It sometimes feels as though Michael Rousseau enjoys lighting a match under Canada’s official languages every now and then — just for the fun of setting the house on fire.

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For the second time in five years, Air Canada’s big boss has made headlines for his lack of sensitivity toward French.

Melançon: No, the Air Canada language storm isn't overblown Back to video

The infamous CEO, who first drew criticism for delivering a speech only in English at the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal in 2021, struck again this week with a unilingual video statement after the accident that killed two Air Canada employees — including 30-year-old Quebec pilot Antoine Forest — and injured dozens of passengers. Many of those on board were Quebecers, as the flight had departed from Montreal.

The pattern suggests a refusal to learn from past mistakes. After the 2021 controversy, Rousseau apologized and promised to learn French. In light of recent events, it’s hard to believe the regrets he expressed at the time were sincere — or that he really spent nearly 600 hours learning and practising the language, as Air Canada claims.

In any case, in the end, the CEO’s French was apparently deemed not strong enough to carry such an important message.

Well, next time — if there is one — maybe try harder.

Because when he speaks publicly, Rousseau isn’t just a private citizen or even an out-of-touch senior executive. He’s the face and voice of Air Canada — the country’s flag carrier — and a company subject to the Official Languages Act. That role carries clear responsibilities and obligations.

What message does it send to the family of the young Quebec pilot who died while working for the airline?

What does it say to the more than 40 injured passengers who were sent to hospital and the many others who experienced fear and trauma?

What does it signal to millions of French-speaking customers across Canada?

Quebec legislature demands Air Canada CEO resign over English-only message

Hanes: Air Canada CEO was naive about French before. Now he seems downright clueless

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The message many hear is simple: “We don’t care about you.”

Rousseau had one job to do — to show compassion and humanity for the victims and their loved ones. By not making a minimal effort to address all of them in their language, he lamentably failed.

The statement was pre-recorded. A few sentences in French, read from a prepared script, would have sufficed to prevent any backlash and spare the company yet another reputational setback.

At least, it would have demonstrated awareness and sympathy. That was just the bare minimum — after all, it’s called “paying your respects” for a reason.

Meanwhile, many reactions on social media suggest the issue is trivial or overblown. But for many Quebecers and francophones from coast to coast, it is not.

Consider the reverse scenario: a unilingual French-speaking CEO delivering a French-only statement after an incident that killed two Alberta pilots and injured passengers on a Toronto-Chicago flight.

How would that be received?

Many would certainly lose their minds over this. Media commentators would be talking about it for days. Elected officials would probably seek explanations, if not call for the CEO’s resignation.

This fictional example will hardly ever happen in real life, and yet it is the type of situation that, still in 2026, we see way too often when it comes to French in this country — not just at Air Canada.

As if French mattered less. An official language, sure — on paper, at least — but a second-class one, perhaps?

Since we share different cultural and historical backgrounds, Canadians may not always agree on the importance of the French language. Fair enough.

But as Canadian unity is once again put to the test with the threat of a looming third referendum on Quebec sovereignty, if it is indeed an issue that is dear to a large portion of our country’s population, can’t we just acknowledge and respect that?

Raphaël Melançon is a public affairs consultant and political analyst. A former journalist, he previously worked as a political adviser at all three levels of government.

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