Air Canada Selects French-Speaking CEO After Language Backlash
Following widespread criticism over a largely English condolence video after a crash in March, CEO Michael Rousseau will retire, and the airline is choosing a French-speaking successor.
Air Canada has chosen a new chief executive who is fluent in French, responding to public outrage after the previous CEO provoked backlash with a condolence video delivered almost entirely in English following a crash in March.
Current CEO Michael Rousseau, who faced sharp criticism for the video that failed to address Canadians in both official languages, has announced his retirement. The decision came after pressure from French-language advocates and politicians, particularly in Quebec.
Air Canada officials said the appointment of a French-speaking CEO is part of efforts to reaffirm the airline's commitment to bilingualism and improve relations with French-speaking customers and employees. The name of the new CEO has not yet been officially announced.
The incident highlights ongoing linguistic tensions in Canada, where French is an official language but English often dominates corporate communications.
