Julie Payette has announced she is resigning from her current position as Governor-General along with her secretary, Assunta di Lorenzo.
The news comes as the results of an investigation into allegations of a toxic workplace environment at Rideau Hall are expected to be released.
The Privy Council Office revealed last year that Quintet Consulting Corp. had been hired to conduct a third-party investigation into allegations of workplace harassment in the office of the Governor-General.
That came after CBC reports alleged that Payette belittled and publicly humiliated employees, reducing some to tears or leading to them quitting.
That prompted the Privy Council Office to launch a workplace review, which Payette herself welcomed at the time with a statement that said she was “deeply concerned” about the allegations.
Upon forming government in 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau abandoned the utilization of an official panel for her appointment – something that was used for her predecessor, David Johnston – and he shifted the selection process inside his office.
In 2017, Payette was named to the position.
Payette’s appointment was controversial from the outset. Shortly after she took the job, it emerged that she’d been charged with second-degree assault while living in Maryland in 2011 – something she described as unfounded.
Additionally, she was involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident that same year, however, the case was closed without charges after a police investigation.
Both incidents sparked a conversation about the vetting process prior to appointing Payette to the position. Many questioned whether she was fit for the role as well.
Although reports of how she was allegedly treating her staff began to emerge, this past fall, Prime Minister Trudeau expressed confidence in her abilities and had no plans to replace her at the time.
In the event a Governor-General can’t carry out the job, is removed, or dies, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada assumes the office’s powers as long as necessary.
While the Governor-General is a largely symbolic position, it does have some constitutional importance, particularly during a minority government such as the one Canada has now.
In 2008, former prime minister Stephen Harper asked then-governor general Michaelle Jean to prorogue Parliament to avoid a non-confidence vote he was expected to lose _ a decision that was controversial at the time but in keeping with constitutional tradition.
With files to the Canadian Press.
Graham Cox
