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Former Astronaut Julie Payette To Be Canada's Next Governor General (www.cbc.ca)

Posted by BeauHD on from the accomplished-humans dept.

MightyMartian shares a report from CBC.ca: Former astronaut Julie Payette will be the Queen's new representative in Canada, CBC News has confirmed. The 53-year-old Montrealer, who speaks six languages, will be named the 29th governor general, a position that comes with a $290,660 annual salary and an official residence at Rideau Hall. Payette, who is also an accomplished athlete, pianist and choral singer, will succeed outgoing Gov. Gen. David Johnston. A computer engineer with a commercial pilot license, Payette was picked from among 5,330 applicants in 1992 to be one of four new astronauts with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). She participated in two space flights to the International Space Station and served as the CSA's chief astronaut between 2000 and 2007.

MightyMartian adds: "I defy anyone else to find a head of state who is an astronaut!"

5 of 109 comments (clear)

  1. serving at Her Majesty's pleasure by turkeydance · · Score: 5, Informative

    is not "a head of state"

    1. Re:serving at Her Majesty's pleasure by J+Story · · Score: 4, Informative

      Wrong. The Queen is Head of State. Only the very uneducated think otherwise, and it has never been a "common aspect of successive governments for decades". The website of the Governor General plainly states: "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of Canada and Head of State. The Governor General is the representative of the Queen in Canada."

      Case closed.

  2. Re:Not the head of state. by MightyMartian · · Score: 3, Informative

    I stretched a bit, yes. The GG is the Queen's vice regal representative, so is an acting head of state, except when the Queen is in residence in Canada.

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    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  3. Re:Not the head of state. by Strider- · · Score: 4, Informative

    The Governor General is the viceregal in absentia. The person who holds this role is the head of state, unless the monarch is actually present.

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    ...si hoc legere nimium eruditionis habes...
  4. Not the only government astronaut, either... by Idarubicin · · Score: 5, Informative

    My congratulations to Julie Payette on her appointment to her new post. Bear in mind she isn't the first Canadian astronaut to assume a role as a senior government official, either.

    Since 2015, former astronaut Marc Garneau has served as the federal Minister of Transportation--which seems just a little bit on the nose.

    (That compares rather favorably, incidentally, to the 1995 appointment of Al Palladini - a used-car salesman - to serve as Ontario's Minister of Transportation...)

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    ~Idarubicin