Media

Biography of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada

Michaëlle Jean was born in Port au Prince, Haiti. As a young child, in 1968, she fled her country with her family and sought refuge in Canada.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Italian and Hispanic languages and literature, she undertook studies toward earning a Master of Arts degree in comparative literature at the University of Montreal. From 1984 to 1986, she taught at the university's Faculty of Italian Studies. During the 1980s, she studied linguistics and literature at the University of Perugia, the University of Florence, and the Catholic University of Milan, all of which cited her for excellence. She is fluent in five languages: French, English, Italian, Spanish and Creole.

As she pursued her studies and academic interests, Madame Jean worked for eight years (1979 to 1987) with shelters and transition homes for abused women in Quebec. She was also involved in aid organizations for immigrant women and families, and worked at Employment and Immigration Canada and the Conseil des Communautés culturelles du Québec.

For 18 years, Michaëlle Jean enjoyed a brilliant career as a journalist and anchor of information programs. She joined Radio-Canada in 1988, working successively as a reporter and host on news and public affairs programs such as Actuel, Montréal ce soir, Virages and Le Point. In 1995, she started anchoring a number of Réseau de l'Information (RDI) programs at Radio-Canada. In 1999, she was also asked by the English network, CBC Newsworld, to host The Passionate Eye and Rough Cuts, which broadcast the best in Canadian and foreign documentary films.

In 2001, Michaëlle Jean began anchoring the weekend edition of the major news broadcast Le Téléjournal. In 2003, she became the anchor of Le Téléjournal's daily edition Le Midi.

In 2004, she started her own show, Michaëlle, broadcast on both French-language public television networks. This program featured a series of in-depth interviews with experts, enthusiasts and visionaries.

Madame Jean has won numerous honours for her professional achievements.

Michaëlle Jean is married to Jean-Daniel Lafond. They have a six-year-old daughter, Marie-Éden. Madame Jean's family also includes Mr. Lafond's two daughters from a previous marriage and his two grandchildren.