Air Canada CEO Resigns Over Language Controversy

0:00It's March 30th. This is Candida News today, AI-powered stories from your city. I'm Cory with the story. Air Canada CEO, Michael Russo, is stepping down after a storm over an English-only video he posted about a deadly plane crash. Last week, an air candidate expressed flight for Montreal hit a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York. It killed 30-year-old Captain Antoine Forrest, a French-speaking Quebecer, and first officer Mackenzie Gunther, plus injured more than 40. Others. Canadian leaders jumped on the controversy fast. Prime Minister Mark Carney called it a lack of compassion. Quebec Premier, Francois Legault, demanded Russo resign, and the province's national assembly voted 92-0 in favor of that motion. Ottawa and Quebec officials welcomed the retirement announcement this week. Then, Elon Musk piled on from afar, tweeting that Canada has one-sided laws forcing French use while ignoring English.

1:00He linked to his AI chatbot Groc, which listed Quebec's Bill 96 and new federal rules pushing French in businesses and services there. This is it Russo's first language slip-up. Back in 2021, when he took the CEO job, he admitted he didn't speak French, despite years at the Montreal headquarters. Legault said Russo promised to learn it back then. The debate highlights Quebec's push to protect French amid growing rules, now amplified globally by Musk's voice. With Russo out, watch how Air Canada navigates the language tensions moving forward.