Air Canada president and chief executive Michael Rousseau will retire by the end of the third quarter of this year, the airline confirmed Monday — an announcement arriving just one week after Rousseau faced a national firestorm over his decision to deliver a condolence message almost entirely in English following the fatal crash of Flight 8646 at New York's LaGuardia Airport.
"Mr. Rousseau has reached a natural retirement age. His decision is consistent with the Board's longstanding focus on CEO executive succession planning," an Air Canada spokesperson told CBC News, adding that the succession process had been underway internally for more than two years.
In an internal message to employees obtained by Radio-Canada, Rousseau said he was proud to have worn the airline's emblem over his heart throughout his nearly two decades with the company, but that the time had come to retire. He will continue leading Air Canada and serving on its board of directors until the transition is complete.
A Crash, a Condolence, and a National Controversy
Air Canada Flight 8646 had departed Montreal before colliding with a fire truck upon landing at LaGuardia Airport on March 22. First Officer Mackenzie Gunther and Captain Antoine Forest were killed in the crash; dozens of others were injured.
The following day, Rousseau released a video message expressing condolences to the victims' families. The statement drew immediate and sharp criticism: aside from opening with "bonjour" and closing with "merci," the message was delivered entirely in English.
Captain Forest was a francophone from Coteau-du-Lac, Que. Air Canada is headquartered in Montreal and, under its own corporate policy, requires employees to be able to communicate in both of Canada's official languages — making the English-only message particularly glaring to critics across the country.
Politicians from All Sides Weigh In
The controversy quickly spilled into the political arena. Prime Minister Mark Carney said the message demonstrated "a lack of judgment" and "compassion." Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet called it a "sad and gross lack of respect" for the family of Captain Forest.
Quebec Premier François Legault went further, openly calling for Rousseau's resignation. The Quebec National Assembly introduced a formal motion to the same effect.
Not everyone condemned the CEO, however. Former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was among those who came to Rousseau's defence, arguing that the executive's energy would be better directed toward improving the airline's safety and service reliability than toward language training.
An Apology That Many Said Fell Short
By Thursday, Rousseau had issued a follow-up apology, saying he was "deeply saddened" that his "inability to speak French" had distracted from the grief of the mourning families. He acknowledged that, despite years of language lessons, he remains unable to adequately express himself in French.
For many Canadians — particularly Quebecers — the apology only deepened the wound, with critics arguing it framed the controversy as a personal language deficiency rather than a fundamental lapse in respect and judgment at a moment of national mourning.
Parliamentary Summons Still Stands
By the end of last week, Rousseau had been summoned to appear before Parliament's Official Languages Committee in Ottawa. A committee clerk confirmed to CBC News that the motion to summon Rousseau remains in effect and that he has been invited to appear before May 1, though no specific date has been set. CBC News has reached out to both Air Canada and the Senate committee to confirm whether Rousseau intends to appear.
With the retirement announcement now public, questions remain about who will succeed Rousseau at one of Canada's largest and most politically scrutinized corporations — and whether his departure will fully satisfy those calling for accountability over how the airline handled the aftermath of the Flight 8646 tragedy.
Source: CBC Business. This article is based on reporting by CBC News.