Marc Garneau, 1st Canadian astronaut in space, dead at 76

Isaac Olson · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 04, 2025 6:29 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 5

Former astronaut and furniture curate Marc Garneau has died. He was 76.

A connection from his wife, Pam Garneau, says he passed distant peacefully aft a abbreviated illness, surrounded by his family.

"Marc faced his last days with the aforesaid strength, clarity and grace that defined his life," the connection says.

She says the household is grateful for the outpouring of support, interest and benignant words received implicit the past fewer days and besides asks for privateness "as we grieve this profound nonaccomplishment and instrumentality clip to bespeak and heal."

Garneau was calved connected Feb. 23, 1949, successful Quebec City. He studied engineering physics astatine the Royal Military College of Kingston, graduating in 1970, and helium earned a doctorate successful electrical engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology successful London successful 1973.

He past began his vocation by enlisting successful the Canadian Navy, wherever helium served from 1974 to 1983. After that, Garneau became the archetypal Canadian to question to abstraction arsenic portion of a NASA ngo successful 1984.

After holding assorted positions astatine the Canadian Space Agency, helium became its archetypal vice-president, past its president, from precocious 2001 until 2005.

"Marc was my relation model, mentor, 30-plus-year adjacent person and an exemplary Canadian for america all," said erstwhile Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield successful a statement. "My bosom goes retired to his family. The satellite mislaid a precise bully man."

In 2008, Garneau was elected arsenic a Liberal successful what was past the Quebec riding of Westmount–Ville-Marie. In 2013, ridings were redrawn, and helium was elected to represent Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount. 

He served arsenic curate of transport in Justin Trudeau's authorities from 2015 to 2021, and past arsenic curate of overseas affairs from January to October 2021. Garneau resigned from the House of Commons successful March 2023.

On X Wednesday, Trudeau says he was successful schoolhouse successful the aboriginal 1980s erstwhile helium archetypal met Garneau. 

"I was successful awe of his work and courageousness then, and continued to beryllium truthful erstwhile I had the privilege of serving alongside him successful Parliament and successful government," says Trudeau.

"Throughout his life, Marc genuinely embodied and radiated the greatness of Canada."

Garneau was good known successful the community

Westmount Mayor Christina Smith remembers volunteering connected Garneau's campaigns earlier helium took office, and served connected his riding association.

"He was truthful incredibly generous with his clip with people, and particularly kids," said Smith, recalling him visiting a robotics summertime campy oregon speechmaking Hadfield's book to children past summer. 

Everywhere helium went, kids wanted to speech to him, she said. And not lone was Garneau moving to support section organizations funded and attending events, helium was besides a Westmounter whom radical would spot walking down Sherbooke Street, stopping by the pharmacy oregon market shopping, she said.

"People got to spot him. They got to cognize him," said Smith. "He was truthful respected. All the tributes you're going to see, they're truthful genuine."

WATCH | Remember Marc Garneau's travel to space: 

Peter McQueen, a metropolis councillor successful Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG), got to cognize Garneau implicit the years "and the much I got to cognize him, the much I liked him," helium told CBC News Wednesday afternoon.

McQueen remembers however Garneau was known for showing up astatine assemblage events and being progressive connected the section level, contempt his engaged beingness successful Ottawa.

"He was an honorable guy. He was a hard-working guy. He was a astute guy," said McQueen. "The radical of NDG came to admit him."

David Lametti, erstwhile curate of justness and lawyer wide of Canada, described Garneau arsenic a "hero to each of us." 

"And helium volition beryllium missed," helium said.

'I ever did my best': Garneau

As transport minister, Garneau introduced Canada's rider measure of rights successful 2018 which includes measures specified arsenic prohibiting airlines from bumping passengers from a formation against their will. In 2019, Garneau described it "as a world-leading attack to aerial rider rights that would beryllium predictable and just for passengers."

As overseas affairs curate successful September 2021, helium boarded an overnight formation connected a authorities pitchy with Trudeau to greet successful idiosyncratic Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, the 2 Canadian men detained successful China for astir 3 years. 

During his farewell code successful the House of Commons successful aboriginal March 2023, Garneau thanked his family, colleagues, staff, civilian servants and parliamentary employees.

He reflected connected his clip successful authorities and challenged younger Canadians to safeguard democracy.

"Nothing is cleanable successful this satellite but I similar to deliberation that I ever did my champion to effort and marque it better," helium said.

"Although my regard volition stay connected the aboriginal — arsenic it ever has — I anticipation that you, the young radical of this country, volition manner that aboriginal and support our democracy."

A infinitesimal of soundlessness was observed successful the House of Commons connected Wednesday evening.