After becoming the first Canadian astronaut to go into space, Marc Garneau, 76, died. He was a minister in the federal cabinet. In a post with a statement from Garneau’s wife confirming his death, his former chief of staff Marc Roy said he was “saddened beyond words” to share the “gut wrenching news.” In her statement, Pam Garneau states, “It is with deep sadness that I share the news of my husband Marc Garneau’s passing.” “Marc faced his final days with the same strength, clarity and grace that defined his life. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family. We wish to express our heartfelt thanks for the outpouring of support, concern and kind words received over the past few days.”
Pam Garneau also thanked the medical team that cared for her husband during his “short illness” and asked for privacy as the family grieves their “profound loss.”
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After the government whip, Mark Gerretsen, confirmed Garneau’s death on Wednesday evening, members of the House of Commons observed a moment of silence. Several MPs shared their condolences to Garneau’s family afterward, with those who worked with him in Parliament commending his service.
“He really embodied the best qualities, and was by all means was one of the most honourable people I had the great privilege of working with,” Liberal MP and former cabinet minister Ali Ehsassi said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney called Garneau a “history-making astronaut” and public servant of “exceptional distinction”“He brought dedication and duty to every post he held,” Carney said in a statement. “May we all remember him for the national pride and possibility he represented to us all.” Industry Minister Melanie Joly, who succeeded Garneau as foreign affairs minister in 2021, said he was “a trailblazer, a mentor and a true statesman” who she learned from in their time working together.
“I will always remember his wisdom, his generosity, and his unwavering commitment to public service,” she said in a statement.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called Garneau “a great Canadian” and said he was saddened by his loss.
“Even though we took part in several debates in Parliament where we disagreed on many issues, he was always a trailblazer and proud to serve the country he loved,” he posted on social media.Garneau flew on three NASA Space Shuttle missions and first entered space in 1984.
He was president of the Canadian Space Agency from 2001 to 2005 before entering federal politics. He first won a seat in the House of Commons in the 2008 election, running for the Liberals.
He represented the Montreal riding of Westmount-Ville Marie, a riding that later became Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount after boundary changes in 2015.
He staged an unsuccessful run for the party leadership in 2013, ultimately withdrawing from the race and backing Justin Trudeau, who would go on to win in a landslide victory.
Garneau served as Canada’s minister of foreign affairs from January to October 2021 in the Trudeau government. Before that, he was also the minister of transport for five years.He was shuffled out of cabinet following the 2021 election and later retired from politics in 2023.
In his farewell speech in the House of Commons, Garneau urged MPs to “find your better angels” and “put away the anger and false indignation” that was becoming more frequent in Parliament.
Marc Garneau, former federal cabinet minister and astronaut, dead at 76
