Air Canada’s president and CEO, Michael Rousseau, is set to retire in the fall after nearly two decades with the company, following his recent English-only message of condolence in the wake of the Flight 8646 crash in New York. The airline confirmed Rousseau’s retirement, citing his natural retirement age and the Board’s long-term focus on CEO succession planning that has been ongoing internally for over two years.
In an internal communication to employees obtained by Radio-Canada, Rousseau expressed pride in representing the airline but acknowledged that it was time for him to retire. He will continue to lead the company and serve on its board of directors until the end of the third quarter.
Flight 8646, departing from Montreal, tragically collided with a fire truck upon landing at LaGuardia airport on March 22, resulting in the deaths of two pilots and injuries to several others. Rousseau extended condolences to the victims’ families in a subsequent video, though he faced criticism for delivering the message predominantly in English despite the airline’s requirement for employees to be proficient in both official languages.
Following backlash from various politicians, including Prime Minister Mark Carney and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, Rousseau issued an apology for his limited French proficiency, which was deemed inadequate by many. The CEO has been summoned to appear before the Official Languages Committee in Ottawa, with ongoing scrutiny and over 2,300 complaints received by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.
Politicians, including Transport Minister Stephen MacKinnon and Quebec Premier François Legault, welcomed the news of Rousseau’s retirement, emphasizing the importance of the next CEO being bilingual. Analysts predict that fluency in French will be a key criterion for the successor, given the recent events that led to Rousseau’s decision to retire swiftly under political pressure.