Marc Garneau
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Joseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau (Template:IPA; February 23, 1949 – June 4, 2025) was a Canadian Armed Forces officer, astronaut and politician. Garneau served as a naval officer before being selected as an astronaut as part of the 1983 NRC Group. He became the first Canadian in space on October 5, 1984, and flew on three Space Shuttle missions. From 2001 to 2005, Garneau was president of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Garneau entered politics and was elected to the House of Commons in 2008, serving as a Montreal-area member of Parliament (MP) until 2023. A member of the Liberal Party, Garneau served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from January to October in 2021 and as Minister of Transport from 2015 to 2021.
Born in Quebec City, Garneau joined the Canadian Armed Forces, graduating with a bachelor's degree in engineering physics from the Royal Military College of Canada in 1970, and serving with Maritime Command (now known as the Royal Canadian Navy) as a combat systems engineer. He earned a PhD in electrical engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology in 1973. In 1983, Garneau was selected to be an astronaut. In 1984, he became the first Canadian in space as part of STS-41-G and served on two subsequent missions: STS-77 and STS-97. He was appointed executive vice-president of the CSA in February 2001, before becoming the agency's president in November. Garneau resigned from the CSA in 2005, and was elected to Parliament in 2008. The Liberal Party formed government following the 2015 election and Garneau was appointed to Cabinet. After serving as transport minister and foreign affairs minister, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not appoint Garneau to another portfolio after a Cabinet shuffle following the 2021 election. In 2023, Garneau retired from politics.
Early life
Joseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau was born into a military family on February 23, 1949, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.<ref name="CBC Obit 1" /> His grandfather, Gérard Garneau, was a colonel who served in the Canadian military during World War I.<ref name ="NYT Obit"> Template:Cite news</ref> His father, André Garneau, was a French Canadian from Quebec City who joined the military during World War II.<ref name ="1984 Star Bio"> Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Sfn His mother, Jean Richardson, was English Canadian from Sussex, New Brunswick, and was a nurse during World War II.Template:Sfn She met André while nursing him at a military hospital before he deployed overseas.<ref name ="NYT Obit"/> After the war, André continued his service in the Canadian military, rising through the ranks to become a brigadier general.<ref name ="NYT Obit"/> The Garneau family had four sons, beginning with Braun, followed by Marc, Charles, and Philippe Garneau.Template:Sfn<ref name ="Encyclopedia Canada"> Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
Education and military career
Garneau's frequent relocations due to his father's occupation during his upbringing necessitated his attendance at various schools, spanning both primary and secondary education, in Quebec City, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and London, England.<ref name ="NASA Bio"> Template:Cite web</ref> He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in 1970 with a bachelor of science in engineering physics and began his career in the Canadian Forces Maritime Command.<ref name="bio"> Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1973, he received a PhD in electrical engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London, England. His thesis was titled "The Perception of Facial Images". The Photofit analogue computer was used by him to discriminate facial features.<ref name="garneau73">Template:Cite book</ref> In 1974, Garneau served as a naval combat systems engineer aboard Template:HMCS.<ref name="bio" />
From 1982 to 1983, he attended the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Toronto. While there, he was promoted to the rank of commander and was transferred to Ottawa in 1983. In January 1986, he was promoted to captain. Garneau retired from the Canadian Forces in 1989.<ref name="bio" />
Space career
On December 5, 1983, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) announced Canada's first group of astronauts that were to fly on NASA's Space Transportation System.<ref name ="NRC Announces Astros"> Template:Cite news</ref> Garneau joined this first Canadian Astronaut Program (CAP) group, as one of six chosen from over 4,300 applicants.<ref name ="1st Astros Announced"> Template:Cite news</ref> Of these six original astronauts, he was the only military officer.<ref name ="1st Astros Announced"/> Garneau became the first Canadian to reach space on October 5, 1984, when Space Shuttle Challenger flew into low-Earth orbit.<ref name="NASA">Template:Cite web</ref>
