the ability to communicate in French." Rousseau had been at the helm of the company since 2021, notes the New York Times.

Rousseau's condolence message came after Flight 8646 from Montreal struck a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia on March 22, killing pilots Mackenzie Gunther and Antoine Forest and injuring dozens. The clip, delivered almost entirely in English despite Forest being a Quebecer and Air Canada's Montreal base and bilingual mandate, triggered more than 2,000 complaints and intense political blowback. Prime Minister Mark Carney called it "very disappointing;" Quebec Premier François Legault urged Rousseau to step down; and Parliament's Official Languages Committee summoned him to Ottawa. Rousseau later said years of study still hadn't allowed him to express himself properly in French, an explanation critics rejected.