THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA - A fighter pilot and a medical doctor have been hired as Canada's newest astronauts.
Capt. Jeremy Hansen, a native of London, Ont., and Dr. David St-Jacques of Quebec City bring to 12 the total number of Canadians to join the astronaut corps - and are the first new recruits since 1992.
They received personal congratulations Wednesday from Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who said he dreamed of space travel after hearing of the first manned space flights.
"It is a source of pride for all of us that two more Canadians will have the opportunity to build on Canada's legacy of leadership in the exploration and development of this final frontier," Harper said in a statement.
"I am confident that Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques will build on this heritage and inspire a new generation of Canadians to not only dream of the stars, but also work to make that dream happen."
The pair are not only making Canadians proud, he said, "they are setting an example for the scientists, technologists and mathematicians of the future."
They were chosen from among 5,351 applicants after a year-long recruitment process that evaluated such wide-ranging categories as knowledge of robotics and levels of physical fitness.
Hansen is a CF-18 fighter pilot and combat operations officer at Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake in Alberta, while St-Jacques has been practising at a small hospital in northern Quebec and lecturing at the McGill University medical school in Montreal.
