Former astronaut and Liberal MP Marc Garneau has died at the age of 76.
His wife, Pam Garneau, shared the news of his passing in a statement on Wednesday, saying he passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.
“He faced his final days with the same strength, clarity, and grace that defined his life,” read the statement.
“We wish to express our heartfelt thanks for the outpouring of support, concern, and kind words received over the past few days. We are especially grateful to the medical team who provided such dedicated and compassionate care during his short illness. We kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this profound loss and take time to reflect and heal.”
Garneau was born in Quebec City and earned a bachelor of science degree in engineering physics at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario.
He was the first Canadian to go into space, flying on three separate space shuttle missions.
Garneau was president of the Canadian Space Agency from 2001 to 2005 before he was elected to the House of Commons in 2008, serving as the Liberal Minister of Transport and Minister of Foreign Affairs before retiring from politics in 2023.
MPs rose for a moment of silence in the House of Commons on Wednesday night at the request of government whip Mark Gerretsen.
