EXHIBIT 23.1

                  Consent of Independent Chartered Accountants

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements
(Form S-8, numbers 333-43080, 333-76849 and 333-73666), pertaining to the 1995
Stock Plan for Employees and Directors of GSI Lumonics Inc., the General
Scanning Inc. 1981 Incentive Stock Option Plan, the General Scanning Inc. 1992
Stock Option Plan, the General Scanning Inc. 1995 Directors' Warrant Plan and
the GSI Lumonics Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, of our report dated February
15, 2002, with respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedules of
GSI Lumonics Inc. included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2001.


March 12, 2002                                         /s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Ottawa, Canada                                         Chartered Accountants