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Jeanne Sauvé: Govenor General ceremony delayed

When describing Jeanne Sauvé, it's hard not to think of the word "first." She was the first woman MP from Quebec to become a cabinet minister, Canada's first female Speaker of the House, and the first female governor general. As she moved from broadcast journalist to high-profile political figure, Sauvé undoubtedly had her share of challenges and controversies. But through it all, the woman of "firsts" never lost her characteristic elegance and grace.

Jeanne Sauvé is very ill. She's been in the hospital for the last 10 days, according to reporter Jason Moscovitz in this CBC News clip. Despite rumours that she is suffering from some kind of cancer, Moscovitz assures viewers that she has come down with a "respiratory virus, complicated by an allergy to antibiotics." Her swearing-in ceremony as governor general had been scheduled for early March, but now it has been postponed until her health improves. 
• Sauvé was hospitalized from Jan. 17 until March 3, 1984. While there, her condition was quite serious and many colleagues believed she was on her deathbed. According to the book Her Excellency Jeanne Sauvé, both the Canadian Press and CBC were standing by with obituaries ready to go.
• After being released from the hospital in good health and taking some time to recover, Trudeau and Sauvé set her swearing-in ceremony for May 14.

• Her predecessor as governor general, Edward Schreyer, remained in the position while Sauvé's investiture was put on hold. His next position was to be Canada's high commissioner to Australia, which he began after Sauvé was sworn in.

• After returning to work, Sauvé always remained extremely private about the nature of her illness. There were rumours that she was suffering from Hodgkins disease (a form of lymphatic cancer), but she never directly addressed the question. In numerous interviews, she said the details of her illness were a private matter -- she owed it to the public to tell them that she was well enough to function in her job, but that was as far as it went. jeanne sauve
Medium: Television
Program: The National
Broadcast Date: Jan. 28, 1984
Anchor: Peter Mansbridge
Reporter: Jason Moscovitz
Duration: 1:27

Last updated: April 16, 2013

Page consulted on April 16, 2013

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