Gov. Gen. Mary Simon asks Canadians to reflect during ‘period of uncertainty’

Letter comes as federal election looms and U.S. prepares for Trump presidency

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, pictured in a video message released Wednesday, calls on Canadians to reflect as the country is “going through a period of uncertainty.” (Image courtesy of the Office of the Governor General)

By Kierstin Williams

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon is calling on Canadians to reflect as the country is “going through a period of uncertainty.”

“Many Canadians are concerned about what lies ahead,” she said in her second Letter to Canadians, released Wednesday. “As human beings, we all seek stability and a sense of belonging within our country.”

Her letter comes a little over a week after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prorogued Parliament until March 24 and announced he will resign, and just days before U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday. However, neither Trump nor Trudeau were mentioned in her letter.

It’s the first letter from the governor general to Canadians since her one-year mandate anniversary letter, published in July 2022.

Simon alternates between English, Inuktitut and French in her video address and includes testimonials from Canadians about their hopes for the country.

“Now more than ever, we must build on our shared values as Canadians,” Simon said.

“We must encourage meaningful dialogue within our society and cultivate a renewed sense of pride as we write the next chapters of our national history together.”

Simon said that over the past year, she was encouraged by the healing journeys of residential school survivors, mental health initiatives, work to make social media platforms safer, and the resilience of Paralympic athletes in Paris.

She also said she was honoured to invest John Amagoalik, who contributed to the creation of Nunavut, to the Order of Canada last April.

Simon ended her remarks by recognizing the contributions of Canadians that bring the country together.

“Let us continue building a nation where hope flourishes, and where everyone has a voice,” said Simon.

“It is hard work, but it is work worth doing, and it can only be done together.”

 

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(24) Comments:

  1. Posted by Northener on

    Reflect! Reflect on what the good old days? You have to love when these politicians open there mouths

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    • Posted by MarcP on

      Why is Trudeau still speaking on out our behalf.? Mrs Simon chose partisanship over Canada by not calling for an election. Very disappointing and changes my respect for Mrs. Simon.

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  2. Posted by Bill on

    This is positive and very insightful on the part of the Governor General. I want to thank her for that and for her leadership.

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  3. Posted by No Moniker on

    Governor General Simon, your weak grasp on your role and your obliviousness to our current circumstance played a pivotal role in the “period of uncertainty” we are now in.

    The one power you are expected to wield is discretion around the dissolution of parliament, the key variable being the confidence the house holds for the government. At present, that is zero. No party supports this government, they have lost the confidence of the house and you know that, or should have known that.

    So, you could and should have refused Trudeau’s request for proroguement.

    We are now sitting ducks, leaderless, while a new and hostile administration in the US will be sworn in days from now. An administration that has said it will impose massive tariffs on us. We should be preparing for an election today, not waiting on the futile spectacle of a Liberal leadership contest that will do nothing to advance the good of the country let alone the doomed Liberal party.

    So here we are, the interests of Canada are now subordinate to the delusions of Justin Trudeau and his party. The only one that could have stopped this was you, and you failed.

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    • Posted by Inuk on

      This person doesn’t know what they’re talking about.

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      • Posted by Uviluk on

        He absolutely does! We should be in an election and not prorogation! The GG let the country down.

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        • Posted by Northern Guy on

          Incorrect Uviluk, The GG did her job in accordance with the Constitution of Canada

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          • Posted by No Moniker on

            Actually, the Constitution says nothing about the GG granting the PM their every wish, including when it comes to prorogation. Please correct me by reference to the Constitution, if you are able. Mouthing off doesn’t quite cut it.

            In reality the GG has two main powers. To dissolve or prorogue Parliament. The GG has some discretion over under her ‘reserve powers’. In each case presented, circumstances matter. In this case it is entirely within reason that she would refuse the request as it is clearly being made to avoid facing a Parliament that has very clearly lost the confidence of the House.

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            • Posted by Constitution on

              Actually, the constitution does say that the GG must, in almost all cases, accept the advice of the PM on prorogation and other matters. The preamble to the 1867 BNA Act, parts of which (including the preamble) are still in force says Canada is to have “a constitution similar in principle to that of the United Kingdom”. What that means is that all sorts of principles and conventions that are not written down in any official documents have constitutional status. The principle that the monarch (in the UK) or the GG (in Canada) is to accept the PM’s advice is one of them. Yes there can be exceptions but it is not the GG’s job to read the headlines and latest polls when performing her duties.

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              • Posted by No Moniker on

                “The constitution does say that… in almost all cases.”

                Right, thanks for supporting my point.

