Next governor general vows to reach out to youth, disadvantaged
SANDRA CORDON Thu Aug 4, 4:49 PM ET
OTTAWA (CP) - Michaelle Jean, a descendant of slaves, a child of political exiles and Canada's next governor general, says she will reach out to young people and defend the disadvantaged.
Jean, a prominent Quebec journalist, was named Thursday by
Prime Minister Paul Martin as the Queen's next representative in Canada. She will be the first black woman to hold the post when she moves into Rideau Hall on Sept. 27.
"I want this office to continue to have life to it and connect with people from all walks of life, all backgrounds and circumstances," Jean told her first news conference.
She said she has a particular interest in standing up for women, youth and the disadvantaged.
As she spoke, her six-year-old daughter Marie-Eden squirmed, yawned and admired her shiny red shoes.
Jean, who is married to filmmaker Jean-Daniel Lafond, will be bringing the first child to reside in the official residence of the governor general since the family of Ed Schreyer lived there in the early 1980s.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jean and her family fled to Quebec when she was 11 years old to escape Francois (Papa Doc) Duvalier's brutal regime.
At 48, Jean is one of the youngest people ever appointed to the vice-regal post.
She'll take over from Adrienne Clarkson, 66, the retiring incumbent whose life story is in many ways similar to that of Jean.
Both women were born overseas into families that emigrated to Canada and later became broadcast journalists working for the CBC.
A regular contributor to CBC Newsworld's The Passionate Eye and Rough Cuts documentary programs, Jean may be best known for her work on RDI, the French-language all-news channel, as host of the documentary series Grands Reportages.
She's also said to be fluent in five languages - French, English, Spanish, Italian and Haitian Creole. She studied at the University of Montreal and Italian universities in Florence, Milan and Perugia.
Her personal history was seized on by the prime minister, who said that was part of Jean's appeal for the post of governor general.
"She really represents the story of Canada - the story of Canada in who she is, how she came here, and what she has done," said Martin.
"She is a reflection of that great quality of Canada, a country which focuses on equality of opportunity."
He denied Jean's appointment was a sop to populous Quebec, whose 75 federal seats will be hotly contested in the next federal election widely expected early next year.
"This has nothing to do with that nor, I think, on a day such as today is it the time to deal with partisan matters," said Martin.
Jean quickly acknowledged that she's no constitutional expert - a key aspect of the governor general's job these days as Martin's minority Liberal government struggles to hang on to power. But she vowed to seek out expert advice as quickly as possible, once on the job.
"I will take my responsibilities very, very seriously. I will be asking lots of questions."
That willingness to learn will be vital in the coming months as the new governor general could be suddenly pulled into a constitutional crisis if Martin's minority government falters, said political scientist Heather MacIvor.
"You cannot just wing it. You absolutely have to be prepared. . . if the worst happens - the worst being, if the government is defeated in the House of Commons."
That may also help explain why two journalists in a row have been picked for the delicate job, added MacIvor, who teaches at the University of Windsor.
"These are people who know how to handle themselves in stressful situations . . . and talk to people in a way that produces good results."
Journalists also tend to be non-partisan, essential for a governor general in such a charged environment, she added - and a necessary change from past practice of appointing former politicians to Rideau Hall.
Clarkson also wasn't a constitutional expert, but she had been known as a keen political observer.
Montreal's Haitian community was excited by the news of Jean's appointment.
Jean-Ernest Pierre, who runs a French-language radio station, said Jean will become a role model for other young Haitians.
But Jean denied her appointment was based on her colour and ethnicity: "I've never been a token . . . and will never be."
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who has been keen to defeat Martin and try himself to form a government, offered congratulations.
"I know Madame Jean will serve Canada in a dignified, vice-regal fashion."
NDP Leader Jack Layton called Jean's personal history "inspiring" and said he looked forward to seeing a child again living in Rideau Hall.
And like Clarkson, she brings a certain TV star power to the job which has been evolving under the retiring governor general.
