A class of Grade 8 students from City Park School in Saskatoon had the opportunity to speak with the Governor General of Canada today at Wanuskewin Heritage Park. Governor General Mary Simon engaged in a ‘question and answer’ session with the group of youths, who are taking part in an ‘Ecoquest’ program at their school. The program helps students develop a deeper understanding of environmental, ecological and social justice issues.

Simon was offered questions about her daily roles, what it’s like to be Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General, and her favourite parts of the job. “As I travel across the country, I am getting to know a lot of young people, like yourselves, and they usually have lots of questions, which is a really fun thing to do, I think, just to learn from each other,” she explained.

She was also tasked with commenting on several heavier topics, such as the importance of addressing systemic racism. “The respect has to go both ways. The racism has to stop, and only through that will we get to a place where we can say we’re getting though some of the reconciliation issues.” She highlighted the importance of learning about the history of the country and making space for one another to explore their cultures and languages.

Several climate change-related questions were posed, as well. Simon was asked how she would respond to those who would adamantly deny the climate crisis. “In the Arctic, we live it every day. The ice is melting as fast as it can melt. The glaciers are breaking. The sea-ice is becoming very thin. So climate change is very real up in the northern and arctic regions.” She hopes treaties and agreements being negotiated by the international community will help alleviate climate change in the long run, as she thinks it is not an issue that can be turned around quickly.