Michaelle Jean Under Fire for Eating Seal Meat

Michaelle Jean is the third and last female governor general of Canada who just ended her term in October 2010. She is a journalist and stateswoman and former refugee from Haiti.

Michaelle and the women in her family suffered abuse at the hands of her father. Michaelle Jean had conducted a study on spousal abuse while she was still in university. She also worked in a women's shelter after she finished her studies.

Michaelle Jean carried out other functions of her position such as dedicating Michael Lee-Chin Crystal at the Royal Ontario Museum on June 1, 2007. She went on a state visit to Brazil when she was called back to Canada to settle a Parliamentary dispute; the three opposition parties threatened to call a no confidence vote against the Stephen Harper government in 2008. She took the Prime Minister's advice and agreed to prorogue parliament until late January 2009. This motion was intended to give the current government the time to come up with a balanced budget. This motion also prevented the no confidence vote from the opposition parties. However, an early election was called.

Seal meat eating feast

Michaelle Jean made headlines again in 2009 for participating in the annual seal feast in Nunavut where the seal is gutted and she ate a piece of the raw heart. Even though Prince Charles and the two governor generals had done it before her, she was criticized by some for participating in this feast when European countries were banning seal meat products from Canada on the basis of inhumane clubbing practices. This was in fact her role as governor general to participate in this cultural tradition and others praised her for it.

Various functions

Michaelle Jean continued to carry out her various functions of office including conducting 'a fleet reviewin Esquimalt Harbour, to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Canadian Navy."

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micha%C3%ABlle_Jean

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2010/09/29/f-michaelle-jean-bio.html

http://www.conservative.ca/EN/news_releases/statement_from_stephen_harper_on_the_appointment_of_new_governor_general/

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20050811/gg_sovereignty_050811/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2005/08/12/jean-sovereignty050812.html

http://www.canada.com/national/features/governor_general/story.html?id=78549c49-781f-43c0-908d-20f24db2ca5a

http://archive.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4728

http://archive.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4994