Premier thanks Governor General Mary Simon for her service to Canada

Press Release

May 12, 2026

Nunavut Premier John Main today released the following statement:

“From all of us in Nunavut, I want to say matna, nakurmiik, and qujannamiik to Her Excellency, The Right Honorable Mary Simon. Thank you for all that you have done in your five-year tenure as our Governor General.

On July 26, 2021, Ms. Simon was appointed as Canada’s first Indigenous governor general.

As the first Inuk to be selected for such a high-ranking role, Ms. Simon is a trailblazer, a role model for youth and an example of overcoming challenges.

Her Excellency took her role as governor general with grace, dignity and class, but also kept her community roots intact as an advocate for mental health and wellness, reconciliation within the nation, diversity and inclusion, as well as environmental stewardship.

She actively pushed for building bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Simon was instrumental in the creation of the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum promoting sustainable development and cooperation among Arctic nations.

She was also the first Inuk Arctic Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs and was an Ambassador to Denmark in the 1990s to early 2000.

As Canada’s 30th governor general, she emphasized Indigenous right to self-determination, and the preservation of Indigenous languages and culture.

As Premier of Nunavut, I thank Her Excellency for her fair and inclusive representation of Canadians wherever her duty took her around the globe. Her strong bilingualism and frequent use of Inuktitut helped to highlight the importance of celebrating and supporting Indigenous language use.

In 2024, Nunavut was honoured to welcome Her Excellency and His Excellency Whit Fraser for the territory’s 25th birthday.”

Contact

Joanna Awa
Press Secretary
Office of Premier John Main
jawa7@gov.nu.ca
867-975-5059

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