Prime Minister Mark Carney is criticizing Air Canada president and CEO Michael Rousseau for making an English-only statement of condolences following the deadly Sunday night crash of one of the airline’s planes at LaGuardia Airport.
One of the pilots killed in that crash was from Quebec.
“I’m very disappointed, as others are — rightly so — in this unilingual message of the CEO of Air Canada. It doesn’t matter the circumstances but particularly in these circumstances: a lack of judgment and a lack of compassion,” Carney told reporters on Thursday morning, speaking first in French before repeating the criticisms in English.
“We live in a bilingual country. Companies like Air Canada, particularly, have a responsibility to always communicate in both official languages, regardless of the situation.”
Rousseau has been summoned to appear before the House of Commons standing committee on official languages, which voted unanimously on Tuesday afternoon for Rousseau to answer why he spoke only two words in French in the video, which were “bonjour” and “merci.”
The video had French subtitles.
“I will follow his comments closely and comments, which I would expect in due course, from the board of directors,” Carney said.
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In 2021, Rousseau was summoned to Ottawa after speaking only around 20 seconds of French in a 26-minute speech at the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages received more than 2,600 complaints.
Rousseau told reporters after his speech that he had been “too busy to learn French” and said he had “no trouble living in English in Quebec for 14 years,” sparking backlash across the province.
The next day, Rousseau released a statement offering an apology in both languages.
“I want to make it clear that in no way did I mean to show disrespect for Quebecers and Francophones across the country,” Rousseau’s statement read. “I apologize to those who were offended by my remarks.”
Canada’s then-deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland wrote a letter to Air Canada’s board of directors at the time, urging that “its CEO improve his French and that his knowledge of the language be included in his annual performance review.”
She also asked that knowledge of French “become an important criterion for securing promotions at the airline,” which is subject to the Official Languages Act.
Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus said before Wednesday’s question period that Rousseau’s decision to not speak French in his statement is “totally unacceptable.”
Paul-Hus also said he wants a decision surrounding “what will be the future of Mr. Rousseau.”
Interim NDP leader Don Davies also said that “Canada is a bilingual country” and “Canadians have a right to expect service in both official languages.”
Carney is an idiot, Air Canada CEO made a heartfelt statement, language should not matter.
Unfortunately the media is also responsible for over inflating the words of all participants to score points or web clicks. IE: Carney was disappointed, but he didn’t condemn anyone as the headline suggests. And again, as many have pointed out the real issue is the lost Canadian lives on US soil, due to a strained FAA system and human errors. Not why hasn’t the CEO of AC learned french yet.
When Carney was trashing the CEO he didn’t speak in both languages. Because he doesn’t know French. He also did not offer condolences. He preferred to rag in about French language.
Mary Simon the GG of Canada doesn’t speak a word of French. Terminate her.
This is Carneys first misstep as Prime Minister.
I agree with all the comments below.. shame making this political.
Get a life….worry more about the pilots that died than making political points with QC. So tired of these games.
Thats the problem with this country… bilingualism. Canada’s business language ought to be English.
What’s next? Are we to be scolded by politians because we didn’t say it in Chinese or Hindi.
This is another mock affront by politicians who have created this to distract from the most important issues in Canada that they are not getting done and it’s offensive.
Is Air Canada not a private business? Then why are politicians interfering?
According to the article there was french sub titles.
Canada has been an english majority country for most of it’s existence.
Politicians should stick to their own lane… ripping off taxpayers and diminshing their right’s and making up laws that favour corporations.
It is a real tragedy that lives were lost. The CEO was trying to do the right thing by making a statement and should be judged by his job skills, not his ability to speak a language. How many Canadians are unable to speak English?
Two men died, what does it matter what language the condolences were given in.
Carney’s appointed Governor General, Mary Simons doesn’t speak French, clean up your own house first Carney.
Could we get our priorities straight, two men lost their lives, their families are without them, and we are complaining that a speech wasn’t given in both languages, so shallow.
Carney trying to score points with Quebec voters. Carney prides himself on not being a career politician but he sure acts like one scrounging for votes.
Two people died and this is what PM skidMark whines about?
GG Mary Simon can’t speak French but skidMark silent about that.
Quebec is pretty much an inflammed boil on the buttocks of Canada. Isn’t it time we lanced that fcker?
the only person who should be fired is Mark Carney …. USELESS P O S!!!! HE HAS DONE ZERO ….ALL HE KNOWS IS TO TRAVEL ALL AROUND THE WORLD WITH HIS WIFE ON OUR DOLLAR!!! GARBAGE!!!!
What type of upbringing did this author have? Somebody is killed in their workplace and they want to criticize the condolences, shameful.
