GoKawiilA two-minute condolence video cost Air Canada’s CEO his job. Michael Rousseau announced Monday he would step down by the end of the third quarter, days after releasing a statement about a fatal runway collision that was delivered almost entirely in English. He said “bonjour” and “merci.” That was it.
In bilingual Canada, that’s a career-ending mistake. Air Canada is headquartered in Montreal and legally required to offer services in both English and French. On March 22, an Air Canada Express flight from Montreal collided with a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing both pilots and injuring dozens. One of the pilots, Antoine Forest, was from Quebec.
Quebec lawmakers voted unanimously for Rousseau’s resignation. Canada’s prime minister said he was “very disappointed.” Montreal’s mayor said Rousseau “lost the respect of our Francophone community.” Rousseau, 68, apologized and said his language limitations had shifted focus from grieving families. The airline said it would emphasize French fluency when searching for his successor.