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OTTAWA — Gov. Gen. Mary Simon has taken 324 hours of French classes since she was appointed to the viceregal office in 2021, at a cost of more than $52,000.
The updated numbers were provided by her office in response to questions from the Bloc Québécois.
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Simon has promised to learn French since her appointment and her office says she’s “deeply committed” to continuing the lessons and continues to practise.
The Bloc says her training to date, which works out to an average of less than two hours of classes per week, is not enough to really learn a language.
Simon was criticized during an official visit to Quebec last fall because she was not able to hold a conversation in French.
Simon, who was born in the Nunavik region of Quebec, speaks English and Inuktitut and is the first Indigenous governor general.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2025.
Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
