Julie Payette (; born October 20, 1963) is a Canadian engineer, scientist and former astronaut who served from 2017 to 2021 as
Governor General of Canada
The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, ...
, the
29th since
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation (french: Confédération canadienne, link=no) was the process by which three British North American provinces, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into one federation called the Dominion ...
.
Payette holds engineering degrees from
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
and the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institu ...
. She worked as a research scientist before joining the
Canadian Space Agency (CSA) in 1992 as a member of the
Canadian Astronaut Corps. She completed two spaceflights,
STS-96 and
STS-127
STS-127 (ISS assembly flight 2J/A) was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). It was the twenty-third flight of . The primary purpose of the STS-127 mission was to deliver and install the final two components of th ...
, and has logged more than 25 days in space. She also served as
capsule communicator at
NASA Mission Control Center in
Houston
Houston (; ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in Texas, the Southern United States#Major cities, most populous city in the Southern United States, the List of United States cities by population, fourth-most pop ...
and from 2000 to 2007 as CSA's chief astronaut.
In July 2013, Payette was named chief operating officer for the
Montreal Science Centre. She also held a number of board appointments, including the
National Bank of Canada
The National Bank of Canada (french: Banque Nationale du Canada) is the sixth largest commercial bank in Canada. It is headquartered in Montreal, and has branches in most Canadian provinces and 2.4 million personal clients. National Bank is the ...
. On July 13, 2017, Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau
Justin Pierre James Trudeau ( , ; born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who is the 23rd and current prime minister of Canada. He has served as the prime minister of Canada since 2015 and as the leader of the Liberal Party since ...
announced that Queen
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
had approved the appointment of Payette as the next governor general of Canada.
She was invested on October 2, 2017.
Payette resigned on January 21, 2021, following the conclusion of a
workplace review that found she had "belittled, berated and publicly humiliated Rideau Hall staff" and "created a toxic, verbally abusive workplace".
The review was initiated by the
Privy Council Office to investigate accusations of harassment of civil servants in the Office of the Governor General.
The report's official goal was not to validate nor make findings of fact, as it only relied on what interview participants reported. She is the second governor general to have resigned the office, after
Roméo LeBlanc (who resigned due to health issues), the first to resign due to scandal, and the first to have left a vacancy upon resignation.
Education and early career
Payette was born on October 20, 1963, in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
,
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Government of Canada, Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is ...
,
and lived in the
Ahuntsic
Ahuntsic (; French pronunciation ) is a district in the northern part of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Originally an independent village, Ahuntsic was first annexed by Montreal in 1910, then merged into the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville in 2002.
...
neighbourhood, attending Collège Mont-Saint-Louis and
Collège Regina Assumpta.
In 1982 she completed an
International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB ...
diploma at the
United World College of the Atlantic in
South Wales
South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...
, United Kingdom.
For her undergraduate studies, Payette enrolled in
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
where she completed a
Bachelor of Engineering
A Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) or a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) is an academic undergraduate degree awarded to a student after three to five years of studying engineering at an accredited college or university.
In the UK, a Bache ...
degree in
electrical engineering in 1986, after which she completed a
Master of Applied Science degree in
computer engineering
Computer engineering (CoE or CpE) is a branch of electrical engineering and computer science that integrates several fields of computer science and electronic engineering required to develop computer hardware and software. Computer enginee ...
at the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institu ...
in 1990. Her thesis focused on
computational linguistics
Computational linguistics is an Interdisciplinarity, interdisciplinary field concerned with the computational modelling of natural language, as well as the study of appropriate computational approaches to linguistic questions. In general, comput ...
, a field of
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machine
A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, moveme ...
.
She is a retired member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec.[
She speaks French and English, some Spanish, Italian, Russian and German.
During her schooling, between 1986 and 1988, Payette also worked as a systems engineer for IBM Canada's Science Engineering division. From 1988 to 1990, as a graduate student at the University of Toronto, she was involved in a high-performance computer architecture project and worked as a teaching assistant. At the beginning of 1991, Payette joined the communications and science department of the ]IBM Zurich Research Laboratory
IBM Research is the research and development division for IBM, an American multinational information technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, with operations in over 170 countries. IBM Research is the largest industrial research o ...
in Switzerland, for a one-year visiting scientist appointment. When she returned to Canada, in January 1992, she joined the Speech Research Group of Bell-Northern Research in Montreal where she was responsible for a project in telephone speech comprehension using computer voice recognition.[
]
Canadian Space Agency
Payette was selected by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) as one of four astronauts from a field of 5,330 applicants in June 1992. After undergoing basic training in Canada, she worked as a technical advisor for the Mobile Servicing System
The Mobile Servicing System (MSS), is a robotic system on board the International Space Station (ISS). Launched to the ISS in 2001, it plays a key role in station assembly and maintenance; it moves equipment and supplies around the station, supp ...
