Gov. Gen.'s spouse criticizes Quebec media over coverage of Mary Simon's trip to province

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon's spouse, former CBC journalist Whit Fraser, is criticizing Quebec media for their coverage of Simon's French language skills during a trip to the province in late September.

In a Facebook post published Friday, Fraser wrote that when Simon became Canada's governor general, he accepted he would sometimes have to "bite my tongue."

"Today is an exception," Fraser said. "A growing raft of BS stemming from the Quebec media underlines the two things I'll always fight for. My wife and journalism that was so good to me."

Fraser directly called out Le Journal de Québec. After Simon visited a food bank in Lévis, Que., the news outlet published an article that said conversations during the visit were held almost exclusively in English.

In a statement to CBC News, Fraser said he was referencing several articles and radio broadcasts, including one from Le Journal.

The trip was cut short after Simon visited the food bank. In a statement on Sept. 26 responding to critical coverage of her language skills, Simon said she understands "the importance of French to French-speaking Canadians as a critical part of their cultures and identities."

"That is one of the reasons that, as I took on my role as governor general, I committed to learning French and continue to practice, improve and use all three languages."

Simon, who is Canada's first Indigenous governor general, is fluent in English and Inuktitut. She was educated in a federal day school in Quebec's Nunavik region and has previously said she was not given the opportunity to learn French as a child.

Simon started taking French lessons in July 2021, a Rideau Hall spokesperson said in August.

Fraser wrote that Simon was doing important work in Quebec by highlighting a unique food assistance program, but "overnight, outrage poured from a half dozen additional papers and radio stations, in both 'official languages.'"

"None were asked if they had ever tried learning the Governor-General's Indigenous language, Inuktitut," Fraser wrote.

Journalists who engaged in critical coverage of Simon's language skills didn't acknowledge that she wasn't taught French in Quebec schools, despite being raised in the province, Fraser wrote, adding that "going there is too much hypocrisy to bear."

Following critical press coverage, Fraser wrote that "a gaggle of insecure Quebec politicians chased the bandwagon — including federal Liberal cabinet ministers."

Fraser did not specify which politicians he was referring to in his post.