MONTREAL – Air Canada says chief executive Michael Rousseau will retire by the end of the third quarter of this year.
Rousseau’s departure comes after he was criticized earlier this month for a lack of French in video condolence message following the deadly plane crash in New York that killed two Air Canada Express pilots.
The four-minute video posted online included only two French words — “bonjour” and “merci.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney said the decision to release the video message only in English showed a “lack of judgment and lack of compassion.”
Rousseau was appointed chief executive of Air Canada in February 2021 after serving as deputy chief executive and chief financial officer.
Air Canada says its board will consider a number of criteria in assessing candidates to be its next chief executive including the ability to communicate in French.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2026.
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