, an advanced robotics system and Canada's contribution to the International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest Modular design, modular space station currently in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos ( ...
. In 1993, Payette established the Human-Computer Interaction Group at the Canadian Astronaut Program and served as a technical specialist on the NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
International Research Study Group on speech processing.
In preparation for a space assignment, Payette obtained her commercial pilot licence and logged 120 hours as a research operator on reduced gravity aircraft. In April 1996, Payette was certified as a one-atmosphere deep sea diving suit operator. Payette obtained her captaincy on the CT-114 Tutor military jet at CFB Moose Jaw in February 1996 and her military instrument rating in 1997. Payette has logged more than 1,300 hours of flight time,[ including 600 hours on high-performance jet aircraft.
Payette reported to the ]Johnson Space Center
The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is NASA's center for human spaceflight (originally named the Manned Spacecraft Center), where human spaceflight training, research, and flight control are conducted. It was renamed in honor of the late ...
in August 1996 to begin mission specialist training. After completing one year of training, she was assigned to work on the Mobile Servicing System. Payette completed the initial astronaut training in April 1998.
Spaceflight experience
Payette served as chief astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency from 2000 to 2007. She also worked as capsule communicator at the Mission Control Center in Houston for several years, including the return to flight mission STS-114. She was lead capsule communicator during STS-121.[
]
STS-96
Payette flew on the Space Shuttle ''Discovery'' from May 27 to June 6, 1999, as part of the crew of STS-96. During the mission, the crew performed the first manual docking of the shuttle to the International Space Station, and delivered four tons of logistics and supplies to the station. On ''Discovery'', Payette served as a mission specialist. Her main responsibility was to operate the Canadarm
Canadarm or Canadarm1 (officially Shuttle Remote Manipulator System or SRMS, also SSRMS) is a series of robotic arms that were used on the Space Shuttle orbiters to deploy, manoeuvre, and capture payloads. After the Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' ...
robotic arm from the space station. The STS-96 mission was accomplished in 153 orbits of the Earth, traveling over in 9 days, 19 hours and 13 minutes. Payette became the first Canadian to participate in an ISS assembly mission and to board the Space Station.[
]
STS-127
Payette visited the space station again in 2009 as a mission specialist aboard Space Shuttle ''Endeavour'' during mission STS-127
STS-127 (ISS assembly flight 2J/A) was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). It was the twenty-third flight of . The primary purpose of the STS-127 mission was to deliver and install the final two components of th ...
from July 15 to 31, 2009, and was the flight engineer and lead robotic operator during the mission. At that time, Robert Thirsk was a member of Expedition 20 on the space station. ''Endeavour''s docking at the space station marked the first time two Canadians met in space.
During her second mission, Payette brought a signed sweater of the famed Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
player Maurice Richard, stating she had brought Richard, who was known as "The Rocket", into the rocket to celebrate the hockey team's 100th anniversary.
Post-CSA
During 2011–2013, she worked at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (or Wilson Center) is a quasi-government entity and think tank which conducts research to inform public policy. Located in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Wash ...
in Washington, D.C., and was also a scientific delegate to the United States for the Quebec Government.[
For the next three years, Payette was chief operating officer of the Montreal Science Centre of the Société du Vieux-Port de Montréal. During that time, she was also a vice president of the Canada Lands Company. She abruptly left the Science Centre after a prolonged strike, as she was tired of the battles that came with her position.] Prior to her departure numerous employees came forward alleging verbal abuse that created a hostile working environment, as Payette was "intimidating" and "determined to be very hands-on and in control of every aspect".
In April 2016, Payette was appointed to the board of the Canadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC; french: Comité olympique canadien) is a private, non-profit organization that represents Canada at the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is also a member of the Pan American Sports Organization ...
, and attended the 2016 Summer Olympics. She left the Canadian Olympic Committee in 2017 after two internal investigations into her treatment of staff including verbal harassment.[PMO failed to check with key former employers before Payette's appointment as Governor General: sources](_blank)
/ref> In about 2017, she was appointed to the International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swis ...
's Women in Sports Commission.
