Michael Rousseau, the Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada, will retire by late 2026, the airline announced. His planned exit follows sustained controversy over his inability to communicate effectively in French, a failure brought into sharp focus after a fatal accident involving an Air Canada regional jet.
The catalyst for the latest outcry was a video message Rousseau recorded in March following a crash at New York's airport that killed two pilots. In the address, intended to offer condolences, Rousseau spoke almost entirely in English, using only "bonjour" and "merci" in French, with the substantive message delivered via English subtitles.
Political and Public Backlash
The video was met with immediate condemnation from political leaders and the public, particularly in Quebec, where Air Canada is headquartered and where one of the deceased pilots, Captain Antoine Forest, was from. The other pilot was Captain Mackenzie Gunter from Ontario.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the message as demonstrating "a lack of compassion," while Quebec Premier François Legault explicitly called for Rousseau's resignation. The airline received hundreds of complaints from citizens.
Carney told reporters after the accident that "We live in a bilingual country, and companies like Air Canada particularly have a responsibility to always communicate in both official languages." Rousseau was subsequently summoned to Ottawa to explain his language choice, where he apologised, stating his lack of French "diverted attention" from the victims.
A Recurring Failure on a Bilingual Mandate
The controversy is not new. Rousseau, who became CEO in 2021, faced immediate criticism for not being fluent in French, a significant issue for a national carrier bound by Canada's Official Languages Act.
In 2022, he apologised for delivering a major business speech in English, pledging to learn French. "I admit that I made a mistake by not learning to speak French when I joined Air Canada, and I am correcting that mistake at this point," he said at the time. The March video demonstrated he had not fulfilled that promise.
Tenure Marked by Financial Recovery
Despite the language controversies, Rousseau's tenure oversaw Air Canada's financial recovery from the pandemic, which devastated global travel. The airline has reported strong earnings from 2023 through 2025, buoyed by a rebound in international and premium travel.
It now projects a profit exceeding 3 billion Canadian dollars for 2026. Under his leadership, Air Canada also expanded its international network, confirmed a major order for new Airbus A321XLR aircraft in 2022, and developed a new suite-style business class product set to launch this year.
The airline stated that Rousseau's departure is part of a succession plan under development for the past two years. He will remain in his role until a successor is appointed and a transition is complete.