Lessons from the Julie Payette affair? Even the governor general can be held accountable

January 25, 2021
The Ottawa Citizen - Eugene Lang, Adjunct Professor, School of Policy Studies, Queen's University; Fellow, Canadian Global Affairs Institute

In the pantheon of bad government appointments, Julie Payette – who last week resigned as governor general, owing to findings that she engaged in what amounts to workplace harassment at Rideau Hall – ranks near the top.

Choosing a governor general – or more precisely, recommending to the Queen a suitable representative for the Crown in Canada – is not among the most difficult tasks of a prime minister. The main challenge arises in selecting among a wide range of worthy candidates.

Which leads to the question, what are the core qualifications for governor general?

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