Payette has served on boards of directors, at Queen's University, Canada's Own the Podium Olympic program, Montreal Science Centre foundation, Robotique FIRST Québec, Drug Free Kids Canada, the Montreal Bach Festival, the National Bank of Canada
The National Bank of Canada (french: Banque Nationale du Canada) is the sixth largest commercial bank in Canada. It is headquartered in Montreal, and has branches in most Canadian provinces and 2.4 million personal clients. National Bank is the ...
, Développement Aéroport Saint-Hubert de Longueuil, and others. She is a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and a fellow of the International Academy of Astronautics. As well, Payette is a member of the Faculty of Engineering Advisory Board of McGill University.
Governor General of Canada
Payette was announced on July 13, 2017, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Justin Pierre James Trudeau ( , ; born December 25, 1971) is a Canadian politician who is the 23rd and current prime minister of Canada. He has served as the prime minister of Canada since 2015 and as the leader of the Liberal Party since ...
's recommendation to be the 29th Governor General of Canada
The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, ...
. She was scheduled to take office October 2, 2017, after the completion of briefings from the incumbent, David Johnston
David Lloyd Johnston (born June 28, 1941) is a Canadian academic, author, and statesman who served from 2010 to 2017 as Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation. He is the commissioner of the Leaders' Debates Commi ...
. After the announcement was made, Johnston issued a statement congratulating Payette and welcoming "a Canadian of extraordinary achievement, admired by all".
As governor general-designate, Payette had her first official meeting with Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
on September 20, 2017, at Balmoral Castle
Balmoral Castle () is a large estate house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and a residence of the British royal family. It is near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and west of Aberdeen.
The estate and its original castle were boug ...
, when she was also invested by Her Majesty as an extraordinary Companion of the Order of Canada (CC), an extraordinary Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM), and a Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (COM).
Payette was installed as governor general on October 2, 2017. Afterwards, she urged Canadians to work together on issues such as climate change, migration and poverty. "Anyone can accomplish anything and rise to the challenge as long as they are willing to work with others, to let go of the personal agenda, to reach a higher goal and to do what is right for the common good. This is exactly what I hope my mandate as the governor-general will reflect", Payette said.
Tenure
As she was completing her first year as the viceregal representative in September 2018, Payette faced some criticism about controversial comments she had made against those who believe in creationism
Creationism is the religious belief that nature, and aspects such as the universe, Earth, life, and humans, originated with supernatural acts of divine creation. Gunn 2004, p. 9, "The ''Concise Oxford Dictionary'' says that creationism ...
and those who did not believe in climate change. At the Canadian Science Policy Conference the next month, she argued strongly for greater public acceptance of science, saying that too many people believe in astrology, deny climate change, and believe that "maybe taking a sugar pill will cure cancer". A ''Skeptical Inquirer
''Skeptical Inquirer'' is a bimonthly American general-audience magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) with the subtitle: ''The Magazine for Science and Reason''.
Mission statement and goals
Daniel Loxton, writing in ...
'' article described her remarks as "refreshing". George Dvorsky from Gizmodo.com stated "Her words were a breath of fresh air".
In subsequent comments, Payette emphasized the importance of debate and critical thinking but admitted that she was still growing into her role and needed more time to adapt to the position. "I learned that you have to be careful about how you say things, but not what you say", she added. Some time later, she offered an additional explanation to CPAC. "I made a speech as I had as an astronaut and I'm not an astronaut any longer, I'm governor general. I represent all Canadians. I've learned those lessons."
Weeks later, she faced criticism about her work ethic, with some suggesting that she had not devoted enough time and dedication to the role of governor general and had not visited several of the provinces in her nearly 12-month tenure. The ''Toronto Star
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and pa ...
'' published specifics confirming the more numerous appearances her two predecessors had made per year. Rideau Hall spokesperson Marie-Ève Létourneau said that "The first year of every mandate is a period of learning, adjustment and adaptation from both the Governor General and Rideau Hall staff." The Governor General office's lengthy review of patronage activities, that her predecessors had automatically done by longstanding tradition, left several established non-profit groups without committed support from the office and facing organizational changes.
Later in September, the Governor General's office confirmed that Payette would not preside over the 2018 Governor General's History Awards ceremony.
On September 27, Payette acknowledged the articles that had painted an "unfavourable image of our work" in an e-mail to staff, expressed regret about the effect of the criticisms on morale, and assured them that she was "very proud of all we have achieved together to date".
