Mary Simon Steps Down as Canada's First Indigenous Governor General
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president reflects on her tenure balancing Indigenous identity with role representing the Crown.
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Mary Simon's time as Canada's Governor General — and the first Indigenous person to hold the post — has come to an end, with former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour set to take over Monday.
Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, reflected on Simon's legacy, saying she managed a balance that many Indigenous people found remarkable: serving as both an Inuk woman and the Crown's representative in Canada, roles some felt were inherently in conflict.
"Self-determination also means that you get to decide whether or not to play any role within this country, and I think Mary was able to balance her indigeneity with her official function," Obed said. "She has maintained just this down-to-earth attitude about the way that she interacts with and cares for people."
Simon championed reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples throughout her tenure under both Queen Elizabeth and King Charles, drawing on decades of advocacy work. Obed described her as a kind of national grandmother figure — someone who had a gift for making people from diverse backgrounds feel at ease.
During official events and long flights together, Simon would lean over to tell him a joke or ask about his family, Obed said. She used her office to champion Indigenous accomplishments and made Rideau Hall itself more welcoming: sealskin draped the tables, Inuit artworks adorned the walls, and official receptions featured Indigenous cuisines alongside conventional fine dining.
Simon represented the people of Nunavik during Constitution patriation talks in 1982 and played a key role in the inclusion of Section 35, which affirms Indigenous rights in Canada. For Inuit and Indigenous communities, Obed said, she represented a symbol of success — proof that serving your community could lead to national recognition.
"It's made me think a little bit differently, and more positively, about the role of governor general," Obed said. "None of this happens without her connection to community and her humility with taking on this role."
Simon's departure marks the end of a chapter in Canadian symbolic leadership. Arbour takes over Monday.