Marc Garneau, former federal cabinet minister and astronaut, dead at 76
Marc Garneau, who served as a federal cabinet minister after becoming the first Canadian astronaut to go to space, has died at the age of 76.
His former chief of staff Marc Roy said he was “saddened beyond words” to share the “gut wrenching news” in a post that included a statement from Garneau’s wife confirming his death.
“It is with deep sadness that I share the news of my husband Marc Garneau’s passing,” the statement from Pam Garneau says.
“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.”
The House of Commons on Wednesday evening held a moment of silence after Mark Gerretsen, the government whip, confirmed Garneau’s passing.
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.
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.
Garneau later released his autobiography in 2024, titled “A Most Extraordinary Ride: Space, Politics and the Pursuit of a Canadian Dream,” that included criticisms of Trudeau’s approach to foreign affairs and politics in general.
He wrote that he was “blindsided” by his removal from cabinet — one he said Trudeau never explained.
He also accused Trudeau of not valuing the importance of a foreign affairs minister, and that the former prime minister was not skilled at international relations.
“Unfortunately Canada’s standing in the world has slipped, in part because our pronouncements are not always matched by a capacity to act or by actions that clearly demonstrate that we mean what we say,” Garneau wrote. “We are losing credibility.”
In February, Garneau endorsed Prime Minister Mark Carney in his successful leadership campaign to replace Trudeau.
His last posts on social media were focused on criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump, and did not weigh in on the recent federal election that saw Carney’s Liberals form a minority government.
Garneau was born in Quebec City and earned a bachelor of science degree in engineering physics at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario.
—With files from the Canadian Press
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