The CAQ government is calling for the resignation of Air Canada President and CEO Michael Rousseau due to his “disdain” toward the country’s francophones, following his condolence video—delivered entirely in English—for the victims of the Montreal-New York flight accident. Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “disappointed” by the airline CEO’s video message. François Legault pointed out on Wednesday that Rousseau had, however, committed to learning French in 2021. “If he still doesn’t speak French today, it’s a lack of respect toward his employees and his French-speaking customers, so yes, I think that if he doesn’t speak French, he should resign,” he said during a brief press scrum before heading to question period. Québec solidaire (QS) also called for Rousseau’s resignation, but neither the Liberal Party (PLQ) nor the Parti Québécois (PQ) did so; the PQ noted that people have often expressed outrage over Rousseau’s attitude without anything changing. Earlier this week, the Air Canada CEO released a message in English only following the deaths of two pilots, one of whom was from Quebec, when their plane collided with a fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York. “I am so disappointed by Air Canada’s CEO’s video message; it lacks judgment and compassion,” said Carney upon arriving at the federal parliament on Wednesday morning. “We proudly live in a bilingual country; there are two official languages, and Air Canada has a special responsibility to communicate at all times, in any situation, in both official languages.” “It’s contemptuous,” said Quebec’s government House leader and Minister of Justice, Simon-Jolin Barrette, during a press scrum on Wednesday. “Michael Rousseau doesn’t even have that sensitivity toward all francophones in the country; Air Canada should force him to resign,” he continued, calling him a “repeat offender” due to his history of failing to respect French as an official language. Liberal leader Charles Milliard refused to go that far, arguing that the airline is a private company, but Québec solidaire (QS) co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal called for the resignation of Air Canada’s CEO. “He’s been laughing in our faces for five years; we’ve been asking him to learn French for five years, and clearly, he has no interest. I don’t understand what he’s still doing there. This has gone on long enough; he should leave,” she said. PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon expressed his discomfort at speaking out on this language issue while families are mourning in the wake of a “true tragedy.” But he pointed out that this is the fifth time people have been outraged by Rousseau’s gaffes without anything changing. “I want us to move away from that reflex a bit,” he pleaded. “Let those who are fed up with federal institutions flouting French—whether it’s the companies that embody Canada, French in hockey on Team Canada, at Air Canada, or in the Government of Canada—join the movement for Quebec independence, because Canada has been treating French this way for decades, and it won’t change.” Legault’s potential successor, Christine Fréchette, went less far than his government. She deplored Rousseau’s attitude, calling it “completely disrespectful toward French and francophones,” but rather than demanding that he step down, she called on the board of directors to “ask themselves some serious questions.” On Tuesday, the House of Commons summoned Rousseau to appear before the Official Languages Committee, since even though it was privatized in 1988, Air Canada remains subject to the Official Languages Act. In the video that was posted on multiple social media platforms, Rousseau refers to a “very dark day” for the airline and says he is “deeply saddened” by the deaths of the two pilots. In nearly four minutes, Rousseau—the very same man who in 2021 boasted of having lived in Montreal for 14 years without speaking a word of French—does, however, utter two words in French: a “bonjour” at the very beginning and a “merci” at the end. The airline’s spokesperson explained that Rousseau was keen to speak in person and to do so before heading to the crash site. “Despite his efforts, his ability to speak French does not allow him to convey such a sensitive message in that language as he would like. We therefore used subtitles to ensure everyone could receive his message directly,” wrote Christophe Hennebelle. Rousseau has a long history of linguistic controversies, as does his company, which year after year faces an unwelcome number of complaints to the Commissioner of Official Languages regarding the lack of French-language services. In 2021, the CEO sparked a wave of outrage after delivering a speech in Montreal that was primarily in English. He later apologized, stating that he did not intend to disrespect Quebecers or French speakers across the country. He also pledged to improve his French, but three years after the controversy, he remained unable to answer questions in that language. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 25, 2026. Patrice Bergeron, The Canadian Press With files from Michel Saba in Ottawa
