Proposing a P.E.I. Governor General
PM should consider a special committee to make recommendations for next GG
She was a bully.
That’s the conclusion that a Toronto Star columnist comes to after reading the official report into the behaviour of former governor general, Julie Payette.
According to reports of the study, which cost nearly $400,000, Ms. Payette’s management style included yelling, screaming, aggressive conduct, demeaning comments and public humiliations.
In her three years in office, a record of 17 staff quit and another 13 took sick leave because of the toxic work environment.
In a departure from past practice, Ms Payette hired her own person to staff the Office of the Secretary to the Governor-General, a position usually filled by someone with background and knowledge of how the federal government works.
Ms. Payette’s secretary was a Montrealer with no federal government experience. She quit when Ms. Payette resigned.
Before being governor general, Ms Payette also left her position as the chief operating officer of the Montreal Science Centre after three years claiming she was tired of the battles that came with her position. But, prior to her leaving the science centre, a number of employees alleged verbal abuse that created a hostile working environment.
This is one of the reasons people claim there wasn’t a proper vetting of Julie Payette prior to her appointment. However, a week ago Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insisted that her appointment came after a “rigorous vetting process.” Which says more about Mr. Trudeau than it does about Ms Payette.
Mr. Trudeau abandoned the committee approach that prime minister Harper used when he appointed David Johnston as the 28th governor general. That committee was headed by the then secretary to the governorgeneral and included a senior official from the Senate; an expert in parliamentary process; a political scientist. from the University of Calgary; a member of the Institute of Jesuit Studies and the secretary to the lieutenantgovernor of Nova Scotia.
This committee consulted with over 200 people across Canada including academics, sitting and retired politicians of all political parties including provincial premiers, current and former political party leaders and former prime ministers.
Given his experience with Ms. Payette, Mr. Trudeau may want to take another look and have a special committee make recommendations for the next governor general.
And given that former GGs get a healthy $150,000 pension plus an generous expense account of $200,000, such a committee may want to consider, from a strictly financial point of view, someone who is senior, and not just qualified.
Canada has five living former governors general; Ed Schreyer, 85 years old (1979-1984), Adrienne Clakson, 81, (1999-2005), Michaelle Jean, 63, (2005-2010), David Johnston, 79, (2010-2017) and Julie Payette, 57, (20172021). All of whom cost the taxpayers about $2 million a year in pensions and benefits. It should be noted that when he retired, Schreyer donated his pension to the Canadian Shield Foundation.
As to which senior citizen should be appointed, that’s a bit of a mug's game. There can be solid arguments made for almost every ethnic or regional group in the country. Of the 12 GGs appointed since Canada began appointing Canadians in 1952, six have been English and six have been French. Most have been bilingual. Not all the French Canadians were from Quebec, though most were, just like most of the English were from Ontario. Three were from western Canada, including one French, and only one GG came from the Maritimes.
Maybe it is time for an Islander, any bilingual senior citizens spring to mind?