Julie Payette

Wednesday July 7, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday July 7, 2021

‘Historic’ step as Trudeau appoints Canada’s first Indigenous governor general

Canada will have its first ever Indigenous governor general after prime minister Justin Trudeau appointed Inuk leader Mary Simon as the Queen’s representative in Canada.

January 15, 2019

Describing the move as a “historic” step, Trudeau announced Simon’s appointment on Tuesday after coming under mounting pressure to choose a new viceregal. His previous selection resigned after allegations of bullying in January.

“Canada is a place defined by people. People who serve those around them, who tackle big challenges with hope and determination, and above all, who never stop working to build a brighter tomorrow,” said Trudeau. “In other words, people like Mary Simon.”

Originally from Kangiqsualujjuaq, in the Nunavik region of Quebec, Simon is a longtime advocate of Inuit rights. She previously served as the former president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the country’s national advocacy organization for Inuit. She also served as Canada’s first Inuk ambassador in Denmark and for circumpolar affairs.

June 1, 2021

“I am honoured, humbled and ready to be Canada’s first indigenous Governor General,” she said, also giving remarks in Inuktitut, her first language. “I can confidently say that my appointment is a historic and inspirational moment for Canada and an important step forward on the long path towards reconciliation.”

Simon’s appointment comes at a time when Canada’s rocky relationship with Indigenous nations has worsened, following the discovery of more than one thousand unmarked graves across the country.

In her remarks, Simon spoke of the need for the country to “fully recognize, memorialize and come to terms with the atrocities of our collective past” as more is learned about the legacy of residential schools.

January 29, 2021

Trudeau’s previous pick for governor general, Julie Payette, resigned in January after a number of anonymous staff told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation they were berated by Payette to the point of tears. Others said that she would call their work “shit” and order them out of her office.

The position is largely symbolic but once formally installed, Simon will outrank Trudeau as holder of highest federal office in Canada, second only to the Queen.

Ahead of a looming election, Trudeau had faced pressure to appoint a governor general. One of Simon’s tasks will be to dissolve parliament upon the prime minister’s request.

Simon’s landmark appointment also comes amid growing skepticism over the role the monarchy plays in Canada.

According to recent polling 55% of respondents believe the royal family is no longer relevant. Given the chance, 43% of respondents said they would eliminate the position of governor general. Only 22% would opt to keep the role as is. (The Guardian) 

 

Friday January 29, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday January 29, 2021

Despite resigning, Julie Payette still qualifies for perks such as a $149,484 annual pension for life

January 23, 2021

Julie Payette submitted her resignation as Governor General on Thursday, but despite leaving early due to a workplace scandal she’ll still qualify for a lifetime pension of at least $149,484 per year.

The lifetime annuity is set out in legislation called the Governor General’s Act and it applies to anyone who has held the office, regardless of how they leave it. It rises slowly over time, currently standing at $149,484.

“An annuity payable under this section shall commence on the day the annuitant ceases to hold the office of Governor General and shall continue thereafter during his life,” the legislation says (using outmoded gendered language).

July 14, 2017

On top of that, former governors general are entitled to a lifetime expense program that gives them access to up to $206,000 per year from the budget of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General.

Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the rules are clear around the entitlements for outgoing governors general.

The expense program was established in 1979 on the rationale that former governors general still carry out duties related to their role after they leave office, such as attending ceremonies and making speeches.

February 20, 2004

Details of the expenses are not mandated to be disclosed and are not subject to federal access-to-information legislation. The National Post has previously reported on them based on an accounting quirk that causes the expenses to show up in the federal government’s public accounts if one person claims more than $100,000 in a year. Only Adrienne Clarkson has repeatedly claimed this amount in recent years.

David Johnston, however, has started proactively disclosing his expense claimsunder the program, the only former governor general to do so. During his time as governor general, Johnston developed the first concrete guidelines around how the expenses can be claimed, implementing them in 2012.

