'Honoured, humbled and ready': Mary Simon's first speech as incoming Governor General

TORONTO -

Mary Simon will be Canada's 30th Governor General, and the first with Indigenous heritage.

The Inuk leader, former diplomat and longtime advocate for the North was unveiled as the pick for that role on Tuesday at a press conference with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Speaking at the event, Simon shared her personal story and what she hopes to accomplish as head of state.

Here is a transcript of the English portion of Simon's first speech as incoming Governor General. She also spoke in French and Inuktitut, however these remarks have not been included below as they largely duplicated words she spoke in English.

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Good morning everybody; good morning prime minister.

First I just want to say a few words in Inuktitut, so if anybody has a translator...

Just to say that in English, I would like to thank the prime minister for such a warm and thoughtful introduction, and for this very historic opportunity.

I would like to acknowledge today also that we are standing on the unceded territory of the Algonquin people, who have lived on these lands and waters for thousands of years.

Let me begin by conveying in the strongest possible terms that I am honoured, humbled, and ready to be Canada's first Indigenous governor general.

I would also like to thank Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth for placing her trust and confidence in me to represent her in this wonderful country of ours.

I can confidently say that my appointment is a historic and inspirational moment for Canada, and an important step forward on the long path towards reconciliation.

This is a moment that I hope all Canadians feel part of, because my appointment reflects our collective progress towards building a more inclusive, just, and equitable society.

Permit me a moment to tell you a little bit about myself. I was born Mary Jeannie May – my Inuk name is Ningiukudluk – in Arctic Quebec, now known as Nunavik. My mother was Inuk, and my father was from the South, was manager of the local Hudson Bay Company post.

I spent my adolescence in Nunavik living a very traditional lifestyle. Many months out of the year, we camped and lived on the land, hunted, fished and gathered food, and maintained an active connection with our Inuit heritage and language.

Part of my cultural tradition as an Inuk are the strong bonds that are created across the generations. My grandmother Jeannie and my mother Nancy were my teachers and mentors, and these influences continue today. They both instilled in me a boundless energy for learning self-improvement and helping my community. They also taught me to always be proud of who I am, and to keep my mind open to other points of view.

From my father, I learned about the South and the non-native world from a man who had a profound love and respect for the North, its people and its natural beauty. Combined, these experiences, allow me to be a bridge between the different lived realities that together make up the tapestry of Canada. I can relate to all people, no matter where they live, what they hope for, or what they need to overcome.

As time passed, my work often took me south. I spent my adult life fighting for Indigenous and human rights, pushing for increased access for health care and access for mental health services, and working hard to build better educational outcomes for our children – so it's fair to say I've grown up twice, once in the North, Northern Canada, and once in Southern Canada.

As Governor General, I am fully committed to setting and maintaining the highest possible standard of work and ethic in all aspects of my duties.

I take this, I take very seriously my role as an ambassador for the cultural and linguistic diversity that makes Canada unique.

I do want to be clear about something: my bilingualism is in Inuktitut and English. However, based on my experience growing up in Quebec, I was denied the chance to learn French during my time in the federal government day schools. I am deeply committed to continuing my French-language studies, and plan to conduct the business of the Governor General in both of Canada's official languages as well as Inuktitut, one of many Indigenous languages spoken across the country.

Indeed, my appointment comes at an especially reflective and dynamic time in our shared history. During my time as Governor General, I will work every day towards promoting healing and wellness across Canadian society.

To me that means stopping to fully recognize, memorialize, and come to terms with the atrocities of our collective past that we are learning more about each day. It means we must thoughtfully work hard towards the promise of a better tomorrow.

I believe we can build the hopeful future in a way that is respectful of what has happened in the past. It means supporting the wellbeing of people by focusing on our youth, and in improved educational outcomes for all of our children. It means prioritizing the protection of our natural world, so that we can have a healthy climate and planet for generations to come.

I believe strongly that if we embrace our common humanity and shared responsibility for one another, Canada's brightest days are yet to come. I am dedicated to doing everything in my power to build and inspire that future.

And to all the women and girls out there, please know that we need more of your voices and perspectives in leadership positions across this country. I hope you use my appointment to believe, with increased conviction, that anything is possible.

To the Canadian Armed Forces, I am honoured to soon be taking on the role as your new commander in chief. I want to thank you for your tireless efforts in the fight against COVID-19 here in Canada, and your operations being conducted worldwide. I am greatly looking forward to meeting the men and women of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Canadian Rangers during my tenure.

There is much to be done. We need [the] support of all Canadians, and our governments, to rebuild strong, healthy families and communities.

I would like to close by, again thanking the prime minister for his commitment to reconciliation, and the courage it took to appoint me to the position of Governor General.

I can't wait to roll up my sleeves to embark on our work together, and may wisdom and compassion guide our efforts.

Thank you.