Selecting Simon a political risk for Trudeau

In 2010, when the Conservatives named David Johnston governor general, one of the other candidates was said to be Mary Simon. In 2017, when the Liberals named Julie Payette, one of the other candidates was said to be Mary Simon.

If true, it made sense. Simon is one of the country's most prominent Indigenous leaders. Appointing an Indigenous Canadian was overdue.

But if Simon was twice considered for Rideau Hall, she was twice rejected. The reason? She did not speak French. And while previous governors general have not spoken French, that ended in 1995.

Bilingualism in high office in Canada, we thought, was a convention that had crystallized into practice. No prime minister since Lester Pearson has been unilingual, for example, and none can be today. It is a requirement of the job.

The same standard, we thought, applied to governor general. Everyone since the unilingual Ray Hnatyshyn has spoken both official languages: Roméo Leblanc, Adrienne Clarkson, Michaëlle Jean, Johnston, and Payette.

But what has been unacceptable for a quarter-century — a governor general who doesn't speak French — is acceptable now. Things have changed.

Perhaps Justin Trudeau wanted to appoint Simon four years ago but was so smitten by Payette that she crowded out the competition. As we know, she was miserable and resigned. A royal embarrassment. The government may have wanted to appoint an Indigenous person instead of Payette, but there was no obvious or available candidate (the venerable Murray Sinclair wasn't interested).

Ironically, if Simon was a candidate in 2010 and 2017, she is no more qualified now than then. She still does not speak French, though she says she's learning. Turning 74, she takes office as the oldest governor general — a job demanding real stamina — in modern history.

What persuaded the government to appoint Simon in 2021 — which, by virtue of her advanced age and her inadequate French, would make her less appealing than in 2010?

What has changed is the country. What has changed is our consciousness. As Harold Macmillan mused, “Events, dear boy, events.” With the discovery of hundreds of unmarked Indigenous graves at residential schools, Canadians are aghast. Our instinct is to try to put things right, to make amends, to appoint an Indigenous Canadian Canada's de facto head of state.

Reading the public mood, the government wanted to make a symbolic statement of reconciliation. Said the prime minister: “Get me Mary Simon!”

The government might have had a similar effect by appointing an Indigenous Canadian to the Supreme Court of Canada, but apparently found no adequately qualified jurist. In Simon, it has someone of substance, experience and character — a diplomat, journalist, public advocate — who would have been in the job long ago had she spoken French.

There's a cost to salve our conscience. And a danger, too. The government has decided that Indigenous Canada trumps French Canada. In that, it risks alienating millions of unilingual French-speaking Canadians.

Maybe it thinks they won't notice or won't care. After all, who follows what the governor general says or does? Was there a national crisis with the job vacant for the past six months?

While no government would appoint a francophone who does not speak English, this one appoints an anglophone who does not speak French. It says, effectively, to one of our founding peoples: “You matter less.”

This isn't to say that Mary Simon is not a compelling appointment. She is. She is an extraordinary Canadian, recognized by the Order of Canada in 1992 and in 2006. (Jean was not so recognized before she became governor general).

Simon was ambassador of circumpolar affairs and architect of Canada's northern policy. Her background and mastery of her own language, as an Inuk, will raise awareness of the condition of Indigenous Peoples everywhere. It will promote interest in the North, which has been neglected.

It is good for Canada to recognize, finally and formally, its Indigenous reality at Rideau Hall. In righting one wrong, though, it risks creating another.