Julie Payette to become Canada's 29th Governor-General

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40598483

Julie Payette to become Canada's 29th Governor-General

Former astronaut to become the Queen's representative in Canada this autumn

The Queen has approved the appointment of Ms. Julie Payette as the next Governor General of #Canada: https://t.co/Y3c8Pawchd

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) July 13, 2017

I’m pleased to announce the Queen has approved the appointment of Julie Payette as Canada’s next Governor General: https://t.co/Ccya23UCIE

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 13, 2017

Former astronaut Julie Payette has been tapped by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to be Canada's next Viceroy. Mr Trudeau announced the nomination on Thursday, after considering both francophone and aboriginal candidates for the largely ceremonial role.

Ms Payette, 54, will take over as the Queen's representative in Canada when David Johnston retires in September after serving 7 years as Viceroy. She was the first Canadian on the International Space Station, and speaks six languages, including French. "What a great day," Ms Payette said when her nomination was officially announced. Mr Trudeau called her "unquestionably qualified".

Ms Payette would be Canada's 29th governor general since confederation in 1867, and the fourth woman.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau met with the Queen earlier this week at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh

As the Queen's representative in Canada, the governor general:

- is Canada's official head of state in her absence
- has the power to give a throne speech and suspend parliament
- gives royal assent to legislation
- swears in the prime minister
- is commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces

Her predecessor, Mr Johnston, was a Harvard alum who spent decades in academia before being appointed in 2010. He is scheduled to retire this autumn, after his final visit with the Queen next week, when he visits the UK. Ms Payette's appointment continues the tradition of alternating between anglophone and francophone governors general, although Mr Trudeau had also considered appointing an indigenous representative.

Interesting, I expected Trudeau to pick a minority candidate purely for PC reasons.

Let's hope she's better than the last three female Canadian Viceroys.

Thoughts?

[hungryfront]

Do you even know what PC means, or are you just throwing it around to bash the left? Newsflash: it means not using offensive terms and referring to people as what they actually are (i.e. I'd call you "Dan", not "Idiot"). The fact she's female is irrelevant. She's a person. Deal with the fact that you're not the only person in the world, and let me remind you that Conservatives called an election after promising not to, and spent taxpayer money on losing whilst also breaking the law in their campaign. Well done Theresa who seems to have repeated the same soundbite "Strong and Stable" in order to lose. There's no magic money tree and we don't want a coalition of chaos with Labour, but we can find £1,500,000,000 from nowhere, make a coalition and then call public sector workers underpaid. Don't worry though, it's not like she spent over 5 years as foreign secretary where it was her job to stop terrorism and then complained not enough was done to stop terrorism.

Also, I hope it comes back to bite you that as you were calling all Muslims dangerous, it's now mostly white people committing random assaults - acid attacks - in public. You must be a criminal because you're white, Dan.

[-:Undertaker:-]

@hungryfront;

You've lost the plot. Firstly this is Canadian politics so I don't even think you've read the article, secondly this is about the Viceroy of Canada and not the British Prime Minister and thirdly what I have written indicates I think this is actually a good pick as she has achieved a lot in her life and she's well deserving of the post of Governor-General... hence my surprise with PM Trudeau.

[nat965]

someone who actually earned her position! Something refreshing for a change. Hard to criticise a female, multilingual ex-astronaut so good on her

[-:Undertaker:-]

The Governor-General designate had an audience with HM The Queen this afternoon at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire.

Today The Queen received Madame Julie Payette, Governor-General designate of Canada, at Balmoral Castle. pic.twitter.com/thXyAgC487

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 20, 2017

Governor General Designate Julie Payette's 1st audience with the Queen at Balmoral Castle. "Very nice to see you," they both said. #cbc pic.twitter.com/s0KFcflIx0

— Thomas Daigle (@thomasdaigle) September 20, 2017

She'll be formally installed as the Queen's Viceroy within a few days (I think) on the Canadian Throne in the Senate chamber.

Note the British Coat of Arms on the taller throne and Canadian on the other two thrones. The Canadian Houses of Parliament are modelled exactly on our Houses of Parliament and the whole place is adorned - from the windows to the walls to the ceiling - with symbols of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and of course Canada. But also France to represent the former French Canada Colony (Quebec). They have a Senate instead of a House of Lords, but their lower house is called the House of Commons like ours.