A prominent Inuk leader, Mary Simon hails from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik. She is the first Indigenous person to be named Governor General of Canada.
Mary Simon was sworn in this morning as the 30th Governor General of Canada
Simon was Canada’s first ambassador for circumpolar affairs, she was a senior negotiator representing Inuit during Constitution repatriation negotiations and played the lead role in negotiating the creation of the Arctic Council – a high-level intergovernmental forum for the eight Arctic states.
Simon has also served as Canada’s ambassador to Denmark and spent six years at the helm of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Canada’s national Inuit organization.
Throughout her career she has been a passionate advocate for Inuit rights, language, and culture.