(1949-02-23) February 23, 1949 (age 75) Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Political party
Liberal
Education
Royal Military College of Canada (BS) Imperial College London (PhD) Canadian Forces College
Website
marcgarneau.ca
Allegiance
Canada
Branch/service
Maritime Command
Years of service
1974–1989
Rank
Captain
Space career
Time in space
29 days, 2 hours, 1 minute
Selection
1983 NRC Group NASA Group 14 (1992)
Missions
STS
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Saturday, October 5, 2024 was the 40th anniversary of Marc Garneau’s first ride on the space shuttle into space and Earth orbit. He ventured beyond our realm three times in his sixteen year career as a NASA astronaut, culminating in his final mission in 2000 when he helped assemble the International Space Station. For those of you, dear readers, who are not Canadian, I can tell you that Marc Garneau is famous in his home country.
I spent a good chunk of the afternoon, on the 40th anniversary of his first space flight, interviewing him on stage in Burlington, Ontario, with a rapt audience of 300, as he launched—pun intended—his new memoir, A Most Extraordinary Ride. The book recounts his life in space and in politics where he served as a Member of Parliament, and senior Cabinet Minister.
And here’s a recent interview with Marc on CBC’s Rosemary Barton Live about the book and his life:
I first met Marc Garneau about a dozen years ago just after I had finished the manuscript for my third novel, Up and Down. It tells the story of a PR program to rekindle public interest in the space program that included a Citizen Astronaut Lottery where one American and one Canadian, drawn at random from millions of entries, would have the chance to ride the shuttle int
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Few politicians have Marc Garneau's pedigree: He's smart, bilingual, a former navy captain. Oh, and did we mention he was Canada's first man in space?
We wondered why Garneau chose to run for politics in 2006. As he mulls a run for the Liberal leadership, we asked him what drew him to Ottawa, and what he would change about the place.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Looking out the window of the Space Shuttle.
What is your greatest fear?
That I'll run out of time.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Looking serious all the time.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Fine scotch.
On what occasion do you lie?
Never. I'm brutally honest.
What made you decide to run for elected office?
To vanquish cynicism.
What is the one thing about politics you would change?
I would outlaw political popularity polls.
When and where were you happiest?
In the delivery room when my four children were born.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Representing my country in Space.
Who are your heroes in real life?
Gandhi.
How would you like to die?
Quickly.
What other notable Canadians would you like to see answer these 11 questions? Are you interested in taking part? Contact u