By Chris Brown

A positive step forward

Local leaders, advocates say time is right for Canada’s first Indigenous governor general

Jul 8, 2021 | 4:37 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The announcement Tuesday of Mary Simon as Canada’s new governor general was widely met with applause across the country and in Medicine Hat.

“Yes! Absolutely wonderful,” says Brenda Mercer, cultural coordinator at Miywasin Friendship Centre. “Female and Indigenous and she has a lot of experience so we’re really looking forward to that.”

Simon is the first Indigenous governor general in the country’s history and her appointment comes at an important time for Canada.

The country is reeling from the discoveries of unmarked graves at former residential school sites and Canadians are coming to terms with the dark history of the schools.

Dr. Vicki Roy is vice president academic and provost at Medicine Hat College. In March she was appointed to the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee with Colleges & Institutes Canada (CICan).

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She says this is the right time for an Indigenous governor general.

“I think the new governor general is the right fit and it’s timely,” Roy says.

Roy says it’s a positive step forward for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

“I really think she’s going to bring a new fresh perspective. I think Indigenous people in Canada have been waiting for a long time but it’s good for all Canadians,” she says.

Mercer agrees.

“I think it’s going to be really good. You have to start somewhere and being the first could be really set a precedent for more to come later. And I feel that she’ll be able to help influence things that we’re working on and encourage the non-Indigenous side also to maybe stop and listen and learn.”

Both say they’d like to invite Simon to the city when possible to teach her about the city’s Indigenous history and visit the Saamis Tepee.