Governor General Mary Simon is facing criticism from members of the Commons government operations committee after cutting short a visit to Québec City due to her limited ability to speak French. Blacklock's Reporter says Simon, who acknowledged her struggles with the language, was reportedly unable to say more than “Bonjour, comment ça va?” during the visit, sparking discontent among Québeckers and MPs."Québeckers were very much insulted," said Conservative MP Luc Berthold (Mégantic-L’Érable, Que.), urging MPs to “take a stand for francophone Canadians who see this as an affront.”Simon, appointed Governor General in 2021, has faced ongoing criticism for not being fully bilingual. She initially committed to learning French at the time of her appointment, and Rideau Hall confirmed she has since taken 184 hours of French lessons. In a statement issued on September 26, Simon admitted, “I am not able to speak French,” after local media in Québec City highlighted her lack of proficiency.Despite her efforts, Simon’s inability to communicate effectively in French during the September 24 visit led to the cancellation of several events. “I’ve worked in Québec City quite a bit, and it seems to me that because we have common issues to discuss, we can find ways to get rid of the barrier in terms of language,” she said, reaffirming her commitment to continue learning the language.Bloc Québécois MP Julie Vignola (Beauport-Limoilou, Que.) sponsored a motion calling for future governors general to be fluent in both of Canada’s official languages. She argued it would be unacceptable for a unilingual francophone governor general to visit an English-speaking province without the ability to communicate with residents. “It’s a question of respect for all the communities, and those of the two official languages in particular,” said Vignola.The controversy has reignited discussions on bilingualism in official positions. Language Commissioner Raymond Théberge has previously noted the significant public backlash following Simon’s appointment, saying, “The appointment of a governor general who is not fluent in both official languages has elicited many reactions across the country.”Théberge emphasized that respecting both diversity and official languages is possible: “It is entirely possible to respect official languages while being inclusive.”Canada’s Official Languages Act does not mandate bilingualism for appointees. However, Simon is one of three governors general in recent history not fluent in both French and English, following former appointees Ed Schreyer in 1978 and Ray Hnatyshyn in 1989.
