According to Ridohall, only seven people have been expelled from the Canadian Medal in its 50-year history. No one has ever cancelled an order due to allegations of harassment.

“There has never been a governor deprived of honor. It’s that simple,” said Michael Jackson, director of the Canadian Crown Institute at Massey College in Toronto. “If it does happen, it is absolutely unprecedented.”

Shortly after Payette resigned six months ago, Rideau Hall received a request from the public to revoke Payette’s Canadian Medal. The complaint was filed after an external review found that “toxic” and “toxic” workplaces hosted by Payette caused many employees to withdraw from Rideau Hall or take sick leave.

Rideau Hall: “…this process is going on on time”

Giovanni Cormano, a Vancouver welder and public sector employee, told CBC News that he submitted a request to remove Payette from the Canadian Medal. In a letter to Rideau Hall, he wrote: “Julie Payette has disrupted the order of Canada and the meaning it represents.”

“Let her keep this honor will tarnish the achievements of Tommy Douglas, Margaret Atwood, Terry Fox, Kim Campbell, Leonard Cohen, and Rick Hansen,” Ke Ermano wrote in his letter dated January 31 that the letter was obtained by CBC News. .

Cormano did not work for Payette, but argued in his letter that she was suspected of abusing employees. Rideau Room, Montreal Science Center and Canadian Olympic Committee Damage the credibility of honor.

Quoting confidentiality rules, Rideau Hall would not say whether it received other formal requests to expel Payette from the Canadian Medal.

According to the provisions of, The Canadian Medal is a gift from the government. If an individual is convicted of a criminal offence or engaged in a “serious deviation from the accepted standard of public conduct, it is deemed to be a breach of credibility, the integrity or relevance of the order, or the original on which the appointment is based reason.”

Any Canadian can apply to remove someone from the Canadian Medal. If the Honors Deputy Secretary-General of Rideau Hall concludes that there may be reasonable grounds for revoking the honor, the complaint is sent to the Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the Governor. This process may take more than a year.

According to an email seen by CBC News, the Governor’s Office told Cormano that it was taking his request seriously.

“The reputation of the Canadian honor system is at the core of our mission,” the retired Brigadier General. Honorary Deputy Secretary Marc Thériault said in an email to Cormano on June 4.

“I confirm that the process is being completed on time… The review of your request may take several months to complete… If your request is rejected at any stage of the process, you will receive written notice.”

Rideau Hall’s website stated that Julie Payette was awarded the Canadian Medal in 2010 because she was “an inspiration for Canadian engineering and an outstanding international ambassador”. As an astronaut, Payette spent more than 611 hours in space and was the first Canadian to board the International Space Station.

In 2017, the Queen awarded Payette a special partner of the Order of Canada in recognition of her appointment as Governor.

At the request of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Queen relieved Payette from the post of Deputy Governor on January 22.

When asked to comment on her request to be removed from the Canadian Medal, a spokesperson for Payette declined to comment.

Lise Boyer, an agent of JP Communications, wrote: “Now, her focus is on personal issues, and she applauded Canadian athletes at the Tokyo Olympics.” “Mary Simon’s appointment as GG has naturally become the focus of public attention, Payer Mrs. Te doesn’t want to spoil this.”

A “retaliatory” form of return?

Some constitutional experts believe that revoking Payette’s Canada Medal would be an overkill.

Barbara Mesamore, who criticized Payette for allegedly abusing employees, said that “it is undeniable” that Payette “has paid a high price”.She admits that some people may disagree because Payette has received estimates $149,484 annuity Every year for life after resignation.

“Her reputation has really been affected,” said Mesamore, a researcher and vice president of the Royal Canadian Institute. “I don’t think we need to take the next step of revenge and take all possible means to punish her behavior.”

She said Payette’s work as an astronaut still deserves recognition.

Philip Lagasser of Carleton University, who studies the Westminster system at Carleton University, said that the withdrawal of Payette’s Canadian Medal was “excessive.”

“She was not fired,” he said. “She did give up this position. Faced with allegations of workplace harassment, she agreed to resign. She must have dealt with the consequences.”

Lagasse said that the allegations against Payette have not been confirmed in court.External review Try not to make a fact finding It is to determine the scope of the problem.

Rideau Hall stated that the termination procedure is confidential

Rideau Hall will not comment on the case to CBC News, saying that the termination procedure is confidential.

Rideau Hall spokesperson Lynne Santerre said in a media statement that the advisory committee’s decision was based on evidence that “may include, but is not limited to, criminal convictions or sanctions from professional institutions.”

She wrote: “The termination of any honor is an extraordinary measure that helps protect the credibility of Canada’s honor system.”

According to the work of Christopher McCreery, some Canadian Medal recipients have been deprived of the honor for criminal convictions (including fraud, assault with weapons, and obstruction of justice) Order of Canada. He wrote that other appointments were terminated due to professional misconduct, such as making anti-Semitic remarks or being disqualified from practicing.

McCreary wrote: “People are unwilling to deprive those who have suffered personally or made such a major contribution that their crimes dwarf the honor.”

If the Advisory Committee decides that there may be a reasonable reason for termination, Payette will be notified and have the opportunity to provide a written response.

If the case ends in the long process, the council will make recommendations to Governor Mary Simon on whether to terminate Payette’s appointment to the order.

Simon is already familiar with the revocation process. She served as a member of the advisory committee in 2014-that year, the committee recommended that former media mogul Conrad Black be expelled from the Canadian Medal.

Seven years ago, Black was convicted of fraud and obstruction of justice in the United States. McCreary wrote that the advisory committee waited until Black had exhausted his appeal options.