Mary Simon
praised as a 'diplomat, advocate and a strong Inuk woman'
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Mary Simon speaks during
an announcement at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau,
Quebec, on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Simon, an Inuk leader and
former Canadian diplomat, has been named as Canada's next
governor general the first Indigenous person to serve
in the role. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP)
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A longtime advocate for Inuit rights and a former leader of the
Inuit Circumpolar Conference has been tapped as Canada's 30th governor
general, the first Indigenous person to hold the office.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the appointment of Mary
Simon on June 6 followed by a press conference at the Canadian Museum
of History in Gatineau, Quebec. Trudeau said Queen Elizabeth II
has approved the appointment.
Trudeau praised Simon, Inuk, as a lifelong bridge-builder who brings
together people from diverse backgrounds.
"It is truly an honor to introduce Canada's governor general-designate,
Ms. Mary Simon," Trudeau said. "After 154 years, our country takes
a historic step. I cannot think of a better person to meet this
moment."
The governor general is the viceregal, or representative, of Canada's
monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, and holds a largely ceremonial position
that is nonpartisan and apolitical. Since Canada is a constitutional
monarchy, where the duties of state and head of government are distinct,
the governor general represents the powers and responsibilities
of the queen.
Simon began her remarks during the press conference by speaking
in Inuktitut, followed by English.
She thanked the prime minister and said, "I can confidently say
that my appointment is a historic and inspirational moment for Canada
and an important step forward on the long path towards reconciliation.'
Simon began her remarks during the press conference by speaking
in Inuktitut, followed by English.
She thanked the prime minister and said, "I can confidently say
that my appointment is a historic and inspirational moment for Canada
and an important step forward on the long path towards reconciliation.'
The 73-year-old mother of three was once a broadcaster for CBC
North and later began her career as a public servant when she was
elected secretary of the board of directors of the Northern Quebec
Inuit Association. She helped lead the circumpolar conference, an
organization representing Inuit in all Arctic countries, and is
a past president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, a national Inuit organization.
She served as Canadian ambassador to Denmark and chancellor of
Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. She was also
a member of the Joint Public Advisory Committee of the North American
Free Trade Commission on Environmental Cooperation.
The announcement comes as Canada reels from the discovery of hundreds
of unmarked children's graves
at former Indian residential schools.
According to the governor general's official government website,
"The governor general encourages dialogue, nurtures a sense of shared
purpose, identity, compassion and achievement, and promotes respect
for the diverse experiences, backgrounds and perspectives of all
Canadians. In all things, the governor general fosters a spirit
of inclusiveness that views diversity as a strength to be celebrated
and encouraged."
In Canada's upcoming federal election this fall, Simon's duty as
governor general will require her to dissolve Parliament in order
to trigger an election. She will do so at the request of the prime
minister.
Simon was raised in the village of Kuujjuaq, on the coast of Ungava
Bay in northeastern Quebec. Her mother was a local Inuk woman and
her father worked at a Hudson's Bay Company post.
"I spent my adolescence in Nunavik, living a very traditional lifestyle
many months of the year," she said. "My grandmother and mother were
my teachers and mentors."
Simon credited her father with teaching her about the non-Native
world and helping her build connections between both worlds.
"We must come to terms with the atrocities of the past and work
towards the promise of a better tomorrow," she said. "If we embrace
our common humanity, Canada's brightest days are yet to come."
The governor general position has been vacant since Julie Payette
resigned in January after a scathing independent report on a toxic
work environment that developed during her tenure.
Indigenous leaders throughout Canada praised and congratulated
Simon on her appointment.
"Mary is a diplomat, advocate and a strong Inuk woman," Perry Bellegarde,
the outgoing national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said.
"I look forward to working with her as the Crown's representative
in Canada."
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Mary
Annette Pember, a citizen of the Red Cliff Ojibwe tribe, is
a national correspondent for Indian Country Today.
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