Inuit leader applauds appointment of 1st Indigenous governor general as 'powerful' moment
Natan Obed of Nain was on hand Tuesday to see Mary Simon assume the role
Inuk leader Mary Simon has been named Canada's first Indigenous governor general, and for people like Natan Obed, it was an emotional day.
"To see somebody like Mary Simon, who is an unquestioned Indigenous leader in this country and has been for decades, be recognized for her leadership and her service in taking on this new responsibility as governor general was something that was really powerful," Obed, the president of the national Inuit group Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, told CBC News on Tuesday.
"We're in a place where a governor general leads with an Indigenous language, leads with Inuktitut, but also talks about bringing Canada together."
Obed is originally from Nain in Nunatsiavut, Labrador's Inuit territory, and was on hand at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday when Simon was appointed to her new role by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
There have been barriers for Indigenous people from reaching top jobs in Canada for a long time, Obed said, whether they are systemic racism, the fact Indigenous languages are not official languages or because some candidates aren't fluent in English and French.
"I also think that we are in a time when the relationship between Indigenous peoples in Canada, and Canada is not something that is entirely positive as far as where we are," Obed said.
"So for a prime minister to have faith in an Indigenous person and to choose people to get that role as a queen's representative in Canada, with all of those surrounding conversations in this country, I think it did take courage and I'm very proud of the prime minister for making that decision."
Indigenous people 'celebrating this moment'
Obed said he doesn't believe Trudeau's decision was made in light of events over the three last weeks, which saw the uncovering of over 1,000 unmarked graves at former residential schools across the country, along with protests, marches and some vandalism against the celebration of Canada Day.
"Whether this scores political points, whether the prime minister has done this exclusively as a diversion tactic, I don't believe that for a second," Obed said.
Obed was part of the advisory group that considered more than 100 Canadians for the job.
"Mary Simon was one of those names, but she was there based on her record and I believe that she is going to serve based on the experience and the knowledge, the expertise, the intelligence she has as a Canadian and that she'll bring her experience as an Inuk into this place," he said.
Obed said there have been conversations over the last two decades about whether Canada "is ready for an Indigenous governor general."
He said it's been a long-standing, political conversation, and many Indigenous people have negative feelings toward the institution — but not all.
"I think as part of a political nuance here is that First Nations, Inuit and Métis have difference experiences with the Crown. They have also different ways to celebrate or not celebrate being Canadian," he said.
"Inuit across Canada are celebrating this moment and many other First Nations, and Métis and other Canadians are joining in and that is wonderful to see."