Governor General arrives in snowy Yellowknife for 1st official visit to the North

The Governor General of Canada, Julie Payette, arrived in a snowyYellowknife Tuesday morning, en route to the official opening of the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway in both of those communities Wednesday.

"Nice to meet you, where are you from?" she asked, while inspecting soldiers, sailors and airmen at the 440 Squadron hangar.

Payettewillspend the day meeting with N.W.T. dignitaries includingPremier BobMcLeodand Chief EdwardSangrisof theYellowknivesDeneFirst Nation.

Tuesday afternoon, she'sscheduled to meet Yellowknife mayor Mark Heyckbefore holding a discussion on sustainability with northern leaders.

She'll also visitthe Joint Task Force North headquarters, followed by a dinner with the premier and Brig.-Gen.MikeNixon, the commander of the Joint Task Force.

This is Payette's first official visit to the Northwest Territories as the Governor General. Payette, 53, is most famous for her time as an astronaut between 1992 and 2013, when she flew two missions in space. She was chief astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency.

Payette wasselected for the role of Governor General in July. She has since shown herself unafraid to express her commitment to science and fact, especially on the subject of climate change.