The federal government also provides multi-million dollar grants to former governors general to start their own charitable foundation after leaving office. In the case of Clarkson, for example, the government provided $3 million in a start-up grant plus up to $7 million over 10 years to match donations from the private sector; Clarkson used this funding to start the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. (National Post) 

 

Saturday January 23, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday January 23, 2021

Payette stepping down as governor general after blistering report on Rideau Hall work environment

August 8, 2020

Gov.-Gen. Julie Payette and her secretary, Assunta di Lorenzo, are resigning after an outside workplace review of Rideau Hall found that the pair presided over a toxic work environment.

Last year, an independent consulting firm was hired by the Privy Council Office (PCO) to review reports that Payette was responsible for workplace harassment at Rideau Hall.

Sources who were briefed on the consulting firm’s report told CBC News that its conclusions were damning.

President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada Dominic LeBlanc told CBC’s Vassy Kapelos the federal government received the final report late last week, which he said offered some “disturbing” and “worrisome” conclusions.

September 23, 2020

LeBlanc said Payette indicated her intention to resign during a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last night, where they discussed the report’s contents.

In a media statement announcing her departure, Payette apologized for what she called the “tensions” at Rideau Hall in recent months, saying that everyone has “a right to a healthy and safe work environment.”

“While no formal complaints or official grievances were made during my tenure, which would have immediately triggered a detailed investigation as prescribed by law and the collective agreements in place, I still take these allegations very seriously,” she said in the statement. 

“We all experience things differently, but we should always strive to do better and be attentive to one another’s perceptions.”

In a media statement announcing her departure, Payette apologized for what she called the “tensions” at Rideau Hall in recent months, saying that everyone has “a right to a healthy and safe work environment.”

“While no formal complaints or official grievances were made during my tenure, which would have immediately triggered a detailed investigation as prescribed by law and the collective agreements in place, I still take these allegations very seriously,” she said in the statement. 

“We all experience things differently, but we should always strive to do better and be attentive to one another’s perceptions.”

November 1, 2018

Payette joins a very short list of governors general who have left the post early — but she is the first to do so mired in controversy.

Lord Alexander left for England a month before Vincent Massey was sworn in as his replacement in 1952. John Buchan, also known as Lord Tweedsmuir, and Georges Vanier both died while serving, in 1940 and 1967, respectively. In those cases, the Supreme Court chief justice of the day stepped in to fill the role temporarily.

Romeo LeBlanc, Dominic’s father, stepped down in 1999 before the end of his term due to health issues. The office was not left vacant; LeBlanc continued until Adrienne Clarkson was ready to succeed him.

Governors general have resigned under pressure — and have been asked to resign by prime ministers — in Commonwealth countries in the past. In 2003, Australian Gov. Gen. Peter Hollingworth resigned after controversy erupted over the way he had handled sexual abuse claims while he was archbishop of Brisbane. (CBC) 

 

Wednesday September 23, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 23, 2020

Trudeau, Payette may be headed for awkward encounter over throne speech, observers say

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gov. Gen. Julie Payette are headed for what could be an uncomfortable public moment on Wednesday, when Payette delivers the speech from the throne while her office is under a cloud of controversy due to harassment claims.

December 5, 2019

The Governor General is always the centre of attention when a throne speech is presented — but never before like this.

Earlier this month, the Privy Council Office confirmed it had hired a private company to conduct a probe into claims of a toxic work environment and verbal harassment at Rideau Hall. The probe was triggered by a CBC News story detailing reports of mistreatment.

CBC News has spoken to more than 20 sources, including current public servants and former Rideau Hall employees, who say that Payette has created a toxic workplace by yelling at, belittling and publicly humiliating staff. Payette’s second-in-command and longtime friend, Assunta Di Lorenzo, also faces claims of bullying employees.

Political scientists and constitutional experts say they expect to see Trudeau and Payette going through the motions of the throne speech ceremony while trying to downplay any suggestions of underlying tension between the PMO and Rideau Hall.

