Governor General pays first official visit to Toronto

Julie Payette welcomed with 21-gun salute in her first official visit to the city since being named Governor General.

Thestar.com
Feb. 20, 2018
Miriam Katawazi

As part of her first official visit to Toronto Tuesday, Canada’s Governor General met with local politicians and handed out awards to dozens of recipients for their bravery, work and volunteerism.

Premier Kathleen Wynne and Mayor John Tory both welcomed Governor General Julie Payette to the city by holding brief meetings in their offices at City Hall and Queen’s Park.

Red carpets were spread inside City Hall and outside the Legislative Building, where a 21-gun salute from the 4th Canadian Division/Joint Task Force Central honoured Payette on her first official visit.

A handful of spectators stood in the pouring rain outside the legislature to see her arrive Tuesday morning. Faye MacLachlan, a retired sergeant of the Governor General’s Horse Guards, had been planning to be there 45 minutes early just to see Payette.

“It might be one of the few times that I get to see her in Toronto,” said MacLachlan who had a hand-stitched horse brooch pinned to her blue coat. “It’s a continuation of the history of Canada and the representation of the royal house and monarchy in Canada.

“I think that’s very important and I wanted to be here to support it.”

At City Hall, a much larger crowd waited indoors for the Governor General. Numerous school children waved tiny flags as the Montreal-born astronaut, engineer and businesswoman entered the building with the mayor.

Davisville Junior Public School presented Payette and Tory with brightly coloured cards filled with little notes about what each child in the Grade 5 class wanted to be when they grew up. The card also featured a drawing of an astronaut as a tribute to Payette’s former career.

Payette signed two books inside the mayor’s office with a Latin phrase that translates to, “through hardships to the stars.”

Later in the afternoon, Payette handed out awards at the Fairmont Royal York hotel in downtown Toronto, to honour 60 Canadians for their excellence, courage and exceptional dedication to service.

At the ceremony, she spoke about the success of Canadians at the Winter Olympics and the importance of Canadian spirit.

“I have been here many times but this is the first official visit and what a setting it is,” she said. “I have seen Ontario actually from one end to the other, on the ground and above the ground.

“I feel home here, actually, I feel home pretty much anywhere in this country because I am a proud Canadian,” she told the room filled with award recipients and their families.

At the ceremony, Payette presented a 78-year-old Toronto man with the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honours.

Stephen Anderson Otto was recognized for his 40 years of work to preserve the history of Toronto and Ontario, including his efforts to expand and preserve the Fort York National Historic Site.

“I have had a long career in the field working and volunteering” said Otto. “We fought and acted pretty steadily for 25 years to bring the Fort into the life of the city and to support it there.

“I think society depends for its stability on these touchstones.”