Governor-General Julie Payette and Rideau Hall’s top bureaucrat, Assunta di Lorenzo, have resigned in the wake of a damning independent review of workplace culture.

(di Lorenzo,l, Payette)

The government does not need to immediately appointment a replacement as the chief justice of the Supreme Court can take on the duties in the meantime.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named Payette governor general in October 2017.

Her appointment drew criticism from the start as the government was accused of not properly vetting her personally and professionally. 

Meanwhile, di Lorenzo, who served as Payette’s secretary, has hired the firm of high-profile lawyer Marie Henein to represent her.

Sources see the hiring as a sign battle lines are being drawn and that relations between Payette and di Lorenzo have been strained over the review and its fallout.