During Payette's tenure, the media also raised concerns over questionable spending projects at Rideau Hall and her refusal to move in to Rideau Hall after renovations were complete. It was reported that the spending included around $140,000 on "studying and designing a private staircase that was never built" and $117,500 on "a gate and series of doors to keep people away from Payette's office". With much of the grounds of Rideau Hall open to the public, it was however recognized, that there were current accessibility, privacy and security concerns, especially in light of the July 2nd security breach on the grounds by Corey Hurren.
Resignation
On July 21, 2020, CBC News reported that Payette had allegedly created a toxic work environment at Rideau Hall by verbally abusing employees. Two days later, spurred on by the CBC News report, the Privy Council Office formally launched an investigation into her conduct. Many former employees of the Montreal Science Center told the ''National Post
The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper available in several cities in central and western Canada. The paper is the flagship publication of Postmedia Network and is published Mondays through Saturdays, with ...
'' they witnessed similarly abusive behaviour by Payette in her time at the institution, although others described her behaviour as the result of rigorously high standards. Payette said that she supported the investigation into the workplace harassment. The Privy Council Office's independent report found that Payette and her second-in-command Assunta Di Lorenzo presided over a toxic work environment, detailing "yelling, screaming, aggressive conduct, demeaning comments and public humiliations."
On January 21, 2021, in what CBC News
CBC News is a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC.c ...
described as "an unprecedented move", Payette announced her resignation as governor general (which was effective the following day) after the completion of an independent workplace review of several claims of workplace harassment (in the form of, "belittling, berating and publicly humiliating" staff), as remaining in her post "would risk inflicting serious damage on the office". The secretary to the governor-general, Assunta di Lorenzo, who is also Payette's friend, resigned the same day. Payette's commission as Governor General was formally terminated by royal letters patent issued on January 22. Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...
, the chief justice of Canada
The chief justice of Canada (french: juge en chef du Canada) is the presiding judge of the nine-member Supreme Court of Canada, the highest judicial body in Canada. As such, the chief justice is the highest-ranking judge of the Canadian court sy ...
, was sworn in as administrator
Administrator or admin may refer to:
Job roles Computing and internet
* Database administrator, a person who is responsible for the environmental aspects of a database
* Forum administrator, one who oversees discussions on an Internet forum
* N ...
on January 23, 2021.
Trudeau was criticized by 15 sources interviewed by CBC for failing to vet Payette properly, as the PMO did not conduct checks with Payette's past employers ( Montreal Science Centre and Canadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC; french: Comité olympique canadien) is a private, non-profit organization that represents Canada at the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is also a member of the Pan American Sports Organization ...
) that could have uncovered that her style and temperament were not suited for the diplomatically sensitive and public role of Governor General.
As a result of her resignation, renewed scrutiny arose around the pension and benefits afforded to retired governors general. Under current law, she will receive a lifetime pension of nearly $150,000 and also can claim an additional $206,000 in expenses each year. Carleton University
Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning Worl ...
academic Philippe Lagassé has speculated that Payette's decision to resign may have been motivated by her desire to protect her entitlements, as parliament would be unlikely to retroactively reduce them.
Personal life
Payette has been married twice, first to François Brissette in the 1990s, and secondly to William Flynn, with whom she had a son in 2003, and from whom she divorced in 2015. Payette plays the piano and has sung with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
The Montreal Symphony Orchestra (french: Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, or OSM) is a Canadian symphony orchestra based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The orchestra’s home is the Montreal Symphony House at Place des Arts. It is the only orc ...
and Tafelmusik Chamber Choir. Currently, she sings with the Ottawa Bach Choir
The Ottawa Bach Choir is a professional vocal ensemble from Ottawa, Canada founded and directed by Lisette Canton specialising in early music. Their album Handel: ''Dixit Dominus; Bach & Schütz: Motets (2019)'' won a Juno Award for Classical Albu ...
. Among her other hobbies are running, skiing, racquet sports, and scuba diving.
In July 2011, Payette was driving and struck and killed a pedestrian who had stepped off a curb to cross the road when she should not have. The case was closed in 2012.
She was also charged with second degree assault in Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...
, on November 24, 2011. The case was closed without charges in April 2012 as she was found not at fault. At least one anonymously quoted source has alleged that the victim of the assault was her then-husband, Billie Flynn. Though the charges were later dropped, the couple split several weeks later and subsequently divorced. Payette has stated that charges were "unfounded" but refused to comment further on the circumstances leading to her being charged with assault. These incidents raised questions on the vetting process as she had been selected by Prime Minister Trudeau without consulting an ad hoc committee of experts. Such a committee was the means by which outgoing Governor General David Johnston had been selected by the Conservative government of Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Harper is the first and only prime minister to come from the modern-day Conservative Party of Canada, ...
