Kevin M Vickers

Sir, This isn't about holding one person to a higher standard than another. It's about respecting the law and respecting Canadians. This country was built on a pact in 1867 — a deal between peoples. At its core was a commitment that Canada would be built on two official languages, English and French, and that both would be respected at the highest levels of public life. That's not symbolic. It's part of our constitutional DNA. Air Canada is not just any company. It's bound by the Official Languages Act — and that's not optional. It's a legal obligation to serve Canadians in both official languages, especially in moments of crisis. When lives are lost, language isn't a secondary concern. It's dignity. It's respect. It's the ability to reach grieving families in the language of their heart. One of the pilots was a francophone. His family deserved to be addressed in French. Full stop. As for the Governor General, let's be equally clear. Someone who can't speak French should never have been appointed to one of the highest offices in this country. That decision ignored the spirit of 1867 and sent the wrong signal about what we value as a nation. But one mistake doesn't justify another. And frankly, suggesting that learning enough French to deliver a few sentences would somehow detract from safety just isn't credible. After decades in Quebec, a francophone spouse, and hundreds of hours of tutoring, the issue is no longer time. It's will. This isn't about politics. It's about honouring the foundation of this country and showing basic respect to the people who live in it.

Air Canada has gone 43 (!) years without a fatal incident. My entire life up to this point has been lived in a country where the flag carrier never got a single person killed in a crash. The record is a totem to what serious people can accomplish. So naturally, Mark Carney is screaming at them to instead focus on nonsense.

La langue française n’est ni un passe-temps, ni un choix optionnel. Elle constitue l’un des fondements mêmes de notre identité collective et de notre cadre national. À ce titre, elle doit être défendue avec rigueur, sans compromis et sans la moindre excuse. Le respect du français ne relève pas d’une préférence personnelle, mais d’une obligation légale et d’un devoir institutionnel. Lorsqu’une personne choisit de s’en affranchir, en toute connaissance de cause, elle ne manque pas seulement à une règle, elle faillit à une responsabilité fondamentale. Dans un tel contexte, la conséquence doit être claire. Celui ou celle qui ne respecte pas la langue fondatrice de ce pays et les obligations qui en découlent n’a plus la légitimité d’occuper ses fonctions. Il ou elle doit en tirer les conclusions qui s’imposent et démissionner.

Gold just had its worst week ever relative to commodities 🤯🩸