For the first time in the history of Canada, an indigenous person is called to fill the role of governor general: she is Mary Simon, Inuk leader and former diplomat. Her appointment, announced today by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, was approved by Queen Elizabeth (the office of governor general is in a representative function of Her Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Canada).
“I am very pleased – the prime minister said – to announce that Her Majesty The Queen has graciously approved the appointment of Mary Simon as the next Governor General of Canada. Ms. Simon has dedicated her life to advancing social, economic, and human rights issues for Canadian Inuit and Indigenous peoples, and I am confident that she will serve Canadians and promote our shared values with dedication and integrity. Through this appointment, we are ensuring that Canada is represented by someone who exemplifies the very best of our country”.
“It is only by building bridges, between the people of the north and south, east and west, that we can really move forward,” the prime minister added. “Mary Simon has done it all her life. So that will help you continue to pave that road. And we will all be stronger for it. Today, after 154 years, our country takes a historic step. I can’t think of a better person”.
Mary Simon, born in Kangiqsualujjuaq, in the Nunavik region of northern Quebec, is the former president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, a national defense organization of the Inuit. A longtime advocate of Inuit culture and rights, she was also Canada’s ambassador to Denmark and Canadian ambassador for circumpolar affairs. She will now replace Julie Payette, who resigned in January after accusations that she conducted her tenure at Rideau Hall too authoritatively, creating a “toxic” work environment.
Simon began her first speech as governor general speaking in Inuktitut and then in English, thanking Trudeau for the “historic opportunity” and saying she was “honored and ready to be Canada’s first indigenous governor general”.
Her appointment comes at a critical moment for Canada’s relations with indigenous peoples, after the discovery of a hundred nameless graves of children near the former residential schools that the Canadian government wanted in the past to “convert” small indigenous to Western culture.
Mary Simon described her appointment as a “historic and inspirational moment for Canada, and a step on the long road to reconciliation”. And on the fact that she is not fluent in French (“I was denied the chance to learn French while attending a federal day school in Quebec”, she said) she assured that she is “committed to continuing my French language studies. I’ll conducte the governor’s business. in both the official languages of Canada and in Inuktitut, one of the many indigenous languages spoken throughout the country “.
In the pic, Justin Trudeau and Mary Simon (photo taken from the video broadcast live on Facebook by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau)
