In blow to Trudeau, queen’s consultant in Canada quits after harassment allegations

Canadian Governor General Julie Payette, the consultant of the nation’s head of state, Queen Elizabeth, stop on Thursday amid allegations of office harassment in a humiliation for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The resignation has no rapid implications for the Liberal authorities. The governor common has a largely ceremonial job similar to swearing in governments and formally signing laws, however can on uncommon events be requested to settle constitutional questions.
She resigned simply hours after senior officers acquired the outcomes of an unbiased probe into reviews of verbal abuse and bullying by Payette.
“I have come to the conclusion that a new Governor General should be appointed. Canadians deserve stability in these uncertain times,” Payette mentioned in a press release, including she was sorry for tensions that had arisen with employees.
She was the primary governor common to stop beneath a cloud.
Richard Wagner, chief justice of the Supreme Court, will quickly take over her duties till she is changed.
Payette, 57, took workplace in October 2017 for a five-year time period on Trudeau’s suggestion. Even after the probe was launched final July, Trudeau defended Payette, saying in September that she was “an excellent governor general.”
She was previously the nation’s chief astronaut and the primary Canadian to serve on the International Space Station.
In a short assertion, Trudeau mentioned the resignation meant office considerations within the governor common’s workplace could possibly be addressed. He notably didn’t thank Payette.
Trudeau is an avowed feminist, and Liberal officers mentioned on the time that the appointment would advance the reason for ladies.
Potential candidates for the job are presupposed to be vetted by a particular committee, a step Trudeau selected to disregard.
“The colossal failure of Ms. Payette’s term falls squarely on his shoulders,” mentioned Don Davies, a legislator for the opposition New Democrats.
“It’s not a constitutional crisis. … There is a system in place to allow for continuity of the role,” Barbara Messamore, a historical past professor and constitutional professional on the University of the Fraser Valley, informed the CBC.