August 8, 2020

“It’s an awkward situation,” said Michael Jackson, president of the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada at Massey College in Toronto. “One has never seen as prolonged a criticism of a vice-regal person as in this particular case.”

Jackson said he plans to watch Payette’s delivery of the speech very closely to see if she adds any comments of her own. While the speech itself is written by the Prime Minister’s Office and outlines the government’s policy vision, governors general are the ones who actually read the speech publicly in the Senate chamber — and can also add a preamble about their own activities.

On occasion, past governors general have injected short passages into throne speeches touching on events of national importance, such as upcoming royal visits or anniversaries, Jackson said. The Privy Council Office, which receives a Governor General’s introductory text to be included in the speech, confirmed it “typically includes a few paragraphs.” 

But in a departure from the norm, Payette added 11 to 12 paragraphs to the speech in 2019 — including a reference to the shared “space-time continuum.”

July 14, 2017

“We share the same planet,” Payette said during the 2019 speech. “We know that we are inextricably bound to the same space-time continuum and on board the same planetary spaceship.”

“I thought it was surprising for the Governor General to put her own imprint on what is a speech by and for the government of the day. These kinds of almost platitudes and digressions confused many people,” Jackson said.

Philippe Lagassé of Ottawa’s Carleton University researches the roles of Parliament and the Crown in Westminster states like Canada. He said Payette feels strongly about protecting her privacy and how she’s portrayed in the media — and he wouldn’t be surprised if she makes some reference to the controversy swirling around her office in Wednesday’s speech.

“I think it will be interesting to see if Her Excellency makes a point of addressing the criticisms in some direct or indirect way,” he said. (CBC) 

 

Saturday August 8, 2020

August 8, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday August 8, 2020

More than $250K spent on Gov. Gen. Julie Payette’s demands for privacy at Rideau Hall

Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent to satisfy Gov. Gen. Julie Payette’s need for privacy at Rideau Hall, but she still hasn’t moved into her official residence almost three years into her five-year mandate. 

December 5, 2019

CBC News has learned new details about costs the public is incurring to meet Payette’s requirements before she agrees to move in. 

They include almost $140,000, spent studying and designing a private staircase that was never built, and more than $117,500 on a gate and series of doors to keep people away from Payette’s office, according to the National Capital Commission (NCC), which manages the official vice-regal residence.

Those costs go well beyond the usual transition expenses, which normally involve some fresh paint and new furniture, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the project. Those sources asked for confidentiality because they are not authorized to publicly discuss Rideau Hall’s requests. 

They paint a portrait of a Governor General who is uncomfortable with being in the constant presence of staff, RCMP security and, to some extent, the public.

July 14, 2017

Governors general have to accept a degree of privacy loss when they take on the vice-regal role.

Much of the verdant grounds of Rideau Hall are open to the public, who wander freely around what is seen in the national capital as a public park. Family picnics and pick-up football games abound on any particular summer day.

But Payette “wanted to come and go without anyone seeing her,” said one source with knowledge of the project.

According to multiple sources, Payette doesn’t like maintenance workers in her line of sight. Even RCMP paid to protect Payette are no longer allowed to stand directly outside her office door and must hide in a room down the hallway, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter. Only some select staff currently have access to the restricted area by her office. (CBC) 

November 1, 2018

Meanwhile, The Privy Council Office (PCO) has launched what it says will be a “thorough, independent and impartial” workplace probe into claims of harassment and verbal abuse in the office of Gov. Gen. Julie Payette.

The investigation follows a CBC News report that quoted unnamed sources saying Payette has created a toxic environment at Rideau Hall by verbally harassing employees to the point where some have been reduced to tears or have left the office altogether.

A dozen sources with direct knowledge of the office during Payette’s mandate told CBC News the Governor General has yelled at, belittled and publicly humiliated employees. They accuse her of throwing tantrums in the office and, on one occasion, tossing an employee’s work aside and calling it “shit.”

Sources also accused Payette’s secretary and longtime friend, Assunta Di Lorenzo, of harassing employees — calling some “lazy” and “incompetent.” (CBC)