. Once Payette was named Governor General-designate, media organizations pressed for the release of the divorce records, which Payette initially attempted to keep sealed before abandoning the bid.
Honours
Appointments
* 2000 – Knight of the National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as ''l'Ordre national du Québec'', and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is an order of merit in the Canadian province of Quebec. Instituted in 1984 when Lieutenant Govern ...
* June 10, 2010 – Member of the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame
* May 6, 2010 – September 20, 2017: Officer of the Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the c ...
(OC)
** September 20, 2017 – October 2, 2017: Companion of the Order of Canada (CC)
** October 2, 2017 – January 21, 2021: Chancellor and Principal and extraordinary Companion of the Order of Canada (CC)
** January 21, 2021– : Extraordinary Companion of the Order of Canada (CC)
* 2013 – Academy of Great Montrealers (Scientific category)
* 2016 – Commander of the Order of Montreal[
* September 20, 2017 – October 2, 2017: Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM)][
** October 2, 2017 – January 21, 2021: Chancellor and extraordinary Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM)
** January 21, 2021 – : Extraordinary Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM)][
* September 20, 2017 – October 2, 2017: Commander of the ]Order of Merit of the Police Forces
The Order of Merit of the Police Forces (french: Ordre du mérite des corps policiers) is an honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the only such fellowship reserved for only members of Canada's various police forces. Cr ...
(COM)
** October 2, 2017 – January 21, 2021: Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (COM)
** January 21, 2021 – : Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (COM)
* October 2, 2017 – January 21, 2021: Patron Scout of Canada
* October 2, 2017 – January 21, 2021: Honorary Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG; french: links=no, Garde côtière canadienne, GCC) is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue (SAR), communication, navigation, and transportation issues in ...
Medals
* 2012 – Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (french: Médaille du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II) or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ...
* September 28, 2017 – Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces' Decoration (post-nominal letters "CD") is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to ...
Foreign honours
* June 6, 1999 – NASA Space Flight Medal
* 2001 – Knight of
* June 25, 2010 – NASA Exceptional Service Medal
The NASA Exceptional Service Medal is an award granted to U.S. government employees for significant sustained performance characterized by unusual initiative or creative ability that clearly demonstrates substantial improvement in engineering, aer ...
[
* October 25, 2018 – Grand Cross of National Order of Merit of ]Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of , bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the ...
Honorary military appointments
* October 2, 2017 – January 21, 2021: Colonel of the Governor General's Horse Guards
* October 2, 2017 – January 21, 2021: Colonel of the Governor General's Foot Guards[
* October 2, 2017 – January 21, 2021: Colonel of the Canadian Grenadier Guards][
]
Honorary degrees
Payette holds 28 honorary doctorates, Some of the honorary degrees she has received:
* 1999 – Queen's University Queen's or Queens University may refer to:
*Queen's University at Kingston, Ontario, Canada
*Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
**Queen's University of Belfast (UK Parliament constituency) (1918–1950)
**Queen's University of Belfast ...
, Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...
(DSc)
* 1999 – University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa (french: Université d'Ottawa), often referred to as uOttawa or U of O, is a bilingual public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on directly to the northeast of Downtown Ottaw ...
, Doctor of the University (DUniv)
* March 10, 2000 – Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with three campuses, all in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located ...
, Doctor of Laws
A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor ( ...
(LLD)
* 2000 – Université Laval
Université Laval is a public research university in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The university was founded by royal charter issued by Queen Victoria in 1852, with roots in the founding of the Séminaire de Québec in 1663 by François de Mont ...
, Doctorate
* 2001 – University of Regina
The University of Regina is a public research university located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Founded in 1911 as a private denominational high school of the Methodist Church of Canada, it began an association with the University of Saskatche ...
, Doctorate
* 2001 – Royal Roads University, Doctorate
* June 13, 2001 – University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institu ...
, Doctor of Science (DSc)
* June 2002 – University of Victoria
The University of Victoria (UVic or Victoria) is a public research university located in the municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The university traces its roots to Victoria College, the first post-secondary insti ...
, Doctor of Science (DSc)
* 2002 – Nipissing University, Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or ') is a terminal degree in the humanities that, depending on the country, is a higher doctorate after the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree or equivalent to a higher doctorate, such as the Doctor ...
