‘Never thought I would be the Governor General’: Mary Simon’s term winds down

Mary Simon says she “never thought” she would be the Governor General of Canada.

But after nearly five years in that office, the 78-year-old leader – born in Kangiqsualujjuaq and raised in Kuujjuaq – is winding down her term.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Tuesday that Louise Arbour, a former Supreme Court justice and war-crimes prosecutor, will be King Charles’ next representative in Canada. Arbour’s installation is scheduled for June 8.

“I’ve been present through some very defining moments and also some moments that were hard,” Simon said in an interview Thursday at Rideau Hall, her official residence in Ottawa.

Some of those hard moments involved visiting people after tragedies.

Last week, she was in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., where she met those still trying to heal after a shooter killed nine people in February. It was an “emotional challenge,” she said.

But there were many joyful visits too, in particular, her trips north.

Wherever she travelled in Nunavut or Nunavik, she was joyfully greeted by childhood friends, family and folks who wanted a selfie with her.

Gov. Gen Mary Simon embraces childhood best friend and sister-in-law Louisa Berthe May during a visit to Kuujjuaq in 2022. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)

“I haven’t been up there very much in the last five years, but every time that I have gone, it’s always been an extremely positive experience,” she said.

“I have a big family up north.”

Simon met many world leaders, one of whom — Queen Elizabeth — left a lasting impression.

“My grandmother, when we were growing up, used to talk about the queen a lot,” Simon said. “She was revered and a lot of Inuit communities, in their homes, had a picture of the queen.”

Elizabeth’s death and funeral in 2022 was “extremely sad,” but the following year presented a happy occasion when King Charles’ coronation took place.

In the lead up to that event, Simon facilitated a meeting between the new king and the leaders of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National Council and the Assembly of First Nations.

“To me, that opened some doors for our Indigenous leaders to be able to go and visit the king quite a bit now,” Simon said.

The late Pope Francis was also a “generous person,” Simon said, recognizing the “significant” apologies he made to residential school survivors in 2022. Pope Leo, she said, has offered a similar commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

Simon spoke briefly about greetings U.S. presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden. But she said she was “honoured” to meet, in 2023, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She described him as an embodiment of ajuinnata, an Inuktitut word for “never give up.”

“When I was talking to him I kept being reminded of this word ajuinnata because when I was growing up, I heard that word a lot.”

In his speech to Parliament following their meeting, Zelenskyy would go on to proclaim “Ajuinata, Canada. Ajuinata, Ukraine.”

‘I don’t know if I’m going to miss anything’

So, what’s next for Simon? First, a “long break.”

Simon and her husband Whit Fraser plan to continue living in Ottawa for the foreseeable future, close to many family members.

The couple owns a cottage in Nova Scotia, where they expect to spend time this summer.

Simon is also considering a trip home to Nunavik.

“If I’m healthy and everyone’s O.K., I might have plans to go back to see my friends and family and pick some beautiful blueberries,” she said.

With mental health being one of her priorities as governor general, Simon has begun considering her next venture.

While not totally fleshed out yet, she says it would start with a focus on Inuit Nunangat.

“I have a plan to see how we can develop something that will increase the capacity of communities who would like to be trained, that are interested in being mental health counsellors,” she said.

When asked what she’ll miss about being governor general, Simon cheerfully responded: “I don’t know if I’m going to miss anything.”

It’s been an “honour” for her to serve, meet Canadians, and be a “bridge-builder” on issues such as reconciliation and mental health.

“I never thought I would be the governor general, but things happen that you never think of really, and I have learned a great deal about our country,” she said.