Commiserations are pouring in following the death of Marc Garneau.
The 76-year-old had a varied resume as the first Canadian in space, a retired Naval Engineer, and a former federal politician.
Garneau's death was reported on Wednesday in a statement from his wife, Pam Garneau:
"It is with deep sadness that I share the news of my husband Marc Garneau's passing.
Marc faced his final days with the same strength, clarity, and grace that defined his life. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family. 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."
Fellow astronaut Chris Hadfield offered his sympathies to Garneau's family in his goodbye to his mentor and long-time friend.
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A moment of silence was held in the House of Commons on Wednesday, and condolences have been expressed by Canadian politicians from both sides of the aisle.
Governor General Mary Simon and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also posted about Garneau's death on Wednesday evening.
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Garneau was born on February 23, 1949, in Quebec City.
He studied Engineering Physics at the Royal Military College of Kingston, and earned his Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, England, in 1973.
He began his military career as a naval officer in 1973.
In 1982, he was promoted to the rank of Commander.
The next year began his journey into space when he applied and was selected to become an astronaut.
On October 5, 1984, he became the first Canadian to go into space. Throughout his career, he flew on three space shuttle missions, logging about 678 hours in space.
From 2001 to 2005, he was president of the Canadian Space Agency.
Garneau entered politics in 2008, representing the Montreal riding of Westmount--Ville-Marie until 2015, and then the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce--Westmount.
He served as both the Liberal minister of foreign affairs and the minister of transport before retiring in 2023.