Hon. Marc Garneau

Brownstein: Retirement is ‘a trip into the unknown’ for Marc Garneau
“If the prime minister had said to me before the election that I wouldn’t be in cabinet, I wouldn’t have run.”
Marc Garneau is dutifully cleaning out his soon-to-be-former Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount riding office in a non-descript office building across from Alexis Nihon Plaza.
“I am no longer an employee of the government as of the day I made my final speech on Wednesday the eighth of March, but they give you a certain amount of time to clear out your desk until they call a byelection,” Garneau matter-of-factly states in almost military-like parlance.
No theatrics here. Never have been, be it as a navy captain, Canada’s first astronaut in space, head of the Canadian Space Agency or, for nearly the last 15 years, a Liberal member of Parliament with stints as minister of transport and minister of foreign affairs.
And no second thoughts about retirement, either.
… Even out of office, Garneau pledges to continue lending his voice in opposing C-13.
This won’t come as any surprise to anyone who has ever known Garneau. He was as principled a politician — evidently not always an oxymoron — as they come.

Paul Wells: The elements of Marc Garneau
He was trained to admit every error. Then he went into politics.
A feature interview with the retiring MP for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount
Trying to get politicians to speak frankly while they’re still in office is not always rewarding. It gets easier quickly once they leave. … His interview with me wasn’t the work of a rebel either. Garneau remains a gentleman and a Liberal. He offered only praise for Justin Trudeau. But on several issues — communications philosophy; the handling of the Freedom Convoy occupation of Ottawa; and the proper attitude toward one’s own fallibility — he drew occasional sharp distinctions between his attitude and the Trudeau government’s.

11 March
As he heads into the political sunset, Garneau says ‘fragile’ democracy must be protected
Former astronaut and foreign minister Marc Garneau left politics this week, appealing to MPs’ “better angels” to tone down the partisanship. In a wide-ranging interview, he talks to Catherine Cullen about the fight to free the two Michaels, Chinese election interference and why he regrets heckling his opponents in the House of Commons.
(CBC) As he begins his retirement, former foreign affairs minister Marc Garneau says he’s concerned about preserving the integrity of Canada’s electoral process — though he says he was never briefed about allegations of Chinese interference in the 2021 election.
“I’m concerned about maintaining our democratic election process, and that is what concerns most Canadians,” Garneau told CBC Radio’s The House in an interview that [aired] Saturday.
“But I cannot honestly say that I was briefed on it. And so, I’m watching the development of this like everybody else,” he told host Catherine Cullen.
Return of detainees ‘happiest moment’ in foreign affairs role
Garneau…is no stranger to Canada-China relations. He was foreign affairs minister during the bilateral relationship’s lowest point in recent history, when Canada sought to negotiate the return of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor from Chinese imprisonment.
“This was a process that inched its way painfully forward for a very very long time,” Garneau said, adding that it was his conversations with the families of the two men that affected him most.
“That was the hardest part of my job, because when I spoke to them I had to carry the message that I believe we were making progress — not dramatic progress, but inching forward — when they were saying to me, ‘Nothing’s changed. This is been going on for 1,000 days. When is it going to end?'”
The return of the two men to Canada in September 2021 was his “happiest moment” in the portfolio, he said.
See Government’s ‘eyes are wide open’ on China: Garneau and below: Comment of 26 September 2021
‘I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t disappointed’
Garneau also served in the Trudeau cabinet as transport minister, a post he held for over five years. But his time at the head of Global Affairs Canada, which also included the government’s response to the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, was cut short when he was shuffled out of cabinet following the 2021 federal election

Michael Higgins: Trudeau is lucky retiring Marc Garneau is a man of class and discretion
Good for Marc Garneau, he’s getting out while the going’s — well, it’s not good, and it’s certainly not going to get any better for the Liberals.
(National Post) … Let no one suggest Garneau, who was first elected in 2008, is deserting a sinking ship. The ship may indeed be floundering, but Garneau has too much class, integrity and principle to run for cover when the going gets tough.
In his resignation speech to the House, he referred to a promise he made his family.
“I promised my family that I would leave political life after tabling the final report on Medical Assistance in Dying in the House,” he said, referring to his work co-chairing the joint House-Senate committee studying MAID. “Which I did on February 15. Completing that task was of great importance to me.”
Later, the 74-year-old said his family asked him last fall to consider retiring while he was still healthy.
“I’ve climbed all my mountains and I’m very happy with that and I want to spend time with my family,” he said.
However, the issues surrounding MAID are far from over and remain controversial. Garneau’s future contribution to matters such as extending MAID to mature minors and the mentally ill would have been invaluable. His advice will be missed.
It is unfortunate, or fortunate for Trudeau, that Garneau is a man of discretion because one feels that this is a politician who knows where the bodies lie. And a lesser MP who had been treated in the shabby way Garneau has been treated by the prime minister might be inclined to point them out.
Having served as transport minister, Garneau became foreign minister in January 2021, but was ousted by Trudeau ten months later after the federal election and returned to the backbenches.
Peter F. Trent, a former mayor of Westmount and a friend of Garneau, MP for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount, was scathing of the prime minister’s actions.
“Turfing Garneau from cabinet showed an egregious lack of judgment,” Trent wrote in the Montreal Gazette at the time. “A cynic might say that his rare skills, brainpower and ethics made Trudeau uncomfortable and that he prefers to surround himself with less demanding, more malleable cabinet ministers. Knowing Garneau as I do, I also suspect he refused to be a lackey to the all-powerful Prime Minister’s Office. As minister of transport and then minister of foreign affairs, Garneau would do what was right and what was best, not what the PMO told him to do.”

