Air Canada CEO summoned to Ottawa over English-only condolence video for LaGuardia crash

[lostav8r]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/air-cana ... -9.7140823

Didn't realize the "The Official Languages ​​Committee" has jurisdiction over internal messages

[7ECA]

Evidently because it was publicly accessible, it's now started quite the parliamentary row.

The Bloc and a few MPs are calling for Rousseau's resignation over video-gate. The fact that this is the shitstorm that's emerging after the horrific deaths of two Jazz pilots, and the injuries of numerous pax (and the FA ejected from the aeroplane) is ridiculous. Truly ridiculous.

[digits_]

Not entirely unexpected... You're the CEO of the national carrier. You know language issues are (rightfully?) sensitive. One of the casualties grew up in Quebec. Not that strange that people are a bit upset, especially after such an emotional event.

But then there's a whole slew of politicians that are just taking advantage of the situation, which is arguably even worse.

[altiplano]

Classless politicians. What a joke, people can express condolence in whatever form is best for them even if it's not fluent spoken French.

Meanwhile in Quebec they persecute Anglos.

Fuçk off.

[flyingb]

Classless politicians. What a joke, people can express condolence in whatever form is best for them even if it's not fluent spoken French.

Meanwhile in Quebec they persecute Anglos.

Fuçk off.

This ‘poor Anglos are persecuted’ take is way off. Air Canada isn’t just any company—it’s legally bound by the Official Languages Act and the Air Canada Public Participation Act to serve Canadians in both English and French. If you want to wish your personal condolences in English, by all means go for it, just don't do it in a public statement.

A CEO speaking after a tragedy isn’t a casual personal moment—it’s an official communication. Not providing French isn’t a ‘style choice,’ it’s ignoring a legal obligation. I bet it must be lovely to be the family of the Quebec pilot if you don't understand English and have to read his message instead of actually hearing it.

Nobody’s asking him to be perfectly bilingual on the spot. But not even having a French version ready? That’s just poor leadership.
And calling that ‘persecution’ is ridiculous—it’s literally just expecting the law to be followed and francophones to be treated equally.

[Hangry]

Equal treatment for Francophones sounds excellent. Let’s do it.

[thepoors]

Would love to see Mikey get the boot, but this whole thing is beyond ridiculous and more insulting to the victims than just leaving it alone. These stupid language rules are just fodder for fake outrage.

Reminds me of the idiots who took AC to court because the seat belt buckles have "LIFT" engraved on them and no French translation. Absolute joke that courts even waste time with this money-grab garbage. If you need a translation to figure out how to operate a seat belt buckle you have bigger problems than the language.

[Inverted2]

Pretty sad, 2 of my colleagues bodies haven’t even been returned to their families yet and the perpetual butt-hurt language politics is the top story now.

[Inverted2]

Pretty sad, 2 of my colleagues bodies haven’t even been returned to their families yet and the perpetual butt-hurt language politics is the top story now.

[2112]

Two pilots dead due to the failure of multiple systems outside of their control designed to keep them alive. Our “leaders” priority? Admonish airline leadership for being unable to speak French. Disgusting political theatre but not at all surprising, take care of each other out there guys.

[Launchpad1]

On a slightly different topic is it just me or does anyone else think the use of French by ATC in Quebec is a bit of a safety issue?

I totally understand the history that has made Quebec a mostly French speaking part of the world but that always seems a bit unsafe to me

[godsrcrazy]

What a crock of Crap. It's been a few years since I have been to Quebec. The French preach Bilingual. Yet you got to most places in Quebec and there is not one bilingual sign in most places. They are mostly in French only. Every time a hear a French safety briefing on a flight i want to go sideways. Even flights in France are done only in English. It's always fun watching tourists when the French briefing are done. They all look around like what is that. Same on Flights going North with Inuk and Aboriginals. What a frigin joke. Just goes to prove if you scream load enough you will get attention. To Bad Trudeau gave in and allowed their demands with well over 80% not speaking english. Won't be long and the announcements will have to be done in Hindi as they take up most of the seats these days.

