The CEO of Air Canada has apologized after he was criticised for not speaking French in a condolence video message he released after a collision at LaGuardia airport that killed two pilots.
In a statement on Thursday, Michael Rousseau said he was deeply saddened that his inability to speak French diverted attention from the pilots' grieving families and Air Canada staff.
Rousseau stated he is unable to express himself adequately in French - an official language in Canada, despite taking lessons over the years.
He has faced calls to resign for failing to deliver his condolences in both English and French. One of the pilots who died - Antoine Forest - is French Canadian.
Prime Minister Mark Carney remarked that Rousseau's English-only message showed a lack of compassion, while Quebec's Premier François Legault insisted Rousseau should resign if he cannot speak French.
In a written statement, released in both English and French, Rousseau admitted that his French remains weak despite many lessons over several years.
I sincerely apologize for this, but I am continuing my efforts to improve, he conveyed. His statement did not address calls for him to resign.
Forest and the other pilot, Mackenzie Gunther, were killed when an Air Canada plane operated by Jazz Aviation collided with a fire truck on Sunday night at LaGuardia airport shortly after landing. The flight had come from Montreal, Quebec. Dozens of passengers were injured, and four remain in hospital, Air Canada stated on Wednesday.
Shortly after the accident, Rousseau released a video statement on X expressing deepest sorrow for everyone affected. The message was delivered in English, with subtitles in both English and French.
The incident has triggered attention from Canada's parliamentary Committee on Official Languages, which has summoned Rousseau to explain why his message was released in English only. Rousseau lives in Montreal; however, he is an anglophone and has previously faced criticism for his inadequate French communication, including shortly after he was appointed CEO in 2021.
Investigators are working to determine the events leading to the tragic crash, with details from the final minutes of cockpit voice recordings revealing that controllers had cleared both the plane and a fire truck to cross the runway when a voice instructed the truck to stop just before the collision.
Operations at LaGuardia were scaled back after the accident, and authorities confirmed they were working to reopen the affected runway.
