LONDON –
Meeting with Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday for Her Majesty’s platinum anniversary, Governor-General Mary Simon said she felt like visiting someone she knew and someone she cared about.
“I’ve probably followed her my whole life,” Simon told CTV National News editor-in-chief and senior editor Lisa Laflam.
“I remember when I was growing up, my grandmother had a picture of her and she was revered in the Arctic.
Simon arrived in London, England, just before the lighthouse was lit in Canada’s House, one of thousands lit in the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth to mark the Queen’s throne in the 1970s.
Joined by her husband, Whit Fraser, Simon will be staying over the weekend to attend other anniversaries, including Friday’s Thanksgiving service, which the Queen will miss due to “some discomfort,” according to Buckingham Palace.
Read the full transcript of CTV National News’ conversation with Simon below, which has been edited for grammar and clarity.
Lisa LaFlamme: First of all, it is such a pleasure for me to talk to you, especially on such a historic day. What does it mean to you that you have just met the queen to see this celebration?
Governor-General Mary Simon: I am very happy that this is happening and that Her Majesty can live through it. I think this is just a great tribute to the 70 years of rule she has over the United Kingdom. In addition, being the Queen’s representative in Canada is very important to my work, and it is also very important to many Canadians.
Lisa LaFlamme: Certainly so, and I think it’s interesting that she was mentioned as the first feminist in a way, and I wonder how your views have come face to face with her. Did it surprise you? Was she what you expected?
Mary Simon: When I met her, she was very, very nice and very, you know, we just talked, like we were sitting together in the afternoon and talking about all the different things that were going on in the world. And she was very, you know, involved in those discussions. So, there were two things: one, she was very hospitable and made us feel welcome in her home. And also that she is so insightful and still very involved in what is happening. So both things are very important for someone like her to be able to present this to the world, really.
Lisa LaFlamme: And for so long, yes.
Mary Simon: And for so long.
Lisa LaFlamme: Did you have a discussion with her about the issue of Indigenous people in Canada and whether there should be an apology coming from the Queen herself?
Mary Simon: No, that question did not arise then. So it was not part of our discussion. We talked about the housing schools and the unmarked graves that were found. And she felt, you know, very bad about it, and she really wanted things to work out for everyone. So that was to some extent we were discussing this, but I talked to her about the work I’m doing on reconciliation, the work I’m going to do next year in my term is to attract Canadians and Native Canadians from all over the country. , and from the Arctic, to hold these discussions where we can learn about each other and be able to live side by side and give each other space, and have equal opportunities and education, jobs … all that space that it is necessary for respect so that the racism we have experienced begins to disappear. So there’s a lot of work to do, but we have to get started. I mean, this is already happening and we will be even more committed.
Lisa LaFlamme: So, this is your conversation with Her Majesty.
Mary Simon: Yes.
Lisa LaFlamme: Does it surprise you that she was so aware and engaged?
Mary Simon: No, it didn’t really surprise me. I’ve probably been following her my whole life. I remember when I was growing up, my grandmother had a picture of her and she was honored in the Arctic. And she was telling us about the queen, you know she’s the highest order on earth. I have always had a very strong interest in her work. So it was really like, I guess what I felt was that I felt like I was visiting someone I knew. And I also visited someone who is interested. So these, you know, just talk about these issues together. And she laughed – my husband is a good storyteller.
Lisa LaFlamme: I heard she has a wonderful sense of humor.
Mary Simon: Yes, she does.
Lisa LaFlamme: But imagine what your grandmother, who had this picture with the Queen all your childhood, and your mother, especially your role as her representative in Canada, would think, and that she has reached the platinum anniversary.
Mary Simon: Yes, that’s right. I just want my parents to be alive and my grandmother, who really talked a lot about her, and they would like to be proud of what is happening.
Lisa LaFlamme: Why was it important for you to see here? You just arrived today. What motivates you?
Mary Simon: I am really excited about the platinum anniversary event because I think it really shows that our country cares and that we recognize the importance of what it has done as a world leader. And I think for me as her representative in Canada, I feel it’s really important for me to make the connection and be here.
Lisa LaFlamme: Now that we’ve learned that the Queen won’t be there tomorrow (Friday), how concerned are you about her well-being? I mean, I just saw her mobility.
Mary Simon: She was doing well when I saw her. She was still recovering from her COVID from the pandemic. But she was getting stronger. And when I saw her this morning, you know, she waved to all the people who were here, she looked so beautiful. She absolutely radiated and this is her moment. She should take this with her and be proud of what she has done.
Lisa LaFlamme: How do you think she inspired you?
Mary Simon: She has inspired me for so many years. I probably went through a difficult time when I was young and the only woman in many, many organizations and in board meetings. It took me many years before I could just be part of the crowd, so to speak, and the acceptance that even though I was a woman, I could still do the job as well as anyone else. I think role models like Her Majesty really help you stay strong and stay focused and understand what you think is important. That’s what I did. I was also so moved by the love she showed for her family, her grandchildren, her children. She talked about them and expressed how important they were to her. And it was a family, you know, it was a family she was proud of, she loved. And she was talking about what was really beautiful.
Lisa LaFlamme: That was in your personal conversation with her?
Mary Simon: Yes.
Lisa LaFlamme: That must have been very strong. I mean, there must have been a moment when you thought, “I’m talking to the queen, the queen is telling me about her children.” Was there a strange moment?
Mary Simon: Yes, that’s right. And also, just the fact that she mentioned each of her children, not just one or two, but all of her children, and she mentioned them all in her own way. And it just made me realize even more that she’s very human.
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