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When Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau was requested in French how he managed to stay in Quebec’s largest metropolis for 14 years with out talking the language, he paused and requested the query be posed in English.
In a 26-minute speech on the Palais des congrès in Montreal moments earlier than, Rousseau solely spoke French for about 20 seconds. Whereas his understanding of the language is “truthful,” he mentioned, he struggles to talk it.
That prompted swift criticism from federal and provincial politicians and a number of other Quebec commentators.
Many identified that Air Canada is topic to the Official Languages Act and should due to this fact serve clients in English and French, relying on the client’s choice.
Montreal’s Chamber of Commerce had invited Rousseau to discuss Air Canada’s restoration after the pandemic. It was his first main speech since he was appointed CEO of the corporate, which was once a Crown company, in February. He had held numerous roles within the firm’s government suite since 2007.
After the speech, Rousseau was requested in French by a journalist for Quebec TV information channel LCN how he is managed to stay in Montreal for thus lengthy regardless of talking little French.
Rousseau paused and mentioned: “Are you able to redo that in English? As a result of I wish to be certain that I perceive your query earlier than I reply to it.”
The journalist, Pierre-Olivier Zappa, mentioned he’d slightly Rousseau’s press attaché translate the query to him. The attaché replied that Rousseau had addressed it in his speech.
Ultimately, Zappa requested the query in English, saying, “How are you going to stay in Montreal with out talking French? Is it straightforward?”
Rousseau paused once more.
“I have been in a position to stay in Montreal with out talking French, and I feel that is a testomony to town of Montreal,” Rousseau mentioned.
He was additionally requested why he had not realized French, responding: “In case you have a look at my work schedule, you’d perceive why.”
Politicians condemn Rousseau, Air Canada
Michel Leblanc, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, mentioned he was upset that Rousseau’s speech contained little or no French, “and that the CEO of Air Canada didn’t publicly declare that his intention was to study French.”
Raymond Théberge, Canada’s Commissioner of Official Languages, mentioned he hopes Rousseau will make a dedication to take action.
“Like several CEO of an organization topic to the Official Languages Act, [Rousseau] ought to be capable of talk within the official languages,” Théberge mentioned in an interview with Radio-Canada.
Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette — who’s accountable for Invoice 96, the province’s controversial and sweeping proposed overhaul of its French-language legislation — was fast to share his condemnation on Twitter.
“The massive boss of Air Canada expresses all the pieces we rejected many years in the past: contempt for our language and our tradition at dwelling in Quebec,” Jolin-Barrette wrote in French.
“These phrases are unworthy of the position 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 tradition chez nous au Québec. Ces propos sont indignes des fonctions qu’il occupe. <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/polqc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>#polqc</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>#assnat</a> <a href=”https://t.co/3V1xV7eOkU”>https://t.co/3V1xV7eOkU</a>
—@SJB_CAQ
The federal Minister of Official Languages Ginette Petitpas Taylor additionally criticized Rousseau, stating on Twitter that, “Air Canada gives an necessary service to Canadians. It should achieve this in each official languages — and its leaders have to be an instance.”
Quebec Liberal Occasion Chief Dominique Anglade additionally reacted, calling Rousseau’s feedback “appalling and disrespectful” and stating that “Air Canada frankly doesn’t perceive the influence of its selections,” to nominate a CEO who doesn’t communicate satisfactory French.
The Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada, a corporation representing Canadian francophone and Acadian communities, has requested Rousseau to apologize.
“He should apologize for his insensitive perspective and his lack of respect for francophones,” mentioned the federation’s president, Liane Roy.
“If the Commissioner of Official Languages had the ability to situation orders and impose penalties … perhaps it might be taken extra significantly,” Roy added.
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