Petty complaint title. Everyone speaks English. Move on with this new world of sensitivity……
What an ignoramus. Who cares! Seriously? This is about the pilots who died, those injured and their families not Carney trying for political points in the upcoming PQ byelection. How disgraceful. He is just embarrassing normal Canadians.
Geez Not an important thing to worry about at this time. Ridiculous calling for this guy to be fired over a language.
Let’s have a vote to remove Quebec, that would certainly put all this language garbage to bed
Our arroga nt,do nothing government PM should keep his big mouth shut when he’s in this country. Save your preaching to when out of the country.
Solution to this nonsense is to allow the rest of the country to kick Quebec out of the country.
I think we have greater problems than making such a big deal about a petty language issue. The problem was the crash not the language.
No disrespect to anyone, including the pilot from Quebec who saved others by losing his life and the First Officer who did the same. I am not sure why the focus of this tragedy has turned to this. I am also positive the Air Canada CEO wasn’t trying to be disrespectful only trying to deal with his own horror and sadness of this tragedy as well as his frustration with what is happening in the US. Shame on anyone who thinks this is more news worthy than the lives of the two pilots and continuing to pressure the transportation agencies in finding out what happened and how they are going to stop it from happening again.
Disgusting politician.
Disgusting that this is Carney’s take away from this tragedy.
If it is so vital what about the Governor General’s lack of French language skills? Don’t want to touch that one.
You have got to be kidding me. This is the most pressing issue that clown has to deal with
If Carney condemns this then he should condemn all of Quebec’s French language laws. Now I see how the anglophones are treated everyday.
Sick of the whining from Quebec.
Let’s see Carney stand up for English speakers in Quebec!!
So, Carney skipped the French language debate, but he demands that other people be held to the standard he didn’t adhere to?
If it sounds like liberal hypocrisy it is liberal hypocrisy and you should thank a liberal voter.
So done with the frogs, carney and the left. Canada is a phuzking joke
I’ve got a deal for “the Donald”.
We’ll trade you straight across..Quebec for Alaska.
Then we can get rid of all these corrupt frogs all in one sweep.
Carney is a Cee U Next Tuesday.
This is infuriating. Quebec has an expectation that everyone needs to speak French but they are not willing to speak English.
I recently had the misfortune of needing to speak to the Quebec government and they REFUSED to speak with me in English. I told them I live in BC and English was my preferred language. They still refused.
If we are a bilingual country should government employees not provide service in both languages.
Here in BC we need to provide service in French if needed
I can speak French but I should have been able to communicate in English
Anyone know who I can raise my complaint to that employees refused to speak English to me? Not only did they refuse they stayed it was against the law for them to speak English to me.
So hypocritical – This is one of the reasons many have so much distain for Quebec
This is a joke if Quebec doesn’t like it tell them to go join the USA of separate like they keep saying they will. Just because he doesn’t apologize in French people get upset I am tired of Quebec always getting special treatment especially compared to BC . Stop wining all ready
I went out and got a tattoo of Canadastan on my a s s. Every time I bend over I watch Quebec separate…..
Much ado about nothing!
Boo hoo hoo to Quebec and everyone who is trying to get the CEO fired, lets concentrate on the unfortunate event and not resort to whining for not speaking in a foreign tongue.
WOW!! We really are a picky, non democratic, freedom to speak our own languagexewithout being forced to speak another. NO CHOICES, NO FREEDOM IF YOU’RE Canadian and English speaking. So what if we have two official languages. Does USA REALLY CARE? Grow up people!! Especially Carney & the government.
Shame on Carney for putting more emphasis on a language issue instead of compassion for the Canadian hero pilots and their families. CARNEY!! SHAME!!
WOW!! We really are a picky, non democratic, freedom to speak our own languagexewithout being forced to speak another. NO CHOICES, NO FREEDOM IF YOU’RE white
These two beautiful, young pilots are now being
the subject of a purely, political agenda. Shame on us. Let us remember them for what they were, heroes, not what language suits us.
Out of all the things happening in our country right now and this is an issue? Smoke and mirrors distraction again by the liberal communist party
Canada is NOT a bilingual country AT ALL. Pierre Trudeau SAID when he changed the CANADIAN NOT QUEBEC, except in Quebec, constitution that people are to speak in the language of majority in any province, meaning IF there are more english speaking people living a province then ENGLISH is to be spoken AND BESIDES speaking another language that people do not speak or understand is RUDE because they do not know if those speaking a different language are talking about them and this happens a lot. I know because I speak 4 languages and caught cleaning people speaking about patients in hospitals years ago. Carney needs to STOP CHANGING what Pierre Trudeau said when he changed the constitution to add french as a SECOND LANGUAGE in Canada, not first, SECOND language.
