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Molly Cormier

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The Honourable Graydon Nicholas was officially sworn in as New Brunswick's first aboriginal lieutenant governor on Sept. 30.

Enlarge Photo

Stephen MacGillivray Photo

Lt.-Gov. Graydon Nicholas is settling into his role as the Queen’s representative. Because education is of particular importance to him, he has decided that one of his goals is to visit every school in the province during his time as lieutenant-governor.

He recently met with reporter Molly Cormier at Government House to discuss his life as a trailblazer, his first month in office and his former career as a provincial court judge.

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Q: If you weren't doing this, what would be your chosen career?

A: I'd want to be a full-time grandfather because I've only got one grandson. He's three years old and he lives in Arizona.

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Q: How has the first month been going?

A: It's been a bit hectic, but it's been full of wonderful events and meeting a lot of people.

I'm learning a lot about different programs and events throughout the province, which are wonderful events, and I wish that more of the public would see them.

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Q: Take me back to when you first found out that you had received the nomination. How did you and your wife feel?

A: My wife and I were vacationing in Arizona and in Nevada in March, and we received a call from the premier's office at 5:30 in the morning.

The first thing you think of at that hour of the morning is something has happened to her family or my family.

Once I got awake, I asked, "What is it that you want?" And they said, "Well, we've had difficulty contacting you."

Then I was really worried, and I said, "What has happened?"

So then they said the premier would like to send my name to Ottawa for this position. I told the premier's office my wife and I will have to talk about this and pray over this to see if this is what we would agree to do.

So it took us a day and a half until finally we had enough prayer and enough discussion.

The next day we called the premier's office and said, "Okay, send my name forward."

It was on that basis it would be sent forward, but it was up to the prime minister.

So unfortunately, when the word leaked out, that was difficult for my wife and I because we couldn't tell the public anything, couldn't respond to it.

I only got the call then from the prime minister's office on Sept. 9 and it was finalized about 5:45 that night, saying, 'Okay we want you in Ottawa next day at 2 o'clock.'

I took the early flight, and that's the way it happened.

It was almost in a way like a relief to get this, because we had kind of lived in silence since March until September.

But we were both very excited, grateful, and honoured to be asked for this position.

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Q: How have your lives changed since?

A: Tremendously. Part of it is meeting people and getting to know there are a lot of good things happening in New Brunswick.

I was so used to bad news in the courts; this is a direct contrast.

The people's reception is also amazing and very warm, very hospitable.

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Q: Former Lt.-Gov. Hermenegilde Chiasson had a focus on the arts and promoting literacy. Have you established a focus or thought about goals for your term?

A: I think first of all, probably both Ms. Trenholme-Counsell and Mr. Chiasson were very strong on literacy and the arts, and so was Mrs. McCain actually.

So I'm in a way inheriting part of that. It's a good inheritance in that I enjoy dealing with education, so literacy is very dear to my heart.

I'm learning a lot about the arts and the artistic community and the visual arts. That's new for me.

I'm more familiar with aboriginal art because I have a pretty good collection of aboriginal paintings, but overall it's been a new experience for me.

In terms of my own personal goals, education is front and foremost in my heart.

My hope is to visit every school in the province of New Brunswick.

There are a lot of schools but I'm going to try my darnedest, and even later on when I'm finished, if I don't visit all the schools there's nothing says I can't go visit them as an ex-lieutenant-governor.

I want to visit universities, community colleges, and of course, elders are dear to my heart, so I want to visit as many senior citizen centres as I can because so often, these are important people and they have stories to tell.

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Q: As an aboriginal, you've been a trailblazer in New Brunswick. How will that translate into your term as lieutenant-governor?

A: The other part is that I was also the first one in my family to fail Grade 1. I could approach this thing negatively or positively; the positive part is I worked hard.

When I go speak to students, I say don't be afraid of failure because you learn more about yourself and you work that much harder.

That's one thing - I've learned to work hard.

I never in my career intentionally said I want to be the first lawyer, the first judge, or the first lieutenant-governor, it's just the way the circumstances happened.

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Q: Do you miss being a judge?

A: No. I'll tell you, because it's difficult.

The court experience is very uncomfortable for victims and for others; I'm sure it's a trauma for them. But you're neutral and trying to say, 'Okay now, who's telling the truth?' And once you determine guilt, what's the appropriate sentence?

You're always wrestling with that as a judge. You have no control what the media put in the newspaper. I don't miss that part at all.

I do miss one part and that's dealing with a lot of good staff and a lot of good judges in this province. I can tell you, without doubt, that I sleep better and I eat a little bit better as well. And I don't have those worries.

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Q: You're fluent in Maliseet and English. How are the French lessons going?

A: I haven't started yet. The staff here are all bilingual, so they help me. We're lining up the time when a tutor will be able to come and help me.

Yesterday at a school in Salisbury, five of the classrooms were French and the students asked me questions in French and I responded in English.

I wish I could have responded in French. It's a big learning curve, but I'll do it.

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Q: When will you be moving into Government House?

A: We're hoping the middle of November. We'll see, hopefully by then. Definitely before Christmas.

Molly Cormier will graduate from the St. Thomas University journalism program in May. Q&A appears each Saturday.