YUL

yulred: "The only way anyone could have prevented this is by not appointing a non-bilingual"

And can you explain how Hollis L. Harris, Robert Milton, Montie Brewer etc got appointed no problems, then also faced sometime loaded questions.
But somehow never got themself into such a mess?

And worst, last week Air Canada was told ahead of time of the huge potential PR difficulties they could be facing.

But somehow, no PR preparation whatsoever was done apparently.

(He just needed to show a "willingness" to learn French, really)

yulred

Yes, I lived in Montreal during Brewer’s time, and much of Milton’s time.

The language issue wasn’t as charged then, as it has been for the past 2-3 years. Anecdotally, I know people who’re planning to leave, or have left, Montreal because this has gotten so charged. People who’ve lived there for decades.

That he was warned in advance of an ambush does not absolve those who set out to ambush him (after all, ambushes are not good-faith exercises).

Sure, he’s made mistakes here, as has AC PR. But none of them justify what’s followed. There were always two kinds of reactions possible here:

1) encourage him to learn French, preferably in a polite manner

2) deem it “unacceptable” and demand his resignation, accuse him of lying to get his job, demanding that unilinguals be banned from the job, and the litany of personal attacks and character assassination going around.

Let’s not forget that he has apologized and made a commitment to learn French. And we both know how much difference that’s made.

NordsFan

I believe that HH, RM and MB are all US citizens who ended up in the top spot at AC. Americans generally get a pass on the thornier issues of language in Québec.

Also, Hollis, Robert and Montie did not have to deal with PKP out on the hunt to acquire his own airline (i.e. TS, co-founded by one F. Legault), using the ever popular leverage of public money from CDPQ and IQ while also humming along to the nationalistic siren song that "our CEO will give his speeches in French". The most insistent of the journos at the post-luncheon scrum is a loyal servant of his boss PKP.

Throw in Bills 21 and 96 and a few other current hot-button issues, including applying the Charter of the French Language to federal domain businesses and you get last week's self-inflicted mess.

YUL

This is true.

He only needed to show a "willingness" (FWIW) to learn french.
Thus this self-inflicted mess.

CEOs in Montréal that never bothered to learn french are more prevalent than the exception.

And for sure this will remain the case in the future. This is indeed a "testament to the city"...

Sopwith

One of the most delicate issues facing boards of directors these days is assessing one candidate who stands out from the others in terms of their ability to run the business successfully, against another who meets the basic qualifications but has other desirable attributes related to the optics of language proficiency, equity, diversity and inclusion. Recognizing that you will rarely see a candidate that has it all, how do you measure the value those differences, and how do you weight them when it comes down to making a decision?

AC7E7

Protestors demanding the CEO “pack his bags”. Who are these people?

AC should pack their bags and move to YYZ. Who cares about the AC PA. AC got around it when they closed their maintenance bases.

NordsFan

100 people paid and transported for the occasion by a mix of SSJB, QS and BQ. Funding from a "friend" of the movement who also had the media ready to cover the event.

Contrived and deliberate and made for the consumption of those who want to take the bait.

Self-inflicted.

YUL

Exactly.
Plus the SSBJ noise is definitely not representative of the mood here.

24left

Air Canada CEO asked to Parliament Hill to testify on 'the importance of respecting official languages'

CTV News Dec 15 2021

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/air-cana...ages-1.5709473

Adam Smith

​​​​​​​​​​ ​​​​

Great. Now we either have to witness MPs grilling him in French to make him look bad, making a mockery of the business of Parliament, or the Bloc and their friends will whine and whine about how he chose not to show up and doesn't respect francophones.
​​​​​​​

Sopwith

From a summary of the Official Languages Act (1988):

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia....uages-act-1988

The way I read this, following the principles of the act he would be well within his rights to demand that his communication with members of parliament be in the official language of his choice.

Adam Smith

That wouldn't stop Bloc MPs from asking him questions in French (who have the right to do their work in the official language of their choosing), then creating videos of him listening to the translation of the question and responding in English.

I think it's better for him to just skip this kangaroo court.

Sopwith

Agreed. I doubt many of the MPs could set aside their hubris long enough to think about who is the best person to run the business. There’s no upside for Rousseau in this.

Fiordland

That is the case for any of these herrings. There is going to be a booth with an English and French translator. He will be able to use a ear piece and listen to either the French or English translation.

He will be free to respond to the question in the language of his choice. If he is smart he will respond to all question in English. That limits the sound bites that French media have to work with and permit all of this to drift into history.

Transpacificflyer

Canada's parliament is not a "kangaroo court" as you crudely and rudely term it. Parliament is the body which governs Canada and it is is the entity which enacts the laws and regulations which control Canada's airline sector. It has both a legal and moral duty to follow the Acts which it enacts. The Languages Committee has 12 active members, and only 1 is a member of the Bloc Quebecois, so the likelihood of Mr. Rousseau having a difficult time is unlikely. Air Canada management has a history of creating its own problems in respect to the Official Languages Act, and an appearance before responsible representatives of the people of Canada can help to focus the company's attention. Public scrutiny can and does encourage improved conduct.

I suggest that you tune in to CPAC and watch some of the committee hearings. They are typically professional and respectful undertakings. Translation is simultaneous, as it is in parliament and I would expect that there would be additional individuals attending on behalf of Air Canada, including the designated languages compliance officer and legal counsel. Mr. Rousseau will most likely deliver a rehearsed address in both official languages at the start of the hearing, which again is common practice. Mr. Rousseau cannot just "skip" a hearing. Nor is it acceptable that he decline an invitation before a duly appointed committee with a legal right to question him. Accountability to public administration bodies is part and parcel of a CEO's responsibilities.