First Indigenous Governor General Installed in Canada

Canada appointed an Indigenous woman as governor-general, an unprecedented move that seeks to build a bridge amid social outrage following the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves in former residential schools sites.

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The Inuit community advocate and former journalist Mary Simons took on the 400 years old role as the Canadian society remains in turmoil over its treatment of Indigenous people."We need people like Ms. Simon because we need people who build bridges and bring us together," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

"It took me time to gain the confidence to assert myself and my beliefs in the non-Indigenous world. But when I learned that there was power in my voice and that others were seeing me as their voice, I was able to overcome my fear," the 73 years old official said during her installment on Monday.

"Since the publication of the Truth and Reconciliation Report six years ago, we have learned as a country that we need to learn the real history of Canada. Embracing this truth makes us stronger as a nation, unites Canada," Simons added, referring to a report that investigated the violent discrimination against Indigenous children in the catholic led residential schools which operated in the country for 120 years. The report concluded that these schools had to be considered cultural genocide.