SANDRA CORDON Thu Aug 4, 4:49 PM ET
OTTAWA (CP) - Michaelle Jean, a descendant of slaves, a child of political exiles and Canada's next governor general, says she will reach out to young people and defend the disadvantaged.
Jean, a prominent Quebec journalist, was named Thursday by
Prime Minister Paul Martin as the Queen's next representative in Canada. She will be the first black woman to hold the post when she moves into Rideau Hall on Sept. 27.
"I want this office to continue to have life to it and connect with people from all walks of life, all backgrounds and circumstances," Jean told her first news conference.
She said she has a particular interest in standing up for women, youth and the disadvantaged.
As she spoke, her six-year-old daughter Marie-Eden squirmed, yawned and admired her shiny red shoes.
Jean, who is married to filmmaker Jean-Daniel Lafond, will be bringing the first child to reside in the official residence of the governor general since the family of Ed Schreyer lived there in the early 1980s.
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jean and her family fled to Quebec when she was 11 years old to escape Francois (Papa Doc) Duvalier's brutal regime.
At 48, Jean is one of the youngest people ever appointed to the vice-regal post.
She'll take over from Adrienne Clarkson, 66, the retiring incumbent whose life story is in many ways similar to that of Jean.
Both women were born overseas into families that emigrated to Canada and later became broadcast journalists working for the CBC.
A regular contributor to CBC Newsworld's The Passionate Eye and Rough Cuts documentary programs, Jean may be best known for her work on RDI, the French-language all-news channel, as host of the documentary series Grands Reportages.
She's also said to be fluent in five languages - French, English, Spanish, Italian and Haitian Creole. She studied at the University of Montreal and Italian universities in Florence, Milan and Perugia.
Her personal history was seized on by the prime minister, who said that was part of Jean's appeal for the post of governor general.
"She really represents the story of Canada - the story of Canada in who she is, how she came here, and what she has done," said Martin.
"She is a reflection of that great quality of Canada, a country which focuses on equality of opportunity."
He denied Jean's appointment was a sop to populous Quebec, whose 75 federal seats will be hotly contested in the next federal election widely expected early next year.
"This has nothing to do with that nor, I think, on a day such as today is it the time to deal with partisan matters," said Martin.
Jean quickly acknowledged that she's no constitutional expert - a key aspect of the governor general's job these days as Martin's minority Liberal government struggles to hang on to power. But she vowed to seek out expert advice as quickly as possible, once on the job.
"I will take my responsibilities very, very seriously. I will be asking lots of questions."
That willingness to learn will be vital in the coming months as the new governor general could be suddenly pulled into a constitutional crisis if Martin's minority government falters, said political scientist Heather MacIvor.
"You cannot just wing it. You absolutely have to be prepared. . . if the worst happens - the worst being, if the government is defeated in the House of Commons."
That may also help explain why two journalists in a row have been picked for the delicate job, added MacIvor, who teaches at the University of Windsor.
"These are people who know how to handle themselves in stressful situations . . . and talk to people in a way that produces good results."
Journalists also tend to be non-partisan, essential for a governor general in such a charged environment, she added - and a necessary change from past practice of appointing former politicians to Rideau Hall.
Clarkson also wasn't a constitutional expert, but she had been known as a keen political observer.
Montreal's Haitian community was excited by the news of Jean's appointment.
Jean-Ernest Pierre, who runs a French-language radio station, said Jean will become a role model for other young Haitians.
But Jean denied her appointment was based on her colour and ethnicity: "I've never been a token . . . and will never be."
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who has been keen to defeat Martin and try himself to form a government, offered congratulations.
"I know Madame Jean will serve Canada in a dignified, vice-regal fashion."
NDP Leader Jack Layton called Jean's personal history "inspiring" and said he looked forward to seeing a child again living in Rideau Hall.
And like Clarkson, she brings a certain TV star power to the job which has been evolving under the retiring governor general.
