Everything about The Governor General Of Canada totally explained
The
Governor General of Canada (
French [feminine]:
Gouverneure générale du Canada, or [masculine]:
Gouverneur général du Canada) is the
vice-regal representative in
Canada of the
Canadian monarch, who is the
head of state.
Canada is one of sixteen
Commonwealth realms, all of which share the same person as their respective
sovereign. The
monarch appoints the
Governor General on the advice of the
Canadian Prime Minister. There is no specific term. As with other appointments, the incumbent is said to serve
at Her Majesty's pleasure, but by convention usually serves for approximately five years. Also by convention, the position tends to alternate between the
anglophone and
francophone communities.
The current constitution of the office of Governor General is laid out in
letters patent of
George VI issued in 1947. By the
Constitution Act, 1982, any constitutional amendment that affects
the Crown, including the Office of Governor General, requires the unanimous consent of the provincial legislatures as well as the
federal parliament. The 1904 Militia Act granted the governor general permission to use the title of
Commander-in-Chief of the
Canadian military, in the name of the sovereign.
Michaëlle Jean, the current Governor General, has served since
September 27,
2005; then
Liberal Prime Minister
Paul Martin recommended her to replace
Adrienne Clarkson. Jean's husband, the
vice-regal consort, is
Jean-Daniel Lafond.
History
Colonies
French colonization of North America began in the 1580s, but the vast colony of
New France (composed of Canada,
Louisiana, and
Acadia) grew only during the early and middle seventeenth century. The explorer
Samuel de Champlain became the first unofficial
Governor of New France in about 1613. However, the King formally appointed
Charles Huault de Montmagny to the post in 1636. The French
Company of One Hundred Associates administered New France until
King Louis XIV took control of the colony, appointing
Augustin de Saffray de Mésy as the first governor general in 1663.
France gave up most of its North American territories, including Canada, to Great Britain via the
Treaty of Paris, following the
Seven Years' War (1756–1763). The
Royal Proclamation of 1763 established the Office of Governor of Quebec to preside over the then named
Province of Quebec. Lieutenant-General
Sir Jeffrey Amherst governed the province during the last years of the Seven Years' War, but the first civilian to hold the position was
James Murray (appointed 1764). The province of
Nova Scotia remained separate with its own colonial governor.
In the 1780s, the British government of Prime Minister
William Pitt accepted the idea that the provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick should share a single governor-in-chief (afterwards termed the governor general). The first individual to occupy this office was
Lord Dorchester (appointed 1786). However, the governor-in-chief or governor general only directly governed the province of
Lower Canada;
Upper Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia were instead headed by their own lieutenant governors.
In 1840 Upper and Lower Canada were united into the
Province of Canada, which remained under the governor general's authority.
Responsible government
The role of the governor general changed greatly after the
Rebellions of 1837, soon after which the British government agreed to grant the Canadian provinces
responsible government. As a result the governor general and lieutenant governors became largely nominal heads while democratically-elected legislatures and provincial premiers held real authority. This arrangement continued after the establishment of the
Dominion of Canada in 1867. The Governor General remained representative of the Crown and of the British government vested with executive authority via the monarch, and Lieutenant Governors remained representatives of the Dominion government, while political power was actually exercised by the
Canadian Prime Minister and the Premiers, in the federal and provincial jurisdictions respectively. The
Marquis of Lorne tested the political neutrality of the Governor General when he disagreed with his prime minister, Sir
John A. Macdonald, over the dismissal of
Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Luc Letellier de St-Just. He eventually conceded, on the advice of the
Colonial Secretary in
London, to avoid conflict with the Cabinet. In May 1891 a cabinet crisis occurred when Sir
John A. Macdonald died. Governor General
Lord Stanley called on Thompson to form a government, but Thompson declined so Lord Stanley chose
John Abbott who accepted the premiership.
The position of Governor General greatly changed during the late 1920s and early 1930s in the aftermath of the
King-Byng Affair. In 1926 the
Liberal Prime Minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King requested that Governor General
Lord Byng of Vimy dissolve parliament. The Governor General however, used his
reserve power to refuse the request, citing both the fact that King actually held the minority of seats, and the general election that had been held only months earlier. Accordingly, King resigned, and Lord Byng appointed
Arthur Meighen to replace him. Within a week however, Meighen's
Conservative government lost a
no-confidence vote in the House of Commons, forcing the Governor General to dissolve Parliament and call elections. After Mackenzie King returned to power with a clear parliamentary majority, he sought to redefine the role of the governor general.
