Air Canada (TSX: AC) announced that CEO Michael Rousseau will retire by the end of Q3 2026, days after political leaders and Quebec lawmakers condemned his English-only public condolences following the fatal LaGuardia crash.
In its release, the aircraft operator said the board had maintained a longstanding focus on CEO succession planning, had been running a comprehensive internal development program for more than two years, and had launched an external global search in January 2026 to identify additional candidates to lead the Montréal-headquartered airline.
That timeline matters because it gives the board a pre-existing rationale for the move. But it also collides with the political reality of the past week. Rousseau’s earlier four-minute condolence video after the New York crash was delivered only in English except for “bonjour” and “merci,” prompting Prime Minister Mark Carney to say he was “very disappointed” and to describe the message as showing “a lack of judgment and a lack of compassion.”
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In addition, Quebec Premier François Legault and Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet called for Rousseau’s resignation, while Quebec’s legislature passed a motion calling on him to step down.
Rousseau will remain CEO and stay on the board until the end of Q3 2026, and the company said he has agreed to remain available as needed to support a “seamless and smooth transition.” The board also said candidate assessment will include “the ability to communicate in French.”
For years, Rousseau’s limited French ability had been controversial, but after the LaGuardia crash it became a board-level governance issue.
Board chair Vagn Sørensen credited him with helping steer the company through the 2007-2008 financial crisis, COVID, the Aeroplan acquisition, pension solvency restoration, and customer and employee-focused priorities. Rousseau, for his part, said it had been his “great honour” to work with Air Canada employees and cited his roles as chair of the Star Alliance chief executive board and as a director of the International Air Transport Association.
Rousseau became Air Canada’s CEO in February 2021, having been with the firm for nearly two decades.
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