Serving customers in French is a 'priority,' says Air Canada CEO

OTTAWA -

Speaking publicly for the first time since he caused a huge uproar over his unilingualism, Air Canada's top executive said Monday that French is a "priority" for the Montreal-based airline and pledged to "do better.

"I'm sorry. I apologize again here," president and CEO Michael Rousseau said in broken French during video conference testimony before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages.

Rousseau, who spoke in English in Montreal in November and said he had managed to live in the city for 14 years without having to speak French, which is "a credit to the city," acknowledged that his remarks were "insensitive.

"I admit I made a mistake in not learning to speak French when I joined Air Canada and I am correcting that mistake at this point," he said.

In response to Bloc vice-chair Mario Beaulieu, who asked about his progress in learning French, Rousseau said he takes lessons every morning from tutors at reputable firms.

"And they give me assignments ... that I complete for the next day or the next session," he said. "The routine is (lessons) every morning and homework almost every night."

The airline, which is subject to the Official Languages Act, understands its obligation to communicate with its customers in the official language of their choice, the CEO argued.

UN MOMENT S'IL VOUS PLAIT

He explained that unilingual English-speaking employees who are unable to serve a French-speaking customer, both at the airport and on board the aircraft, are instructed to say 'Un moment s'il vous plaît' to connect them with a French-speaking employee.

Conservative Joël Godin, vice-chair of the committee, told him that "for 45 years" the majority of official languages commissioners have been pointing to "a systemic problem" at Air Canada.

When Rousseau replied that the language spoken on the board of directors is English, the MP asked him how the importance of respecting the French language can be reflected throughout the organization.

The company speaks to its employees in both official languages and half of its employees are bilingual, he was told.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 21, 2022