Marc Garneau, first Canadian in space and ex-Foreign Minister, died at 76

Marc Garneau, Canada's first astronaut and a former foreign minister, passed away on June 4, 2025, at the age of 76 after a brief illness. His wife, Pam Garneau, confirmed that he died peacefully, surrounded by family. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Born on February 23, 1949, in Quebec City, Garneau pursued a career in the military and engineering. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics from the Royal Military College of Canada in 1970. He later obtained a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Imperial College London. Garneau served in the Royal Canadian Navy, reaching the rank of captain.

In 1984, Garneau made history as the first Canadian to travel to space, flying aboard NASA's Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-41-G. He participated in two more missions: STS-77 in 1996 and STS-97 in 2000. He spent over 677 hours in space.


After his astronaut career, Garneau became president of the Canadian Space Agency from 2001 to 2005. He entered politics in 2008, serving as a Liberal Member of Parliament for a Montreal-area riding until 2023.

He held cabinet positions as Minister of Transport from 2015 to 2021 and Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2021 under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Garneau was honored with several awards, including being appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1984 and promoted to Companion in 2003. He also received multiple honorary degrees from Canadian universities.

In tribute, members of Parliament held a moment of silence in the House of Commons. Garneau's legacy is commemorated in Canada, with several schools named after him. He lived in the United States for nine years, where two of his children were born.