Garneau's first spaceflight was aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, on the STS-41-G mission, from October 5 to 13, 1984.<ref name ="End 41-G Mission"> Template:Cite news</ref> He was a payload specialist.<ref name ="Marc's 41-G Mission"> Template:Cite news</ref> He was promoted to the rank of Navy Captain in 1986, and left the Canadian Forces in 1989, to become deputy director of the CAP.<ref name="bio" /> In 1992–93, he underwent further training to become a mission specialist.<ref name="Garneau’s Second Trip to Space"> Template:Cite news</ref> He worked as CAPCOM for a number of shuttle flights and was on two further flights himself: STS-77 (May 19 to 29, 1996) and STS-97 (to the ISS, November 30 to December 11, 2000).<ref name="Garneau’s Second Trip to Space"/><ref name="Garneau on STS-97">Template:Cite news</ref> He logged 677 hours in space.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On February 1, 2001, Garneau was appointed executive vice-president of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).<ref name="VP-CSA">Template:Cite news</ref> On September 28, 2001, the government announced his appointment as president of the CSA, replacing Mac Evans in that position on November 22, 2001.<ref name="New Head of CSA">Template:Cite news</ref> Garneau resigned from the Canadian Space Agency on November 28, 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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Crew members of STS-41-G in 1984
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Garneau in 1992, while training with NASA as a mission specialist
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Crew members of STS-77 in 1996
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Crew members of STS-97 in 1999
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Garneau floats in the hatchway that leads to Endeavour
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Political career
Garneau served as the Member of Parliament (MP) in the Canadian House of Commons for over 14 years. He represented two electoral districts during this time, first Westmount—Ville-Marie, and after the 2012 Canadian federal electoral redistribution, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount.<ref name="HoC Bio"> Template:Cite web</ref> His first attempt to win elected office was unsuccessful, as he placed second in the Vaudreuil—Soulanges electoral district during the 2006 federal election.<ref name ="Garneau's Political Hopes Deorbit"> Template:Cite news</ref> He first won elected office as a result of the 2008 federal election, winning his seat by over 9,000 votes.<ref name="spaceman wins seat">Template:Cite news</ref> He was re-elected to the House of Commons in the 2011 federal election by 642 votes.<ref name="wins">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His electoral district was abolished and he stood for office in the newly created Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount district for the 2015 federal election. He won the election with a majority of over 18,000.<ref name = "2015 ED Results"> Template:Cite web</ref>
On November 28, 2012, Garneau announced his candidacy for the leadership of the Liberal Party to be decided in April 2013. On March 13, 2013, Garneau formally withdrew his bid for the party leadership.<ref name="Garneau">Template:Cite news</ref> On November 4, 2015, Garneau was appointed Minister of Transport in the 29th Canadian Ministry of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He became Minister of Foreign Affairs on January 12, 2021, after a cabinet reshuffle.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Initial steps (2006–2008)
Garneau resigned as the president of the Canadian Space Agency to run for the Liberal Party of Canada in the 2006 federal election in the riding of Vaudreuil—Soulanges, which was then held by Meili Faille of the Bloc Québécois.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Liberal Party's support dropped off considerably in Quebec after the Sponsorship scandal and though considered a star candidate, Garneau lost to Faille by over 9,000 votes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In the 2006 Liberal Party leadership election Garneau announced his support for perceived front-runner Michael Ignatieff, who lost to Stéphane Dion on the final ballot.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> With the resignation of Liberal MP Jean Lapierre in 2007, Garneau expressed interest in being the party's candidate in Lapierre's former riding of Outremont.<ref name="confirmed">Template:Cite news</ref> Dion instead appointed Jocelyn Coulon as the party's candidate, who went on to be defeated by the New Democratic Party's Thomas Mulcair in the by-election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In May 2007, Garneau filed nomination papers to be the party's candidate in Westmount—Ville-Marie, after former Liberal Party deputy leader Lucienne Robillard announced she would not be seeking re-election. However, a week after filing his nomination papers Dion announced that he had hand-picked a candidate for the riding. Garneau later withdrew his nomination papers and announced he no longer had an interest in politics. In October 2007, Garneau and Dion held a joint news conference where they announced that Garneau would be the Liberal Party candidate in Westmount—Ville-Marie.<ref name="confirmed"/> Robillard announced her resignation as Member of Parliament in January and a by-election was later scheduled for September 8, 2008.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, the by-election was cancelled during the campaign when Prime Minister Stephen Harper called a general election for October 14, 2008. Though some pundits predicted a close race between Garneau and NDP candidate Anne Lagacé-Dowson, Garneau went on to win the riding by over 9,000 votes.<ref name="spaceman wins seat"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Member of 40th Parliament
