Air Canada CEO’s French Fiasco Touches a Nerve in Restive Quebec

Michael Rousseau took more than 300 hours of French lessons after he became chief executive officer of Air Canada. But when he faced the camera to read a solemn statement after a fatal ground collision in New York last week, he uttered only two words in the language: “bonjour” and “merci.”

His video had subtitles, and he said he didn’t speak French because he didn’t want to risk offending anyone with an error or insensitive remarks.

But within a week, the resulting furor over the monolingual condolences prompted an announcement of Rousseau’s retirement. Even Prime Minister Mark Carney, ...