When Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau was asked in French on Wednesday how he managed to live in Quebec’s largest city for 14 years without speaking the language, he paused and requested the question be posed in English.
In a 26-minute speech at the Palais des congrès in Montreal moments before, Rousseau only spoke French for about 20 seconds. While his understanding of the language is “fair,” he said, he struggles to speak it.
That prompted swift criticism from federal and provincial politicians and several Quebec commentators.
Many pointed out that Air Canada is subject to the Official Languages Act and must therefore serve customers in English and French, depending on the customer’s preference.
Montreal’s Chamber of Commerce had invited Rousseau to speak about Air Canada’s recovery after the pandemic. It was his first major speech since he was appointed CEO of the company, which used to be a Crown corporation, in February. He had held various roles in the company’s executive suite since 2007.
After the speech, Rousseau was asked in French by a journalist for Quebec TV news channel LCN how he’s managed to live in Montreal for so long despite speaking little French.
Rousseau paused and said: “Can you redo that in English? Because I want to make sure I understand your question before I respond to it.”
The journalist, Pierre-Olivier Zappa, said he’d rather Rousseau’s press attaché translate the question to him. The attaché replied that Rousseau had addressed it in his speech.
Eventually, Zappa asked the question in English, saying, “How can you live in Montreal without speaking French? Is it easy?”
Rousseau paused again.
“I’ve been able to live in Montreal without speaking French, and I think that’s a testament to the city of Montreal,” Rousseau said.
He was also asked why he had not learned French, responding: “If you look at my work schedule, you’d understand why.”
Politicians condemn Rousseau, Air Canada
Michel Leblanc, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, said he was disappointed that Rousseau’s speech contained very little French, “and that the CEO of Air Canada did not publicly declare that his intention was to learn French.”
Raymond Théberge, Canada’s Commissioner of Official Languages, said he hopes Rousseau will make a commitment to do so.
“Like any CEO of a company subject to the Official Languages Act, [Rousseau] should be able to communicate in the official languages,” Théberge said in an interview with Radio-Canada.
Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette — who is responsible for Bill 96, the province’s controversial and sweeping proposed overhaul of its French-language law — was quick to share his condemnation on Twitter.
“The big boss of Air Canada expresses everything we rejected decades ago: contempt for our language and our culture at home in Quebec,” Jolin-Barrette wrote in French.
“These words are unworthy of the role he occupies.”
Le grand patron d’Air Canada exprime tout ce que nous avons rejeté il y a des décennies: le mépris pour notre langue et notre culture chez nous au Québec. Ces propos sont indignes des fonctions qu’il occupe. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/polqc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#polqc</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#assnat</a> <a href=”https://t.co/3V1xV7eOkU”>https://t.co/3V1xV7eOkU</a>
The federal Minister of Official Languages Ginette Petitpas Taylor also criticized Rousseau, stating on Twitter that, “Air Canada offers an important service to Canadians. It must do so in both official languages — and its leaders must be an example.”
Quebec Liberal Party Leader Dominique Anglade also reacted, calling Rousseau’s comments “appalling and disrespectful” and stating that “Air Canada frankly does not understand the impact of its decisions,” to appoint a CEO who does not speak adequate French.
TheFédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada, an organization representing Canadian francophone and Acadian communities, has asked Rousseau to apologize.
“He must apologize for his insensitive attitude and his lack of respect for francophones,” said the federation’s president, Liane Roy.
“If the Commissioner of Official Languages had the power to issue orders and impose penalties … maybe it would be taken more seriously,” Roy added.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
