Quebec politicians are calling for the resignation of Michael Rousseau after he delivered an English-only video message following a deadly plane crash.
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) said the message showed a lack of respect for French-speaking Canadians. Premier François Legault said Rousseau should step down if he still cannot speak French, despite promising to learn in 2021.
Mark Carney also criticized the message, saying Air Canada has a responsibility to communicate in both of Canada’s official languages, especially during serious events.
Other Quebec politicians, including members of Québec solidaire, also called for Rousseau to resign. However, the Quebec Liberal Party and the Parti Québécois stopped short of demanding he step down.
The backlash comes after a crash involving a Montreal–New York flight that killed two pilots. Rousseau’s video, which lasted about four minutes, was mostly in English, with only a brief greeting and closing in French.
Rousseau has faced similar criticism before. In 2021, he apologized after giving a speech in Montreal without speaking French and promised to improve, but concerns remain about his language abilities.
