The True Post (Web News)Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau on Wednesday for issuing a condolence message in English only after Sunday’s deadly plane crash in New York.
Carney said the unilingual message reflected a lack of empathy and understanding for the affected families, many of whom were French-speaking Canadians.
Rousseau posted a four-minute video online that included only two French words — “bonjour” and “merci” — which led to widespread criticism and 84 complaints filed with the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. Carney emphasized that in a bilingual country like Canada, companies have a responsibility to communicate in both official languages, regardless of the situation.
“This unilingual message demonstrates a lack of judgment and compassion,” Carney stated, noting that the flight carried passengers and crew from Montreal, including two pilots, Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther, who tragically lost their lives.
Conservative MP Joel Godin highlighted that Rousseau had previously promised to learn French upon taking the position, underscoring the importance of respecting Canada’s