B.C.’s 1st Indigenous Lieutenant-Governor offers advice to Canada’s 1st Indigenous Governor-General

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — He was B.C.’s first Indigenous Lieutenant-Governor. Now, as Mary Simon settles in as Canada’s first Indigenous Governor-General, UBC Chancellor Steven Point has some advice on how she can approach the role.

“Don’t book any events on Sunday. Take one day off a week. Don’t work too hard. That advice came right from the Queen, actually,” he chuckled.

Point was the Queen’s representative in B.C. from 2007 to 2012. He admits the vice-regal position is mainly ceremonial, and above all, non-partisan. But he hopes Simon can still put her stamp on things.

“One of the things that the lieutenant governors do is they kind of think of what they might want to promote for the time that they’re in office,” he explains. “So, she may want to think about things like reconciliation as a general topic and then sort of try to book time around being involved with those issues.”

Point says Simon has a much tougher job, as her post covers the entire country, not just British Columbia.

“I think it was a pretty challenging job just for BC, I can’t imagine how busy it’s going to be nationally,” he said.

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Simon is also taking on the position at a time when Indigenous issues are more top of mind than ever.

“There’s so much going on right now with Indigenous people, I think they think that government is probably becoming more sensitive about what they’re going to do. So, I wasn’t surprised Mary Simon was chosen. As far as what I hope for her, I hope that she doesn’t get disillusioned with the job or that she doesn’t in the end regret taking on the role.”

Point adds Simon’s appointment is symbolic, and sends an important message to the rest of the country.

“It sends a message out to Canadians that First Nations are a serious part of our history, a part of our politics, and so, it’s kind of like validating your parking. I was pretty happy when she was appointed and so we’ll see how things go over the next few years.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named Simon, an Inuk leader and former Canadian diplomat, as his choice to be the Queen’s representative in Canada.

She replaced Julie Payette who resigned in January after a review found Rideau Hall had become a toxic workplace.

With files from the Canadian Press