Mary Simon

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<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

For the Scottish poet, see Mary Symon.
Her Excellency the Right Honourable
Mary Simon
CC CMM COM OQ CD FRCGS
  • Ningiukudluk
Simon wearing a dark suit
Simon in 2021
30th Governor General of Canada
Assumed office
July 26, 2021
Monarch Elizabeth II
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Preceded by Julie Payette
13th President of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
In office
2006–2012
Preceded by Jose Kusugak
Succeeded by Terry Audla
Canadian Ambassador to Denmark
In office
August 11, 1999 – January 15, 2002[1]
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
Preceded by Brian Baker
Succeeded by Alfonso Gagliano
Canadian Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs
In office
October 31, 1994 – January 19, 2004
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Jack Anawak
Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference
In office
1986–1992
President <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Personal details
Born Mary Jeannie May
(1947-08-21) August 21, 1947 (age 76)
Kangiqsualujjuaq, Quebec, Canada
Spouse(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • Robert Otis (m. 1967)
  • George Simon
  • Whit Fraser (m. 1994)
Children 3
Education Kuujjuaq Federal Day School
Fort Carson High School
Occupation
  • Broadcaster
  • public servant
  • diplomat
Signature Mary Simon's signature

Mary Jeannie May Simon CC CMM COM OQ CD FRCGS (Inuktitut: Ningiukudluk;[lower-alpha 1] born August 21, 1947) is a Canadian former broadcaster, civil servant and diplomat who has served as the 30th governor general of Canada since July 26, 2021.

Simon was born in Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik, Quebec. She briefly worked as a producer and announcer for the CBC Northern Service in the 1970s before subsequently entering public service, serving on the board of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association and playing a key role in the Charlottetown Accord negotiations. Simon was Canada's first ambassador for circumpolar affairs from 1994 to 2004, as well as a lead negotiator for the creation of the Arctic Council.[3] She also served as the Canadian ambassador to Denmark from 1999 to 2002.

On July 6, 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Queen Elizabeth II had approved the appointment of Simon as the next governor general of Canada.[4]

Early life and education

Simon was born Mary Jeannie May[5] on August 21, 1947,[6] in Kangiqsualujjuaq, Quebec,[7] to Bob May, who was from Manitoba and of English descent,[8] and his wife Nancy, an Inuk.[9][10] Her father had relocated to the north in his youth[11] and became manager of the local Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) store during the early 1950s.[10][12] He says he was the first white employee to marry an Inuk, which the HBC banned at the time.[13]

Simon was raised in a traditional Inuit lifestyle, including hunting, fishing, sewing Inuit clothing, and travelling by dog sled.[5][14] She credits her mother and maternal grandmother Jeannie Angnatuk for passing on Inuit oral history to her.[5][9]

Simon attended Kuujjuaq Federal Day School in Kuujjuaq (formerly Fort Chimo),[15] then Fort Carson High School in Colorado, and completed her high school via correspondence in Kuujjuaq.[citation needed]

Career

Early career

Simon taught Inuktitut at McGill University.[16] From 1969 to 1973, she worked as a producer and announcer for the CBC Northern Service.[17]

Simon began her career as a public servant by being elected secretary of the board of directors of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association. In 1978, she was elected as vice-president, and later president, of the Makivik Corporation. She held the position until 1985.

During this period she also became involved with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Canada's national Inuit organization.[18] Simon was one of the senior Inuit negotiators during the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution, the First Ministers' conferences that took place from 1982 to 1992, as well as the 1992 Charlottetown Accord discussions.

She served as a member of the Nunavut Implementation Commission and as co-director (policy) and secretary to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.[18]

Diplomatic career

She took on a variety of roles for the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC). First as an Executive Council member from 1980 to 1983, as president from 1986 to 1992, and then as Special Envoy from 1992 to 1994.[18] During this period she assisted in obtaining approval from the Russian government to allow the Inuit of the Chukotka Peninsula to participate in ICC. In 1986, as president of the ICC, Simon led a delegation of Canadian, Alaskan, and Greenland Inuit to Moscow and then to Chukotka to meet with Russian officials as well as the Inuit of the far east of Russia. In 1987 the ICC was successful in efforts that resulted in the Russian government allowing Russian Inuit to attend the 1989 ICC General Assembly held in Alaska.

