We know now that the Governor General is a scientifically minded person.  She seems to agree with the Dalai Lama that when religious belief comes into direct conflict with science, religion should give way. Was the tone of her comments about anti-scientific beliefs inappropriate?  I suppose so.  Otherwise we wouldn’t be talking about it.  But we should get over it. Ms. Payette is undoubtedly a very intelligent woman.   She will learn from her gaffe and will move on.  Her subsequent speech extolling “tolerance” and “freedom of religion” shows that she is trying to do that. If the people who were offended by her pro-science speech refuse to move on, the Governor General will no longer be the one guilty of intolerance.