              • Posted by Kp on

                Mary simon had recieved letters from all 3 political parties and the liberal coalition stating the wanted an election and had no confidence in liberAl leader or liberal party dec 20 2024

              • Posted by Citizen on

                Your read and actually True North’s and No Moniker’s are close to the mark.
                Here is a clue.
                The royal prerogative says the Prime MInister, speaking on behalf of the Government, “advises” the GG to prorogue. The GG “acquiesces”.
                Quaere: What is there is no functional government, which appears to be the case in Canada? Trudeau is like the straw man, propped up on a horse, but he has already abdicated. The only remaining representative of the people is the Parliament, since the government has abdicated.

                Then, I would argue, no advice is given, and the prorogation is null and void, ab initio. A sham procedure is no procedure. Parliament has to resume. The prorogation is a “blank sheet of paper.
                See R (on the application of Miller) vs the Prime Minister, 2019, UKSC 41.

    • Posted by Hey no moniker on

      That is how the process works, it has been used by all parties in the history of Canada . You may not like it perhaps because you refuse to accept it does not mean it isn’t right. Perhaps you would prefer the constant campaigning method of the usa. If so away you go, better hurry while there is an open boarder.

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      • Posted by Chesley on

        Border is a noun that means the boundary of a geographic location, such as a state or country. Border is also a verb that means to form such a boundary. Boarder is a noun that means a person renting lodging, which includes food. To help you remember boarder, think of “room and board” and “boarding school.”

        To err is human.

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    • Posted by Northern Guy on

      No Moniker, clearly you have no idea how a constitutional monarchy operates. The Governor General serves as the Queens representative at the behest of the Government of Canada. She (He) has absolutely no authority to refuse a lawful request from the PM for proroguement (or dissolution). David Johnston didn’t do it when Harper prorogued Parliament to save his bacon and neither could Mary Simon. Next time take a class on Canadian governance before opening yer yap and exposing your ignorance

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      • Posted by No Moniker on

        I suspect you have a superficial understanding of the Governor General’s reserve powers. You also need to understand the nexus between constitutional convention and informal change by precedent.

        GG’s have refused the request of a PM in the past. Granted, doing so depends entirely on the context in which that request was asked. If you read my comment again, you might notice I’ve laid out how that applies here.

        The GG does have discretion here. That this has been used rarely is not to say it can not or should not be used at all.

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  4. Posted by S on

    What is this delusional, righteous message about a period-of-uncertainty – crafted by the Liberal Party of Canada and voiced by the GG?

    We are leaving a period of uncertainty, wars and deteriorating society. Nationally and globally, we are about to enter a period of peace and social growth. Finally we are rid of the antisocial socialist Democrats in the USA, soon we will be rid of the antisocial Liberals in Canada; antisocial socialists are being turfed all over Europe and in South America

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  5. Posted by Sarah on

    GG Simon would have needed a majority non-confidence vote, before the prorogation. The NDP lied about their non-confidence words, and voted confidence , so there was no majority. The NDP play games to think all is in their power, like their leader is in a magical world of his own with his followers. Blame the NDP who voted to keep trudeau around. The woman attached at trudeau’s hip wrote a letter against trudeau….BE AWARE, that was a scheme, a sham, a find the penny game. Only a handful of players know what the shceme is – trudeau steps aside with a smile, carney is a distraction since he does not speak french, and the woman who speaks to people like they are 5 years old, is left calling the shots. No one wants to hear, “M-i-s-t-e-r. Sp-e-a-ker” sound so arrogant again. No one wants to go back, to remain under the weight of a dried up animal tit government. Time to stand up against the weight of this abusive government. GG Simon would not be able to stop the prorogation or she would have because the need to fix water problems on reserves, in the territories and more is put back on the shelf to start again. The NDP lied and is to blame for this time-out of parliament. Nine more weeks and the NDP will be called to vote non-confidence a third time, and depending on their vote will depend on whether the next election begins ASAP with GG Simons “OK”, or wait for an October election. Mary Simon was upset like many of us are to know important needs are put on hold. This Liberal goverment is completely in unity to vote against and hold back what does not belong to them. Absolute abuse to hold back fresh water as not important as food, shelter and clothing……until the lack of happens to them.

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  6. Posted by J on

    The people WANT REPRESENTATION. WE WANT AN ELECTION. GIVE US WHAT WE WANT. WE NEED CHANGE. WE NEED THE BOY KING GONE FOREVER.

  7. Posted by J on

    You don’t need to be a trump supporter to see how our country has been defeated by idiotic leaders who care more about pleasing the WEF than their own citizens. Disgraceful.

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