GLASGOW, Scotland | Prime Minister François Legault strongly denounced the words of the boss of Air Canada, according to whom one can live very well in Montreal without learning French. He demands an apology and calls out to the board of the company.
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“It’s insulting. It makes me angry, ”said the Prime Minister on the sidelines of COP26 in Scotland.
Mr. Legault denounces the attitude of the president of Air Canada, whose head office is in Quebec. This indicates a “lack of respect” on the part of Michael Rousseau towards his Quebec employees, he believes.
Courtesy photo
Michael Rousseau, CEO of Air Canada
The Quebec premier demands an “apology” from the boss of Air Canada and expects him to get down to work to learn French.
“I cannot imagine that the number one, the president, is not able to address his employees in French,” said the Prime Minister Caquiste. It is unspeakable. ”
The big boss of Air Canada gave a speech almost exclusively in English yesterday to the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
Afterwards, he told journalists that he does not intend to learn French, although he has been living in Quebec since 2007.: “I was able to live in Montreal without speaking French. This is to the credit of this city, ”he said.
Rousseau, still the man for the job?
Premier Legault believes that such a declaration militates in favor of his reform of Bill 101, currently being studied in Quebec. “It also proves that there is a stronger signal that must be given. There is an official language in Quebec, it is French. This is true for French as the language of work, it is true for French as the language of commerce, ”he emphasizes.
The population has a role to play, however, recalls the Prime Minister. “There is also work to be done by all Quebecers to demand that they be served in French,” said Mr. Legault.
However, he did not go so far as to say that spectators should have refused to attend this conference, knowing that it would be conducted in the language of Shakespeare.
Asked if Michael Rousseau is the appropriate person to lead Air Canada, François Legault referred the question to the directors of the company. “These are questions to ask the Air Canada board of directors,” he said. I think it’s really shocking, it’s a lack of respect. I put myself in the shoes of Air Canada employees and I would not be proud of my president. “