Former astronaut Julie Payette, announced as Canada’s next governor general on Thursday, has a strong Vancouver Island connection.
She has had a number of speaking engagements in Victoria over the years, including a 2002 stop at Willows Elementary School prior to being bestowed with an honorary degree from the University of Victoria. “You have something more precious than flying in space,” she told the students. “You have your future in front of you.”
In addition to her honorary degree from UVic, the Montreal-born Payette, 53, was similarly recognized by Royal Roads University in 2001 and Vancouver Island University in 2012.
She is closely connected with Pearson College, having served on its volunteer board of directors from 2010 to 2013 and attended its sister school in Wales.
Benoît Charlebois, Pearson College’s director of community and stakeholder engagement, served on the board with Payette. He worked with her in Quebec in the 1980s on a selection committee for United World Colleges, the parent organization for Pearson College.
“She’s definitely an amazing person,” Charlebois said. “She’s been on more boards than we can count.”
Along with that, Payette is a fine leader, an accomplished engineer and a great pianist, among many other things, he said.
She has been willing to engage with youth referred to her by Pearson, Charlebois said, including some with aspirations to be astronauts.
“Several young people have come up to us since they knew of her connection to Pearson and have asked us if we can connect them to her,” Charlebois said. “On multiple occasions she has accepted very wholeheartedly.”
She is a solid choice, said Norman Ruff, associate professor emeritus in political science at UVic. “The governor general is the Queen’s representative, and the No. 1 requirement is to have someone who all Canadians can identify with.”
Payette certainly fills that bill, he said. “It seems a very good choice for our times. We’re moving into an age where we really look up to people who have been into space.
“People who have been into space have an entirely different view of the universe, and that puts them in a very special category. Somehow it gives you a special kind of a stature and respect.”
Gov. Gen. David Johnston has done well and will leave big shoes to fill, Ruff said, but Payette looks to be “eminently qualified” for the job.
In a 2012 event to mark UVic’s 50th anniversary, she talked about the value of pursuits such as space travel.
“Exploration and pushing the limit is what makes us better,” she said.
Payette co-chaired UVic’s 50th anniversary honorary cabinet, which was made up of 17 people chosen to reflect the university’s values.
Her honorary degree makes her “part of the UVic family,” said Carmen Charette, UVic’s vice-president of external relations.
“She’s a great Canadian and committed to Canada, committed to youth, to education, to research, to making the world a better place.”
Royal Roads president Allan Cahoon said Payette has been linked to the university since she received her honorary degree. “She has served as an ideal role model to our students with her enthusiasm for teaching and learning throughout a lifetime,” he said. “And we hope to welcome her back to campus someday as Her Excellency Madame Payette.”
Premier-designate John Horgan acknowledged Payette as an “exemplary choice” for the job. “Ms. Payette is a role model to many British Columbians,” he said in a statement. “She is a strong advocate for discovery and ingenuity, a beacon for women in STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — was one of the first women in the Canadian astronaut corps and the first Canadian on board the International Space Station.”
Premier Christy Clark commented on Payette via Twitter. “Julie Payette has accomplished more on this Earth — and beyond — than most would dare dream. Canada could have no better representative.”
