Michaelle Jean's Loyalty to Canada was Questioned

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.

The appointment as Governor General of Canada

Michaelle Jean made the statement that she was interested in working with all Canadians especially the youth of the country and the disadvantaged, hoping to dispel that she had only Quebec at heart.

Question of Supporting the Quebec sovereignty

Gilles Rhéaume, former president of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society, wanted Michaelle Jean and her husband to reveal how they voted in the Quebec 1995 election. Members of Parliament, and provincial cabinet members wanted answers.

Michaëlle Jean revealed the couple had gone through the appropriate criminal background checks by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.

Shortly after the films came to light where Michaelle Jean was found with hard line separatists toasting to independence, she was reported as saying, "Independence can't be given, it must be taken."

Michaelle responded with a statement of how committed both she and her husband were to Canada. The film segment in question was not about Quebec independence but the Independence of Haiti. Prime Minister Martin was quick to respond,"There is no doubt in my mind that her devotion to Canada is longstanding and resolute."

Nevertheless, she lost 20 percent of her popularity because of it. However, the Haiti community praised her for her support in their struggle for independence and held a special church service in her honour.

Michaelle Jean again defended her integrity as the governor general by denying any accusations that she was a sovereigntist and renounced her citizenship of France. Though, as the Head of State and Commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed forces, it would have been against French law to have dual citizenship, and holding government or military positions elsewhere, France agreed to wave that stipulation in her case. Michaelle Jean chose to renounce her citizenship. This final action finally put the accusations to rest.

Sources:

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