Ambassadorship

In 1994, Simon was appointed by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to be Canadian Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs,[19] a newly created position she held until early 2004.[20] Acting on instructions from the Government of Canada she took the lead role in negotiating the creation of an eight-country council known today as the Arctic Council. The 1996 Ottawa Declaration formally established the Arctic Council which includes the active participation of the indigenous peoples of the circumpolar world. During her chairmanship of the Arctic Council, and later as Canada's Senior Arctic Official, she worked closely with the Indigenous Permanent Participants of the Arctic Council, and the seven other Arctic Countries it comprises.

During this time period, she also held the position of Canadian Ambassador to Denmark[21] (1999–2002),[22] was a member of the Joint Public Advisory Committee of the Commission on Environmental Cooperation (1997–2000) and held the chairperson position for the commission from 1997 to 1998, and was appointed Councillor for the International Council for Conflict Resolution with the Carter Center in 2001.

Post-diplomatic work

From November 2004 to February 2005, she assisted with the facilitation and write-up of reports on the "Sectoral Follow-up Sessions" announced by Prime Minister Paul Martin following the April 19, 2004 Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable on Strengthening the Relationship on Health, Life Long learning, Housing, Economic Opportunities, Negotiations, and Accountability for Results.[citation needed] From June 2004 to June 2007, Simon was a board member at the International Institute for Sustainable Development.[23][24]

From 2004 to 2005, Simon was special advisor to the Labrador Inuit Association on the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement, and she was elected president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami on July 7, 2006.[25]

In 2010, Simon was reported to be under consideration for Governor General of Canada.[26] David Johnston was ultimately appointed.[27]

Governor General of Canada

Nomination

The federal government began a search for a permanent replacement for Governor General Julie Payette following her resignation in early 2021. Simon was reported as a leading contender for the post early on, given her Indigenous heritage and then-political consciousness on Indigenous reconciliation. On July 6, 2021 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Queen Elizabeth II had approved Simon's appointment as the 30th Governor General of Canada.[28] She received a customary audience with the Queen on July 22, though held virtually (instead of in-person) due to the coronavirus pandemic. She was vested with special appointments as Chancellor of the Order of Canada, the Order of Military Merit, the Order of Merit of the Police Forces and the Order of St. John (within Canada). She also received the Canadian Forces' Decoration. She was formally installed at the Senate of Canada Building on July 26.[29]

Simon's appointment was somewhat unusual in that, while bilingual, she speaks English and Inuktitut, but is not particularly proficient in French. This raised some complaints from francophone Canadians.[30][31]

In office

On August 15, 2021, Simon approved the request of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to dissolve Parliament and signed a writ of election for September 20.[32]

Germany visit

Simon made her first trip abroad as Governor General on October 17, 2021, when she and her husband arrived in Berlin, Germany on a state visit.[33] The trip was Canada's first state visit to Germany in over 20 years.[34] During her visit, Simon met with President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel.[35] In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Simon said she discussed with Steinmeier, how in fulfilling the role of head of state, to express and atone for the darkest moments of their countries' history—the Holocaust and the Residential School System.[36] She also attended the Frankfurt Book Fair and a roundtable discussion on Arctic exploration at the Frankfurt Archaeological Museum.[35]

Personal life

Simon is the second-oldest of eight children.[10] Her brother, Johnny May, is a locally renowned bush pilot.[15] In her youth, Simon attended an Anglican church with her family.[11] At age 40, she developed depression and burnout due to a mental illness, but gradually overcame them.[13]

Simon married her first husband, Robert Otis, on March 27, 1967, in Kuujjuaq.[37] She later married George Simon,[11] and in 1994 she married her current husband, journalist and author Whit Fraser, a former head of the Canadian Polar Commission.[38][39] She has two sons and one daughter.[11] Simon speaks English and Inuktitut, and she has committed to learn French during her tenure as governor general.[40]

