OTTAWA – Former Canadian astronaut Julie Payette has been selected to become the country’s next Governor General, making this her seventh most exciting career.

The woman who has been on two NASA missions in space and the first Canadian to board the International Space Station says that being the Queen’s representative in Canada ranks somewhere between being the Chief Operating Officer of the Montreal Science Centre and briefly sorting sprinkles at a Baskin Robbins when she was 14.

“This appointment may be a step down for me, but I am glad to accept the honour,” said the engineer who will only be using two of the six languages she knows at her new workplace. “This temp job is nice until I can figure out what I want to do with my life.”

The former NASA mission specialist and commercial pilot is looking forward to the challenge of shaking hands, pinning medals, and signing bills.

At press time, the former one-atmosphere deep-sea diving-suit operator was preparing for her first ceremonial role by making a complicated ribbon-cutting procedure with the Canadarm.