Garneau was a member of the Industry, Science and Technology committee of the 40th Parliament. He also served on the Canada-Japan interparliamentary group.<ref name=oc>Template:Cite web</ref>
41st Parliament and leadership campaign
Template:See also Garneau was narrowly re-elected in the 2011 election where he beat New Democratic Party candidate Joanne Corbeil. He was Liberal House leader and served from 2013 as Liberal foreign affairs critic. He was a candidate for interim leadership of the Liberal Party, but was ultimately defeated by Bob Rae.<ref name="rae">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Garneau announced later that year that he was considering a bid for the permanent leadership of the party.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the summer of 2012, he announced that he was looking for a "dream team" to run his leadership bid and that he would only run if he could find the right people.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On November 21, 2012, Garneau was named his party's natural resources critic after David McGuinty resigned the post.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On November 28, 2012, Garneau announced his bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party, placing a heavy focus on the economy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> While fellow leadership candidate Justin Trudeau was widely seen as the front-runner in the race, Garneau was thought to be his main challenger among the candidates.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> With his entrance into the leadership race he resigned his post as Liberal House leader, while remaining the party's critic for natural resources.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
At the press conference announcing his candidacy Garneau ruled out any form of co-operation with the Green Party or New Democratic Party to help defeat the Conservative Party in the next election, which was proposed by leadership candidate Joyce Murray.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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On January 30, 2013, Garneau was replaced as natural resources critic by Ted Hsu. Garneau had been serving in the position on an interim basis.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On March 13, 2013, Garneau announced his withdrawal from the race, and threw his support to front-runner Justin Trudeau. On September 18, 2013, Garneau was named co-chair of the Liberal International Affairs Council of Advisors, providing advice on foreign and defence issues to Liberal Party of Canada leader Justin Trudeau.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Minister of Transport in the 42nd Parliament
In the 2015 elections held on October 19, 2015, Garneau was re-elected as MP in the newly created riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount. Two weeks later, on November 4, 2015, Garneau was appointed the minister of transport by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.<ref name ="Transport Minister 2015">Template:Cite news</ref> In May 2017, Garneau introduced an airline passenger bill of rights to standardize how passengers can be treated by airlines which operate any flights in and out of Canada. The legislation would create minimum compensation rates for overbooking, lost or damaged luggage, and bumping passengers off flights. It would also prohibit airlines from removing people from the flight if they have purchased a ticket and set the standard for tarmac delays and airline treatment of passengers when flights are delayed or cancelled over events in the airline's control, or because of weather conditions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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In March 2019, after days of initial refusal to take actions following the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, Garneau who had even gone so far as to say on March 11 that he would board a 737 MAX 8 "without hesitation" as an apparent show of support for the Boeing Company,<ref name=hupo>Template:Cite news</ref> finally agreed on March 13 to ground and prohibit all Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from flying in Canadian airspace.<ref name=grounds>Template:Cite web</ref> The Trump administration followed suit later that day.<ref name="klcnn">Template:Cite news</ref> This stood in contrast to the ministry's previous stance, where Garneau insisted the plane was safe to fly, thus making Canada one of the only two nations still flying a substantial number of Boeing 737 MAX planes at the time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Minister of Foreign Affairs in the 43rd Parliament
Garneau continued to serve as Minister of Transport after the elections to the 43rd Parliament held in October 2019. He was at Transport for the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and thus he was responsible to enforce the Quarantine Act as lieutenant to the Minister of Health Patty Hajdu; during this time he made many decisions that would affect the lives of travellers in co-ordination with Hadju.<ref name="pmcjtm20">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="ciscan">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="cbcjpt">Template:Cite news</ref>