9 March
Former Liberal MP Marc Garneau calls anglophone minority rights in Quebec ‘a hill to die on’
(CTV) Former Liberal cabinet minister Marc Garneau, who announced his resignation as a member of Parliament this week, says he views anglophone minority rights in Quebec as “a hill to die on.”
Garneau’s comments on CTV’s Power Play with Vassy Kapelos on Thursday come as the federal government considers opposition amendments to a key piece of legislation Bill C-13.
The bill itself would amend the Official Languages Act to make sure federally-regulated businesses in French-dominant regions of Quebec offer services in French. But the preamble to the bill references the province’s own controversial language law, known as Bill 96, as a model for the protection and promotion of the French language.

Marc Garneau: ‘It has been an honour serving my country’
My challenge to members is to find their better angels and put away the anger and false indignation. Criticize by all means, but do it with respect and maybe even wit.
(Montreal Gazette) The following is an excerpt from the speech delivered in the House of Commons Wednesday [8 March] by Marc Garneau, as drawn from Hansard:
I am rising today to inform you that, after much deliberation and with an eye to the future, I have decided to resign from my role as member of Parliament for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount. I am very grateful to you for giving me an opportunity to address the House one last time after 14 years of service. It has been a wonderful 14 years. I spent seven years as an opposition member and seven years in government. …
I would ask my constituents to forgive me for leaving before the end of my mandate.
After the last election, I had the privilege of being appointed as the chair of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs and more recently as the joint chair of the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying. I am extremely proud of the work of these two committees. Last fall, I promised my family that I would leave politics after tabling in the House the final report on medical assistance in dying, which I did on Feb. 15. It was very important to me to accomplish that task. …
To those sitting across from me, I want to say that I enjoy the thrust and parry in this chamber. I have always viewed those members not as enemies but as adversaries, and there is a difference. I know that every single one of them comes here wanting to make Canada a better place. We might have different views about how to do it, and that is fine, but when all is said and done, there is much more that unites us than divides us. … Although I may not have shown it often, I have watched all of (my colleagues in opposition), some for a very long time, and I like and respect them, because I know what the job of being an MP involves.
Before I finish, let me issue a challenge to everyone in this chamber. Arrive each day in this House with the firm intention of showing respect for colleagues and for this extraordinary place. Be dignified. We must remind ourselves that when emotions run high, as they do for all of us, those emotions need to be channelled in a positive way, whether when supporting something or criticizing it.

A memorable interview during which Marc Garneau shows some of the personal traits and thoughtfulness that rarely -if ever- surfaced in his public appearances. A great and truly honourable man whose presence in politics will be greatly missed. (video)
Marc Garneau leaving politics after 15-year career
In an interview, long-time politician and former astronaut Marc Garneau talks about his decision to resign his seat in the House of Commons. ‘I’m leaving fulfilled. I just did things in a slightly different order,’ he said.

8 March
Comment by Marc Roy, Director of Communications and later Chief of Staff to Minister of Transport Marc Garneau:
Today, this great Canadian announced that he is stepping down as Member of Parliament after a distinguished career in public service. Marc Garneau is a true Canadian hero who has made remarkable contributions to the scientific and political fields. As the first Canadian astronaut to travel into space, he made history and inspired generations of young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As a politician, he provided sound judgement and compassion to every file or issue he addressed.
I was fortunate to support him for his entire five-year tenure as Minister of Transport, first as Director of Communications and then as Chief of Staff. I learned many things working by his side, but none more important than making room for compromise without compromising your values or integrity.
On behalf of Canadians from coast to coast to coast, thank you for your service.
Marc Garneau to leave politics after 15-year career
(Globe & Mail) Earlier this week, Mr. Garneau went to see the Prime Minister to inform him of his plans to exit. He told Liberal MPs of his intention to leave at their weekly meeting on Wednesday.
He also delivered a goodbye speech to the House of Commons in the afternoon.
During those remarks, Mr. Garneau apologized to his Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount constituents for leaving his job as MP, and thanked family members, as well as his constituency and parliamentary staff, caucus colleagues, and other MPs.
He challenged MPs to show respect for their colleagues. “Remind yourself, when your emotions run high, as they do for all of us, that those emotions need to be channelled in a positive way, whether you’re supporting something or criticizing it,” he said.
And then Mr. Garneau, the first Canadian in space, before his days in politics, was planning to take the train home to Montreal.

26 September 2021
Government’s ‘eyes are wide open’ on China: Garneau
Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton that the arrival of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in Canada is a moment he will remember the rest of his life. He also spoke about the relationship between Canada and China moving forward now that they’ve been released.
Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau says the Canadian government is under no illusions when approaching a normalization of relations with China, a day after two men detained by that country for three years finally returned home.
“There was no path to a relationship with China as long as the two Michaels were being detained,” Garneau said Sunday in an interview on Rosemary Barton Live, referring to Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. Kovrig, a diplomat, and Spavor, an entrepreneur who worked in North Korea and China, were detained separately and charged with espionage soon after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Canada in December 2018.
The series of events has chilled Canada-China relations. Garneau told host Rosemary Barton that when it comes to normalizing relations Canada’s “eyes are wide open” and the government is now following a four-fold approach to China: “coexist,” “compete,” “co-operate,” and “challenge.”