Outgoing Governor General Mary Simon has said that criticism of her French language abilities during her tenure was unfair, arguing that it is unreasonable to expect someone to learn a new language quickly without the opportunity to study it earlier in life.

In a recent interview, she emphasized that while she is bilingual in English and Inuktitut, she only began formal French learning after being appointed in 2021.

Simon noted that she took French lessons twice a week and invested significant effort into improving her skills, stating she can now read and understand French and follow prepared speech content, although conversational fluency remains limited.

Her appointment initially drew scrutiny, including dozens of complaints to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and a legal challenge from francophone advocacy groups seeking to overturn her appointment on the basis of her French proficiency.The case was later allowed to proceed by the Quebec Superior Court.According to her office, more than $52,000 was spent on French language training, amounting to over 300 hours of instruction.

Beyond the debate over official languages, Simon used the discussion to draw attention to the decline of Indigenous languages in Canada, including Inuktitut, which she said is increasingly at risk despite efforts to preserve it.She argued that official language policy tends to support English and French while Indigenous languages receive less structural support.

As she prepares to leave office, Simon reflected on her role in advancing reconciliation and said she has discussed ongoing priorities with incoming Governor General Louise Arbour.She also expressed hope that efforts to strengthen relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities will continue.