Sunday, November 07, 2021

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Complaints about Air Canada CEO's speech soar to more than 1,000

Officials in Quebec City and Ottawa warned the airline about the backlash they would get for delivering an English-only speech in Montreal.

Author of the article:
Philip Authier • Montreal Gazette
Publishing date:Nov 05, 2021 • 
Michael Rousseau, chief executive office of Air Canada, speaks to members of the media after addressing the Montreal Chamber of Commerce. 
PHOTO BY CHRISTINNE MUSCHI /Bloomberg
Article content

QUEBEC — The number of complaints filed with the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages about a speech delivered almost entirely in English by the chief executive officer of Air Canada, Michael Rousseau, in Montreal on Wednesday has soared to more than 1,000.

And it has been revealed that both Premier François Legault’s office and the commissioner of official languages warned the airline in advance of the language backlash that would be created if the speech went ahead.

So did the president of the Montreal Chamber of Commerce, Michel Leblanc .




As the storm surrounding the speech rages and there are more calls for Rousseau to step down, officials in Quebec City and Ottawa confirmed to the Montreal Gazette they had warned Rousseau about the looming train wreck.

Air Canada had plenty of time to reverse course. Rousseau’s plan to deliver an English-only speech became public knowledge way back on Monday, when the Journal de Montréal revealed the news with a splashy headline.

It was after that article was published that Canada’s commissioner of official languages, Raymond Théberge, contacted Air Canada asking the airline to change plans, officials said.

Le Devoir reported on Friday that Théberge “anticipated a certain controversy,” which proved to be entirely true.

The same warning was delivered by Legault’s team.

“We got word to them, yes,” an official said.

Legault himself was in Scotland attending the COP26 summit , but he was among the first to denounce Rousseau’s speech and subsequent comments to the media.

“I saw the video of Mr. Rousseau, and I found it insulting,” Legault said. “It’s inconceivable. It angers me.”

Rousseau apologized on Thursday , which Legault said was the right thing to do but that he would follow the situation nonetheless. The apology has failed to put a lid on the controversy, with some complaining the mea culpa does not go far enough.

In Ottawa on Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added his voice to the chorus of those criticizing Air Canada. Several political parties are calling for Rousseau’s resignation.

“I find this is an unacceptable situation,” Trudeau told reporters in a brief encounter. “I’m happy that the minister of official languages is in the process of following up.”

Trudeau left without answering whether he thought Rousseau should resign from his post.



Following his speech, Rousseau told reporters that despite having lived in Montreal for 14 years, he had not learned French.

“I’ve been able to live in Montreal without speaking French, and I think that’s a testament to the city of Montreal,” he said.

Rousseau added he has been so busy trying to get Air Canada back on its feet that his schedule did not allow him time to take French courses.


The number of complaints to the language commissioner’s office is unprecedented. Normally, the office gets between 85 and 100 complaints a year about Air Canada, which has a spotty record when it comes to official bilingualism.

An aide said the office will assess all the complaints to determine which are valid before proceeding with its investigation.

Air Canada CEO debut a PR disaster following comments on French, say experts

By Ross Marowits The Canadian Press
Posted November 5, 2021 


WATCH: There is widespread outrage across the country over comments made by Air Canada's CEO that he doesn't need to speak French. This, despite leading a company head-quartered in Montreal where he has lived for the past 14 years. As Raquel Fletcher reports, other leaders are now calling for Michael Rousseau's resignation.


Air Canada’s new chief executive ignited a PR disaster by his inept handling about the French language that could have repercussions for the airline as it attempts to get back on its feet from the COVID-19 pandemic, say public relations experts.

“I can’t remember a more tone deaf and ham-fisted handling of a new CEO’s debut on the public stage than this,” said Bob Pickard, a veteran public relations expert and principal at Signal Leadership Communication Inc.

While former Air Canada chief financial officer Michael Rousseau may be very capable, Pickard said his maiden speech as CEO Wednesday — almost entirely in English, his defensive response to reporters and then unsatisfactory apology — demonstrate a failure of emotional, cultural, communications and social intelligence.

Rousseau should have addressed his language shortcomings head-on and either not made the speech to begin with, or proactively addressed them.

READ MORE: Air Canada CEO apologizes to Quebecers, pledges to improve his French

Instead, he showed great disrespect to Air Canada employees and customers, especially by releasing an apology on the company’s website instead of a personal video where he tried to strike the right chord of contrition, Pickard said in an interview.

“He should be saying sorry, not just for those who were offended, which is PR 101 nowadays.”

Canadian politicians piled on Rousseau, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling it “an unacceptable situation,” noting that the minister in charge of official languages is “following up.”

The New Democratic Party called for Rousseau’s resignation. NDP deputy leader Alexandre Boulerice, the party’s lone MP in Quebec, says Rousseau was “spitting in the face of Quebecers and all members of French-speaking communities across the country.”

He said Rousseau should be ashamed for boasting that his mother and wife speak French while never learning the language.



READ MORE: Air Canada revenue nearly triples from last year as airline ramped up capacity

Boulerice noted that Canada’s largest airline, based in Montreal, is subject to an average of 80 complaints annually to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. A spokesperson for the commissioner of official languages says more than 1,000 complaints about Air Canada have been filed since the incident on Wednesday afternoon.

Public relations expert Jason Patuano, senior director of public relations firm TACT, said Rousseau’s lack of sensitivity could have a ripple effect on the airline, just as United Airlines faced a couple of years ago when its removal of a passenger from one of its flights went viral and had a large impact on the value of its stock.

He noted that an Air Canada ad on Facebook Friday attracted comments from customers vowing to boycott the airline.


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So far, investors don’t seem too troubled. Air Canada’s shares climbed 6.1 per cent as the Toronto Stock Exchange set new record highs.

Patuano said it’s too soon to say if Rousseau can survive the blunder.

He said it’s important for companies to recognize there’s no such thing as local news anymore with social media.

“My advice is always for people to remember that whatever they say, they need to remember that it can go more broadly very, very quickly.”

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