Garneau then served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from January 12, 2021, until October 26, 2021.<ref name=oc/> On January 12, 2021, following the resignation of Navdeep Bains as minister of innovation, science and industry, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled the Cabinet, with Garneau becoming Minister of Foreign Affairs and Omar Alghabra taking his place at Transport.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Garneau was described as one of the most qualified and capable members of Cabinet.<ref name="nationalpost.com">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="montrealgazette.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="theglobeandmail.com">Template:Cite news</ref>
44th Parliament
Following the cabinet shuffle stemming from the election in October 2021, Garneau was dropped from Cabinet on October 26, despite being re-elected to his seat in the House.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Some speculated that Garneau did not remain in cabinet due to his age, being sacrificed in the name of gender parity, and that he reportedly refused to be subservient to the Prime Minister's Office.<ref name="nationalpost.com"/><ref name="montrealgazette.com"/><ref name="theglobeandmail.com"/>
On March 8, 2023, Garneau announced that he would resign his seat and retire from politics.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He gave his farewell speech in the House of Commons the same day.<ref name="Loyal Soldier Resigns"> Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The by-election to replace him in parliament occurred June 19, 2023.<ref name ="By-election Called 2023"> Template:Cite news</ref> Liberal Anna Gainey succeeded him, with almost as big a majority of votes as Garneau had won previously.<ref name ="Anna Gainey Wins"> Template:Cite news</ref>
Retirement and death
In retirement, Garneau continued to advocate for the advantages of human spaceflight in building space infrastructure for monitoring the planet and for communications.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In autumn 2024, Garneau's autobiography, A Most Extraordinary Ride: Space, Politics and the Pursuit of a Canadian Dream was published in Canada.<ref name ="Autobio NP Review"> Template:Cite news</ref>
Early in 2025, Garneau was diagnosed with both lymphoma and leukemia.<ref name="Cancer battle"> Template:Cite news</ref> In the final weeks of his life, he was a patient at McGill University Health Centre's Glen Site, in Montreal.<ref name=":0" /> His family announced he lost his battle with cancer, and died in Montreal on June 4, 2025, at the age of 76.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name = "CBC Obit 1"> Template:Cite news</ref><ref name ="CTV Death Announcement"> Template:Cite news</ref> After the announcement, members of the Canadian House of Commons stood for a moment of silence to remember their recent colleague.<ref name = "Global News Obit"> Template:Cite news</ref> His first wife and mother to two of his children, Jacqueline Brown, predeceased him by suicide in 1987, shortly after the couple separated.<ref name ="The accidental astronaut 2002"> Template:Cite news</ref> He is survived by his second wife, Pam Garneau, and four children, Yves, Simone, George, and Adrien.<ref name ="collectSPACE Obit"> Template:Cite news</ref>
Awards and honours
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
| File:CAN Canadian Forces Decoration ribbon.svg | Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD) | |
| File:CAN Order of Canada Companion ribbon.svg | Companion of the Order of Canada (C.C.) |
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| File:CAN Order of Canada Officer ribbon.svg | Officer of the Order of Canada (O.C.) |
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| File:Canada125 ribbon.png | 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal |
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| File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg | Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal for Canada |
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| File:QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg | Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Canada |
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Garneau was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1984 in recognition of his role as the first Canadian astronaut.<ref name="auto"/> He was promoted the rank of Companion within the order in 2003 for his extensive work with Canada's space program.<ref name ="Companion OC 2003"> Template:Cite news</ref>
He is honoured with two high schools named after him, Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in Toronto<ref>Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, Toronto, Ontario Template:Webarchive</ref> and École secondaire publique Marc-Garneau in Trenton, Ontario.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Garneau was the Honorary Captain of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets. In addition, no 599 Royal Canadian Air Cadets squadron is named in his honour.<ref name ="599 Air Cadets"> Template:Cite web</ref>
Garneau was awarded the Key to the City of Ottawa from Marion Dewar the Mayor of Ottawa on December 10, 1984.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
He was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1992.<ref name=ep5>Template:Cite news</ref>
Honorary degrees
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Electoral record
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See also
Sources
References
External links
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- Canadian Space Agency biography
- CBC Digital Archives – Marc Garneau: Canadian Space Pioneer
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