[godsrcrazy]

On a slightly different topic is it just me or does anyone else think the use of French by ATC in Quebec is a bit of a safety issue?

I totally understand the history that has made Quebec a mostly French speaking part of the world but that always seems a bit unsafe to me

It is Totally not safe. Amazing how English is the international language and spoke in every airport across the world except Quebec.

[Tbayer2021]

On a slightly different topic is it just me or does anyone else think the use of French by ATC in Quebec is a bit of a safety issue?

I totally understand the history that has made Quebec a mostly French speaking part of the world but that always seems a bit unsafe to me

It is Totally not safe. Amazing how English is the international language and spoke in every airport across the world except Quebec.

Tell me you've never flown outside of canada without telling me you've never flown outside of canada.

[TeePeeCreeper]

On a slightly different topic is it just me or does anyone else think the use of French by ATC in Quebec is a bit of a safety issue?

I totally understand the history that has made Quebec a mostly French speaking part of the world but that always seems a bit unsafe to me

It is Totally not safe. Amazing how English is the international language and spoke in every airport across the world except Quebec.

Tell me you've never flown outside of canada without telling me you've never flown outside of canada.

Precisely.

Although I don’t agree with the flack that the CEO isn’t fluent in both official languages and find the criticism rather unfair I do believe that at a certain level of management that one should and could have done better.

With that said, I think it sad that many whom have posted above seem to think themselves mis done by the Francophone community. Francophones usually default to the English language as to accommodate Anglophones. (Story of my life) Sadly this is seldom reciprocated by Anglophones.

Rather than bitch….

What’s the harm in putting in the effort to learn our country’s other official language? To not do so would seem to indicate a very narrow mindset indeed.

TPC

[godsrcrazy]

On a slightly different topic is it just me or does anyone else think the use of French by ATC in Quebec is a bit of a safety issue?

I totally understand the history that has made Quebec a mostly French speaking part of the world but that always seems a bit unsafe to me

It is Totally not safe. Amazing how English is the international language and spoke in every airport across the world except Quebec.

Tell me you've never flown outside of canada without telling me you've never flown outside of canada.

I have flown in several countries outside Canada. I only speak English and have never had an issue.

[digits_]

It is Totally not safe. Amazing how English is the international language and spoke in every airport across the world except Quebec.

Tell me you've never flown outside of canada without telling me you've never flown outside of canada.

I have flown in several countries outside Canada. I only speak English and have never had an issue.

And have you had any issues flying in Quebec?


I am a big fan of a mandatory single language, but the situation in Quebec is very similar to France. English at international airports, likely encounter of French at small airports.

[thepoors]

On a slightly different topic is it just me or does anyone else think the use of French by ATC in Quebec is a bit of a safety issue?

I totally understand the history that has made Quebec a mostly French speaking part of the world but that always seems a bit unsafe to me

It's a bad joke that this is allowed. ICAO has clear English proficiency requirements which Canada subscribes to. It's been proven time and again that it's a complete disregard for situational awareness and an unsafe practice, not to mention grossly unprofessional.

Which is why practically every international airline in the world require their pilots use English even if the same language is spoken locally: i.e. Iberia flying into Mexico or TAP flying into Brazil, etc.

[Tbayer2021]

It is Totally not safe. Amazing how English is the international language and spoke in every airport across the world except Quebec.

Tell me you've never flown outside of canada without telling me you've never flown outside of canada.

I have flown in several countries outside Canada. I only speak English and have never had an issue.

Where? To only other countries where English is the national language? Because if you've flown to europe you'd have heard multiple countries speak their language to national traffic. Same with Asia and latin america.

Unless you were making shit up about canada being the only country that does it to prove your point. Couldn't be that, could it?

