OTTAWA - Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Natan Obed says he’s proud of how Gov. Gen. Mary Simon used her time in office to seek a balance between her dual identities as an Inuk woman and the Crown’s representative in Canada — roles that some Indigenous people felt were inherently in conflict.

“Self-determination also means that you get to decide whether or not to play any role within this country, and I think Mary was able to balance her indigeneity with her official function as head of state on behalf of the King for Canada,” he said.