Disaster strikes the and the only thing the government is concerned with is language policing. Another distraction from the real problems Canada is facing.
For real? This is what we’re worried about?
This is why news media is dying a fast death. Reporting on this is so pathetic. Whoop Dee doo, the guy used a single language. It had French subtitles. Deal with it.
Gas is hitting an all time high even though we are an oil producing nation.
The banks, insurance and grocery giant’s are making record profits, but some canadians now have to chose food or electricity.
A CEO of a private company didn’t speak French and this is what our government is focusing on???
Unbelievable
SHAMEFUL… that Carney and lemmings unto the Sea bother to criticize the AIR CANADA response .. TYPICAL Canadians with nothing else to do
A MOST UNFORTUNATE TRAGEDY… yet leave it to cheap politicians and couch potato mindsets to distract this horrific accident.. !
Just read about cutting back OAS to “save” money. The cost of forced bilingualism in Canada alone would ease budgetary concerns. Oh, sorry…much too late.
Someone should inform the LPC that CEO’s can’t be hired through DEI. Besides, it’s international law that all commercial airline pilots have to be fluent in English.
In1971 I was refused a job as an airline hostess at Air Canada because I didn’t speak French. That is over 50 years ago, I can’t believe he could even be hired for a job in that position in this day and age without being bilingual! Shame on Air Canada.
This is Canada’s weakness. It turns on itself at the most inappropriate time when Canadians are mourning the devastating death of 2 Air Canada Pilots. The language issue is not of National Interest when compared to the airline crash and deaths.
just another reason fr alberta to separate or have a western region of the country
People died, and he’s worried about what language someone used?
Just goes to show you the backwards priorities of the Liberals.
The things that are more important than others in this country never fail
I left Quebec because nearly all rights have been removed from English . I had lived in Quebec longer than most French people.
It would be nice to speak the language but it is not an easy one to learn.
We live in a bi-lingual, country???. 10 provinces, 1 speaks French. So 10% of the population dictates what goes as gospel?. So whats next?. Everyone in BC is to speak t!xkw@*lrzdagtm?.
Funny, carney and the progressive liberals have no problem condemning things after the fact, especially when he is pressured by every sane person, let’s not forget he said he stands with hamas was it?
But here he likes to flaunt “i learned French, so should you” attitude towards someone that probably doesn’t live in a French speaking area, why do we have to have two national languages by the way?
All carney is doing here is the narrsastic showman he is, he probably might not even know the names of the pilots that passed at this moment, he needs someone to remind him.
The guy is an evil traitor to Canada and shouldn’t even be allowed into the country ever again for what he and the progressive liberals have done to the country, jail time is more desired i would think.
Don’t believe a word that rotten man says, he doesn’t care about Canada, or Canadians.
How many go to food banks? How many have died because of maid? How many have left canada?
stupid – Who cares?
E before F in alphabet! English b4 French in that order at all times but then everyone knows your voting base is in Quebec for Liberals!
Oh please, s’il vous plait.
Carney has lost total perspective. The crash is about the families who lost their loved ones. Not about languages. He’s way out of line.
Many people in Quebec speak English. Why all the fuss because he spoke in only 1 of the nation’s 2 official languages. I would be upset if he spoke in Spanish, or Cree or other non-official language. But this is just showing how messed up the Liberals are.
Chrystia Freeland needed to learn math and Canadian rights. Quoting her is the silliest thing Global has done.. today.
Rousseau is right, there are so many more things more important than to speak French.
Why does Carney not speak out against the leaders of Quebec, who do not speak English?
The liberals and ndp are destroying Canada. Vote them out.
Carney is mad over this??? But Carney is ok with destroying Canada. The Liberals and NDP are destroying Canada vote them out.
Really, Carney has nothing better to do. Only politicians care about French, nobody else does.
Why is this even an issue? I speak only English and I don’t see my comments needing to be translated to French. If I can’t understand it, I don’t bother with it. It is such a non- issue, as there are many more things to be worried about. Not this.
Hire a translator. Kick rocks.
Who cares
And yet OUR Governer General of Canada does not speak French. Wow, what Hypocrisy from Carney
Another case Liberals trying to score points using a tragic event.
Air Canada should move head office out of Quebec, that will get them to back off.
oh this is funny coming from a PM who cannot speak French. What hypocrisy.
upset the frenchies??? big deal
Here is a nipple Carney, go suck on it! What is Carney doing in Canada anyway. Go on a holiday or something.
What a hypocrite c a r n e y is he had a crash course in the french language while running his election campaign. The guy’s say’s anything to get votes.