[Shark]

Condolences to the Jazz pilots family, friends, and co workers.


This country is so fucking broken. We have become such a pathetic state. This is the agenda we want to project after this event?

[ThrustIdle]

Tell me you've never flown outside of canada without telling me you've never flown outside of canada.

I have flown in several countries outside Canada. I only speak English and have never had an issue.

Where? To only other countries where English is the national language? Because if you've flown to europe you'd have heard multiple countries speak their language to national traffic. Same with Asia and latin america.

Unless you were making shit up about canada being the only country that does it to prove your point. Couldn't be that, could it?

I fly all over the world including Montreal, the location of ICAO no less, definitely does way more non English than any other destination I fly to.

Sure the odd vehicle in Korea is speaking non English but you don't hear it on approach for example.

Montreal purposely reduces safety by decreasing the situation awareness of other aircrews by speaking French. Full stop.

[Canoehead]

Condolences to the Jazz pilots family, friends, and co workers.


This country is so fucking broken. We have become such a pathetic state. This is the agenda we want to project after this event?

Thank you Shark.

Agree with you 100% Yesterday especially made me sick - while the bodies and broken families were coming home, the politicians and MSM were salivating with the opportunity to make it about themselves.

Pathetic has hit new lows here this week.

[Tbayer2021]

I have flown in several countries outside Canada. I only speak English and have never had an issue.

Where? To only other countries where English is the national language? Because if you've flown to europe you'd have heard multiple countries speak their language to national traffic. Same with Asia and latin america.

Unless you were making shit up about canada being the only country that does it to prove your point. Couldn't be that, could it?

I fly all over the world including Montreal, the location of ICAO no less, definitely does way more non English than any other destination I fly to.

Sure the odd vehicle in Korea is speaking non English but you don't hear it on approach for example.

Montreal purposely reduces safety by decreasing the situation awareness of other aircrews by speaking French. Full stop.

You don't hear FIR controllers speaking Spanish to Avianca, LATAM, Aeromexico, and just about every other Latin American carrier? same goes for their approach, tower and ground controllers. Flown in CDG? They speak french to AF and anyone else who wants to speak french to them. I do agree that things should be standardized with one language to increase safety. But please cut the bullshit that Quebec is the only one that does this or that they do it more than anyone else.

[troisrivieres]

Where? To only other countries where English is the national language? Because if you've flown to europe you'd have heard multiple countries speak their language to national traffic. Same with Asia and latin america.

Unless you were making shit up about canada being the only country that does it to prove your point. Couldn't be that, could it?

I fly all over the world including Montreal, the location of ICAO no less, definitely does way more non English than any other destination I fly to.

Sure the odd vehicle in Korea is speaking non English but you don't hear it on approach for example.

Montreal purposely reduces safety by decreasing the situation awareness of other aircrews by speaking French. Full stop.

You don't hear FIR controllers speaking Spanish to Avianca, LATAM, Aeromexico, and just about every other Latin American carrier? same goes for their approach, tower and ground controllers. Flown in CDG? They speak french to AF and anyone else who wants to speak french to them. I do agree that things should be standardized with one language to increase safety. But please cut the bullshit that Quebec is the only one that does this or that they do it more than anyone else.

I think the term is "projection" for throwing in essentially 3rd world countries to rationalize the need for French in Montreal when everyone can & should speak English in the name of safety.

Tabarnac

[TG]

I have flown in several countries outside Canada. I only speak English and have never had an issue.

I remember one time arriving in Bamako (Mali) We could understand nothing at all of what the guy at the tower was telling us in his broken English. Literally f@ck all...

So I asked my Anglo speaking only partner: "Do you mind if I make my transmission in French to him?"
"Not at all, please do!"


I'm glad this accident happened in LaGuardia and not in Montreal. It would sure be a none stop babbling about making radio com in a single language (English) Which I am for! But it doesn't always works like that.