Honours

Simon's personal awards and decorations include:


Order of St John (UK) ribbon.png
112pxCanada125 ribbon.pngQueen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.png
QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.png107px

Simon has received the following honours and recognition:

Honour Date Citation
Extraordinary Companion of the Order of Canada July 22, 2021
Extraordinary Companion of the Order of Military Merit July 22, 2021
Companion of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces July 22, 2021
Dame of Justice of The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (Prior of the Order in Canada) July 22, 2021
Canadian Forces Decoration July 22, 2021 [41]
Officer of the Order of Canada November 17, 2005 [42]
Officer of the National Order of Quebec January 21, 1992 [43]
Member of the Order of Canada April 29, 1992 [44]
Greenland Medal for Meritorious Service (Gold) July 24, 1992 [45]
National Aboriginal Achievement Award 1996 [46]
Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society 1998 [47]
125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal 1992 [48]
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (Canadian Version) February 6, 2002 [49]
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (Canadian Version) February 6, 2012 [50]
Symons Medal of the Confederation Centre of the Arts November 3, 2009 [51]

Honorary degrees

University Degree Date Ref.
McGill University Doctor of Laws June 5, 1992 [47][52]
Queen's University Doctor of Laws October 28, 1994 [53][54]
Trent University Doctor of Laws June 2, 2005 [55][56][57]
Memorial University Doctor of Laws May 2008 [58][59]
University of Guelph Doctor of Laws February 2009 [60][61]
Carleton University Doctor of Laws June 7, 2011 [62][63]
University of Alberta Doctor of Laws June 12, 2012 [64][65]
Mount Saint Vincent University Doctor of Humane Letters 2013 [66][67]
University of British Columbia Doctor of Laws May 26, 2016 [68][69]
University of Victoria Doctor of Laws June 2016 [70][71]
University of Calgary Doctor of Laws June 7, 2017 [72][73]
University of Western Ontario Doctor of Laws June 19, 2017 [74][75]

Honorary academic positions

Honorary Military Appointments

Military Branch Date Regiment Position
Canada Canadian Army July 26, 2021 – Present The Governor General's Horse Guards Colonel
Canada Canadian Army July 26, 2021 – Present Governor General's Foot Guards Colonel of the Regiment
Canada Canadian Army July 26, 2021 – Present The Canadian Grenadier Guards Colonel of the Regiment


This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Current positions and memberships

Simon is a fellow of the Arctic Institute of North America and of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society.[77]

Other positions currently held by her include:

  • Advisor to the European Space Agency (Arctic Monitoring Program)
  • Chairperson, Arctic Children and Youth Foundation
  • Board Member, Indspire
  • Member of the Board of Governors, University of the Arctic
  • Council Member, Crossing Boundaries National Council
  • Member of Advisory Circle, Walter and Duncan Gordon Charitable Foundation[78]
  • Council Member, The National Police Services Advisory Council

Published works

Simon is the author of many works regarding the environment, education, language, and Inuit culture:[79]

Books

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Book contributions

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Reports

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Articles

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Notes

  1. ↑ In her first speech as Governor General, Simon said that her Inuktitut name "Ningiukudluk" means "bossy little old lady".[2]

References

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  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Mary Simon becomes Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark Archived March 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Order of Canada citation
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  75. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  76. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  77. ↑ 77.0 77.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  78. ↑ Walter and Duncan Gordon Charitable Foundation Archived February 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  79. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of Trent University
1995–1999		 Succeeded by
Peter Gzowski
Preceded by Chancellor of Trent University
Acting
2002–2003		 Succeeded by
Roberta Bondar
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Canadian Ambassador to Denmark
1999–2002		 Succeeded by
Alfonso Gagliano
Government offices
Preceded by Governor General of Canada
2021–present		 Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded by as Queen of Canada Order of precedence of Canada
As Governor General		 Succeeded by
Justin Trudeau
as Prime Minister

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