Gov. Gen. Mary May Simon sees herself as bridge between gov't, Indigenous people
As Canada鈥檚 first Indigenous Governor General, Mary May Simon says part of her role entails bridging the gap in understanding between governments and Indigenous communities.
In an interview with CTV National News during her first international trip to Germany, May Simon said the path forward to reconciliation involves difficult but crucial conversations.
鈥淚 think that role is very important because without that understanding, without the work that is necessary, reconciliation is going to be a very slow process. It鈥檚 a lifelong process, but we somehow have to speed it up a bit without being disrespectful to those that have been done harm to,鈥 she said.
May Simon added that she intends for her legacy to be long-lasting and more reflective of her work than of who she is.
鈥淚 want to work through various issues that are meaningful to Canadians 鈥 reconciliation 鈥 I put a lot of those in my installation speech鈥a legacy] that will go way beyond my term as Governor General, it should not depend on me being in that position,鈥 she said.
Her comments come just days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the Tk'eml煤ps te Secwepemc First Nation in B.C. to apologize for his absence on the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
May Simon was representing Canada at the 2021 Frankfurt Book Fair 鈥 the world鈥檚 largest trade book fair 鈥 where Canada is this year鈥檚 Guest of Honour. During the trip, the governor general met with the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, and many top military leaders.
She described the experience as 鈥渨onderful鈥 and reflected on the strong relationship between the two countries.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a really, really positive experience. The dialogue and the discussions I鈥檝e had with various leaders has been substantive. We鈥檝e talked about the pandemic and the crisis that we鈥檝e all been through during this period,鈥 she said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 very strong co-operation going on both at the economic level and the cultural level.鈥
Mary Simon noted that she and the president had a frank conversation about reconciliation.
鈥淲e talked about how difficult this can be. In Canada we鈥檙e going through the same thing. As the Governor General, my commitment is to make reconciliation a priority,鈥 she said.
While she said it鈥檚 been an 鈥渋ntense鈥 few months in her new role, she also said that the staff at Rideau Hall have made it a positive experience.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 realize when I was appointed was how wonderful the staff are. Rideau Hall has the best team ever and I鈥檓 so lucky to be working with them,鈥 she said.
鈥淚 believe in teamwork. I don鈥檛 believe in a place where I鈥檓 up here and the others are down here, I don鈥檛 micromanage.鈥
Her predecessor, Julie Payette, stepped down from the role earlier this year amid allegations that she perpetuated a toxic workplace.
May Simon returns to Ottawa on Thursday.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government鈥檚 three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party鈥檚 popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn鈥檛 be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.
Four people are dead and another is in hospital after a Tesla driving through downtown Toronto at a high rate of speed crashed into a guardrail and struck a concrete pillar on Lake Shore Boulevard.
Prosecutor recommends parole for Menendez brothers in 1989 murder of parents
A Los Angeles prosecutor said on Thursday he would ask a judge to release Erik and Lyle Menendez on parole after nearly 35 years in prison for the shotgun murder of their parents, as new evidence emerged indicating they were sexually abused by their father for years.
'Never said I was going to close the door on politics forever': Christy Clark on interest in federal leadership run
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces growing pressure from within his own caucus to step aside, former B.C. premier Christy Clark says she is open to returning to politics.
Former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model says Trump groped her to show off for Jeffrey Epstein
A former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model鈥痠s alleging鈥痶hat former President Donald Trump groped her in the 1990s, in what she believes was an attempt to show off for Jeffrey鈥疎pstein.
Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray鈥擲aint-Michel鈥擯arc-Extension borough on Thursday.
More straight couples are calling each other partner. Here's why
Within a year of dating, 31-year-old Siara Rouzer crossed a major relationship milestone. The guy she was seeing was no longer a boyfriend but her partner.
Trudeau announces massive drop in immigration targets as Liberals make major pivot
The federal government is slashing immigration targets to levels that will flatten population growth as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admits the government did not get the balance right after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ottawa Police Service has identified the woman who was stabbed to death at Paul Landry Park on Uplands Drive Thursday morning.
Local Spotlight
A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.
Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.