\t\tRead: < 1 min<\/p>\n
All Canadian leaders, including corporate bosses, should speak both official languages of English and French, the country\u2019s foreign minister said Thursday, after the Air Canada CEO failed to issue a condolence message in French for a fatal airport disaster.<\/p>\n
Two pilots were killed in the deadly collision late Sunday between an Air Canada jet and a fire truck at New York\u2019s LaGuardia Airport.<\/p>\n
According to media reports, one of the pilots killed was from French-speaking Quebec.<\/p>\n
But in the video message to express condolences, Air Canada President and CEO Michael Rousseau used only English, sparking controversy.<\/p>\n
\u201cCanada is a bilingual country,\u201d Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers meeting in France, repeating the same phrase in French: \u201cLe Canada est un pays bilingue.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we continue to advocate for the leaders of our country to be able to speak both official languages, including in the corporate sector,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier criticized the CEO\u2019s conduct saying he was \u201cvery disappointed, as others are, rightly so, in this unilingual message.\u201d<\/p>\n
It showed a \u201clack of judgement and a lack of compassion,\u201d Carney said.<\/p>\n
Rousseau issued an apology on Thursday, saying he was \u201csaddened\u201d that his limited French \u201chas diverted attention from the profound grief of the families.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite many lessons over several years, unfortunately, I am still unable to express myself adequately in French. I sincerely apologize for this, but I am continuing my efforts to improve,\u201d Rousseau said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Anand expressed \u201cdeep condolences to the families of the two pilots whose lives were lost.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery single day I wake up and think about their loss of life and how sad their families and friends of their communities must feel and I am grieving with them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
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