Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered sharp criticism of Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau on Friday, condemning the airline executive's decision to address media solely in English following a fatal aircraft incident near Montreal.
The controversy erupted after Rousseau held a press conference Thursday evening regarding the crash of Flight 847, which claimed the lives of 23 passengers and crew members. Despite the incident occurring in Quebec and drawing significant French-language media coverage, Rousseau conducted the entire briefing in English only.
"This is absolutely unacceptable from the CEO of Canada's flag carrier," Carney stated during a press conference in Ottawa. "Air Canada has legal obligations under the Official Languages Act, and more importantly, moral obligations to serve all Canadians in the language of their choice during times of tragedy."
The Prime Minister's rebuke comes amid heightened tensions over linguistic rights in Canada, particularly following Quebec's recent strengthening of Bill 96. Carney emphasized that federal institutions and federally regulated companies must demonstrate leadership in bilingual service delivery.
"Families are grieving, communities are hurting, and they deserve to receive information in the official language they understand best," Carney added. "This isn't about politics – it's about basic respect and human decency."
Rousseau, who has faced previous criticism for his limited French language skills since taking the helm at Air Canada in 2021, defended his decision through a company spokesperson. The airline cited the urgency of providing information to the public and international media as reasons for the English-only briefing.
"Mr. Rousseau was focused on delivering critical safety information as quickly as possible to all stakeholders," Air Canada spokesperson Jennifer Walsh said in a statement. "French translation services will be provided for all subsequent communications regarding this incident."
Transport Minister Helena Jaczek announced that her department would be reviewing Air Canada's compliance with official languages requirements as part of the ongoing investigation into the crash. The airline faces potential penalties under federal language legislation.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet called for Rousseau's immediate resignation, describing the CEO's actions as "a slap in the face to Quebec families who lost loved ones." The Opposition leader demanded that Parliament summon Rousseau to explain his conduct.
The controversy has reignited debate about corporate bilingualism requirements in federally regulated industries. Several French-language media outlets, including Radio-Canada and Le Devoir, have launched formal complaints with the Commissioner of Official Languages.
Air Canada's stock price dropped 2.3 per cent in Friday trading as investors absorbed the potential regulatory and reputational fallout from the incident. The airline has faced multiple official languages violations in recent years, resulting in over $1.2 million in fines since 2020.
The Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation into the cause of Thursday's crash, with preliminary findings expected within the coming weeks. All victims' families will receive grief counselling services in both official languages, officials confirmed.