# Canada’s first Indigenous governor general pledges to help heal nation
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2021-07-06
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: First Indigenous Canadian Governor General Promises Healing in Inuktitut
Meta Description: Mary Simon, the first Indigenous Canadian governor general, pledged healing and reconciliation in her first language Inuktitut amidst recent tragedies in the
URL: https://financedigest.com/canadas-first-indigenous-governor-general-pledges-to-help-heal-nationhtml

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By Steve Scherer

OTTAWA (Reuters) – The first Indigenous Canadian to hold the post of governor general addressed the public in her first language, Inuktitut, on Tuesday, and promised to work towards healing the nation at what she described as an “especially reflective time”.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the appointment of Mary Simon, a former ambassador, journalist and Inuit community activist, to the post which serves as the representative in Canada of its head of state, Queen Elizabeth.

Canada has been grappling with the legacy of its treatment of Indigenous people, particularly in recent months. Since May, hundreds of unmarked graves of [children have been discovered at former residential schools, run for Indigenous children forcibly separated from their families in what a Truth and Reconciliation Commission has called](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-opposition-calls-for-better-online-protections-for-children.html "UK opposition calls for better online protections for children") “cultural genocide.

My appointment comes at an especially reflective and dynamic time in our [shared history,” Simon told reporters](https://www.financedigest.com/tim-shares-slide-as-reported-grid-bids-disappoint.html "TIM shares slide as reported grid bids disappoint"). I will [work every day towards promoting](https://www.financedigest.com/synechron-launches-social-awareness-campaign-ittakesalltypes-to-promote-diversity-and-inclusion-at-work.html "Synechron Launches Social Awareness Campaign #ItTakesAllTypes to Promote Diversity and Inclusion at Work") healing and wellness across Canadian society.

After being introduced, she [addressed the public](https://www.financedigest.com/westminster-city-council-and-4c-launch-joint-venture-to-help-public-sector-organisations-address-financial-squeeze.html "Westminster City Council and 4C launch joint venture to help public sector organisations address financial squeeze") first in Inuktitut, the Inuit language she spoke growing up in northern Quebec, adding she was deeply committed to improving her French, Canada’s second official language.

She was appointed more than five months after her predecessor Julie Payette quit the role amid [allegations of workplace harassment](https://www.financedigest.com/china-lodges-representations-over-alleged-harassment-at-manchester-consulate.html "China lodges representations over alleged harassment at Manchester consulate").

The governor general has a largely ceremonial job performing functions such as swearing in [governments and formally signing](https://www.financedigest.com/shyft-signs-mou-with-the-government-of-bermuda-pledges-to-invest-10m.html "Shyft Signs Mou With The Government Of Bermuda, Pledges To Invest m") legislation, but is also the commander-in-chief of the military and can summon, prorogue or dissolve parliament.

Simon, who will serve a five-year term, was born in 1947. She worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp in the 1970s, and then served as Canada’s ambassador to Denmark from 1999-2001.

She was also the chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, a group representing Inuit from a number of countries, in the late 1980s and early 90s, and president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the country’s main Inuit advocacy group, from 2006-2012.

She has spent her [life as a “bridge between different lived](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-live-an-extraordinary-life.html "How to Live an Extraordinary Life") realities that make up the tapestry of Canada” while fighting for Indigenous and human rights, she said.

The [prime minister](https://www.financedigest.com/economist-odor-picked-as-slovakias-caretaker-prime-minister.html "Economist Odor picked as Slovakia’s caretaker prime minister") is expected to ask the new governor general to dissolve parliament ahead of a snap vote as early as August, but both Trudeau and Simon denied having discussed elections before her appointment.

We did not discuss [elections at all,” Trudeau](https://www.financedigest.com/canada-pm-trudeau-planning-snap-election-seeks-approval-for-covid-response-sources-2.html "Canada PM Trudeau planning snap election, seeks approval for COVID response – sources") said.

(Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Peter Graff)


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