Governor Mary Simon says Queen Elizabeth II offered her important advice she still follows today when they first met during a Zoom call in July 2021, before Simon was sworn in. Speaking to CTV National News anchor and editor-in-chief Omar Sachedina at Canada House in London on Sunday, Simon said she couldn’t remember the queen’s exact words, but she told her something along the lines of “be kind to yourself.” Simon said she was advised to work hard as the sovereign’s representative in Canada, especially given the Crown’s relationship with Indigenous people, but also to make time for herself — something Simon believes reflects her resilient work ethic. ethics of the Queen towards the UK and the Commonwealth. Simon also discussed the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II and what talks lie ahead between King Charles III and Canada. Below is the transcript of the interview. Edited for grammar and clarity. Omar Sachedina: Your Excellency, take me back to September 8, the day we learned the Queen died. Where were you and what was your initial reaction? Mary Simon: “I had just come back from Ottawa and was in the office for about two hours, and it was obvious that things were not going well, but the sudden news that we got that he had passed was very emotional. It was kind of overwhelming that it was so sudden. So I just sat in my office and thought about her and the legacy she left and the warmth she showed when I went to see her and how welcoming she was. So all those thoughts went through my mind and it was a moment in my life.” Omar Sachedina: When you look back on her life, you know her better than most. Can you tell me about an era or a story that really captures the essence of who she was? Mary Simon: “Well, I always knew about the Queen, even growing up in the Arctic. And my grandmother, who was Inuit, talked about the Queen with her friends and colleagues and family members and she was always so reverence that they talked about, so I’ve always followed the royal family in my personal life, but I think for me, at the time I was installed, a little over a year ago, as Governor General, she had a Zoom call with Her Majesty and we had a very good conversation and during the conversation — I don’t remember her exact words, but she said, “Be kind to yourself,” which to me meant, you work hard, but you also take time to rest and you are there for yourself. And that has stuck with me ever since she said that. And then when I came to see her here in London at Windsor Castle, I guess it was May or June… she welcomed me and my husband into her home .And we had a very nice conversation with her and she served us tea and the dogs were there, the corgis, and she fed the corgis with some food, and it was just such an interesting and warm experience that I had and my husband and I said that this it’s a once in a lifetime experience for both of us, and it’s been some really good memories.” Omar Sachedina: People say goodbye to the queen, but they also welcome a new king. You’ve talked about the need to have difficult conversations to deal with the harsh legacy of colonialism and the relationship between Indigenous people around As an Inuk woman representing the Crown, you have such an ability to be able to be a central mediator in those conversations. What is the proper way to have these discussions with the new King, King Charles III? Mary Simon: “He’s started the conversation, and he actually started the conversation when he was still the Prince when he came to Canada a few months ago, and he’s carried it through to today. And the few times I’ve been able to talk to the King, he’s expressed a renewed vision of a relationship that he has as the new King Charles III. And he talks about the idea that the Queen did everything she could in her own way… I think he’s ready to discuss these issues with us to see what he can do as the new monarch who replaced his beloved mother.” Omar Sachedina: Did the Queen ever talk to you about apologizing to the indigenous people? Has this ever come up in conversation? Mary Simon: “No, the apology issues really started to pick up when Prince Charles was in Canada. Before that, I hadn’t heard that much about it.” Omar Sachedina: And has he talked about it while he was a prince? Mary Simon: “Not when he was in Canada with me, but he mentioned in an ongoing conversation that we had. But at the same time, what we talked about is really a way of reconnecting with people and being able to understand what that might mean.” Omar Sachedina: Are you sure the pardon will come with the new king? Mary Simon: “At this point, I don’t know. I think there is a call for it from some indigenous leaders, but at this point, I don’t have that information.” Omar Sachedina: I want to ask you, as best you can, to look to the future. Tomorrow more than 2,000 people will gather at Westminster Abbey for the state funeral to say goodbye to the Queen and you will be among that group. What will you think? Mary Simon: “Well, it’s a very emotional moment for me as a person. And I’m here representing Canada, so I have to carry myself in a way where I’m a representative, but sitting there I’m going to feel the emotions. I’m going to think about the moments that I’ve met Her Majesty and I’m sure I’ll be thinking about the family and how hard this is for the family and that we’ll carry on her memories because they’re important.” Omar Sachedina: Your Excellency, last question, what is one thing about the Queen that most people would not know? Mary Simon: “When I talked to her she was very knowledgeable about all the different things that were going on around the world, including the situations in Canada that we’ve been going through for the last year. And maybe a lot of people don’t know that… A lot of people think that, like the position she’s a figure to me, so her position was a figure, but she’s not. When you get down to the day-to-day operation of the work we do, it’s hard work. And I don’t think a lot of people know that part of Her Majesty.” Omar Sachedina: Your Excellency, I am grateful for your time. Thank you very much. Mary Simon: “My pleasure.”