(DLitt)
* June 3, 2003 – McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
, Doctor of Science (DSc)
* 2004 – Mount Saint Vincent University, Doctor of Humane Letters
The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (; DHumLitt; DHL; or LHD) is an honorary degree awarded to those who have distinguished themselves through humanitarian and philanthropic contributions to society.
The criteria for awarding the degree diffe ...
(DHL)
* June 2004: McMaster University
McMaster University (McMaster or Mac) is a public research university in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood and Westdale, adjacent to the Royal Botanical ...
, Doctor of Science (DSc)
* 2005 – University of Lethbridge, Doctor of Science (DSc)
* 2005 – Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University (also Mount A or MtA) is a Canadian primarily undergraduate liberal arts university located in Sackville, New Brunswick, founded in 1839.
Like other liberal arts colleges in North America, Mount Allison does not par ...
* 2006 – University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Ruth ...
, Doctorate
* November 25, 2010: University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...
, Doctor of Science (DSc)
* 2010 – York University
York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,000 faculty and staf ...
, Doctor of Science (DSc)
* June 2010: Concordia University
Concordia University (French: ''Université Concordia'') is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University, Concordia is one of the th ...
, Doctor of Science (DSc)
* 2010 – University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo (UWaterloo, UW, or Waterloo) is a public research university with a main campus in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is on of land adjacent to "Uptown" Waterloo and Waterloo Park. The university also operates ...
, Doctor of Science (DSc)
* 2011 – Niagara University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
* 2011 – Ryerson University
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU or Toronto Met) is a public university, public research university located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's core campus is situated within the Garden District, Toronto, Garden District, although i ...
, Doctor of Engineering (DEng)
* 2012 – Carleton University
Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning Worl ...
, Doctor of Engineering
The Doctor of Engineering, or Engineering Doctorate, (abbreviated DEng, EngD, or Dr-Ing) is a degree awarded on the basis of advanced study and a practical project in the engineering and applied science for solving problems in the industry. In the ...
(DEng)
* June 4, 2012: Vancouver Island University, Doctor of Technology
The Doctor of Technology (abbreviated variously in different countries) is a degree normally conferred upon candidates after having completed a course of study in technology and a dissertation or a project of lengthy duration in a technologically r ...
(DTech)
* 2013 – University of Moncton
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...
* May 30, 2013 – University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.[University of Calgary
The University of Calgary (U of C or UCalgary) is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The University of Calgary started in 1944 as the Calgary branch of the University of Alberta, founded in 1908, prior to being inst ...](_blank)
, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
* June 23, 2016 – British Columbia Institute of Technology
The British Columbia Institute of Technology (also referred to as BCIT), is a public polytechnic institute in Burnaby, British Columbia. The technical institute has five campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region, with its main campus in B ...
, Doctor of Technology
The Doctor of Technology (abbreviated variously in different countries) is a degree normally conferred upon candidates after having completed a course of study in technology and a dissertation or a project of lengthy duration in a technologically r ...
(DTech)
* June 1, 2018 – Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal (UdeM; ; translates to University of Montreal) is a French-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university's main campus is located in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of Côte- ...
Honorific eponyms
Schools
* Julie Payette Public School, Whitby
Other honours
Payette assisted in the carrying of the Olympic flag
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) uses icons, flags and symbols to elevate the Olympic Games. These symbols include those commonly used during Olympic competition—such as the flame, fanfare and theme—as well as those used throughout ...
in the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. Th ...
, British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...
. She also attended the opening cereomny of the Pyeongchang Olympics eight years later.
Arms
References
External links
Website of the Governor General of Canada
CSA profile
Julie Payette installed as Canada's 29th Governor General
*
August 2018
{{DEFAULTSORT:Payette, Julie
1963 births
Canadian astronauts
Canadian bioengineers
Chief operating officers
Commercial aviators
People from Ahuntsic-Cartierville
French Quebecers
Governors General of Canada
IBM employees
Knights of the National Order of Quebec
Living people
McGill University Faculty of Engineering alumni
University of Toronto alumni
People educated at Atlantic College
People educated at a United World College
People educated at Scots College, Wellington
NASA people
Companions of the Order of Canada
Scientists from Montreal
Women astronauts
Canadian women engineers
Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame inductees
Commanders of the Order of Military Merit (Canada)
Canadian women commercial aviators
Space Shuttle program astronauts
Canadian women viceroys
Dames of Justice of the Order of St John