Former Canadian Governor-General Michaelle Jean is travelling the world to promote her bid to head the international organisation representing French-speaking nations. Canada is one of 57 members of the Organisation international de la Francophonie (OIF) as are two of its provinces, Quebec and New Brunswick.
Jean was a journalist with Canada’s public broadcaster before she was named governor-general (a ceremonial position as representative of the Queen) in 2005. She went on to become the UNESCO special envoy to Haiti, a post she currently holds.
Jean was born in Haiti and came to Canada as a refugee in 1968. The Globe and Mail newspaper reports that “she is seen as a distinguished member of the African diaspora” which garners support from some African heads of state.
It also points out that when she met with Chad’s president she did not discuss the fact that that country had just criminalized homosexuality nor did she speak about Rwanda’s human rights record when she met with President Paul Kagame.
Reports the Globe “Ms. Jean says that she does not “meddle” in the affairs of foreign nations, that she can only call attention to rights provisions of the OIF charter, support local rights defenders and repeat that the rule of law is good for business.”
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