At an
Imperial Conference held later in 1926 the United Kingdom, Canada, and other Dominions all accepted the
Balfour Declaration. The declaration acknowledged that the Dominions were equal in status to the United Kingdom, and that each governor-general would henceforth function solely as a representative of the Crown within their respective dominions, and not as an agent of the British government. Instead, the latter function would be taken over by
high commissioners akin to ambassadors. The principle of the equality of the Dominions was further extended by the
Statute of Westminster, 1931. The declaration abandoned the idea that the British Crown owned the territory of the entire empire, instead granting the status of a kingdom to each Dominion and separating the King's status as monarch of one realm from another. Though the declaration officially recognized the independence of the Dominion of Canada and its equality to the United Kingdom, persons born outside Canada continued to serve as Governor General until the appointment of
Vincent Massey in 1952.
The wars and beyond
During the
First and
Second World Wars, the Governor General's role turned from one of cultural patron and state ceremony to one of military inspector and morale booster. Starting in 1914, Governor General
Prince Arthur donned his
Field Marshal's uniform and put his efforts into raising
contingents, inspecting army camps, and seeing troops off before their voyage to
Europe. These actions led to conflict with the Prince's prime minister at the time,
Robert Borden; though the latter placed blame on the military secretary Edward Stanton, he also opined that the Duke "laboured under the handicap of his position as a member of the
Royal Family and never realized his limitations as Governor General." Prince Arthur's successor, the
Duke of Devonshire, faced the
Conscription Crisis of 1917. Though the Governor General remained a representative of the British government, Cavendish still held discussions with his Canadian Prime Minister as well as
His Majesty's Loyal Opposition members on the matter. Once the government implemented conscription, Cavendish, after consulting with Sir
Wilfrid Laurier,
Vincent Massey,
Henri Bourassa,
Archbishop of Montreal Paul Bruchési,
Duncan Campbell Scott,
Vilhjalmur Stefansson, and
Stephen Leacock on the pulse of the nation, made efforts to conciliate
Quebec, though he'd little real success.
Though the Governor General had been venturing to
Washington to meet informally with the
president of the United States since the time of
Lord Monck, the first official visit was of
Lord Willingdon at the invitation of
Calvin Coolidge. Willingdon was accorded the full honours of representative of the head of state, at the insistence of
Vincent Massey. During the
Great Depression,
Lord Bessborough voluntarily cut his salary by ten percent.
Thereafter, the next period of important change for the office came around the time of
Roland Michener's tenure (1967–1974). In light of changing attitudes towards Canadian identity and the rise of the
Quebec sovereignty movement, the images and role of the monarchy were cautiously downplayed. Paralleling the earlier changes in constitutional law, the cultural role of the Canadian monarchy, including that of the Governor General, altered accordingly. The federal and provincial governments began to recognize and promote the fact of the Queen's role as
monarch of Canada being separate to her position as monarch of the United Kingdom. Additionally, with the creation of the distinct
Canadian honours system, an increase of
state visits coming with Canada's growing role on the world stage, and the more prevalent use of
television to visually broadcast ceremonial state affairs, the governor general became more publicly active in national life. Michener also relaxed protocols and formalities surrounding the office; for instance, the long-standing custom of bowing or curtsying before the governor general was abandoned. Michener did retain the traditional military uniform associated with the office, becoming the last governor general to do so.
Controversy
The Office of Governor General has occasionally been a controversial subject in Canada, mostly over costs associated with running the office and household. As early as 1880 the viceroy attracted some ridicule: in July that year someone under the
pseudonym "Captain Mac" issued a pamphlet called
Canada: from the Lakes to the Gulf, in which he included a coarse satire of an investiture ceremony at
Rideau Hall, where a retired inn-keeper and his wife undergo the rigorous protocol of the royal household and sprawl on the floor before the
Duke of Argyll, so as to be granted the
knighthood for which they'd "paid in cold, hard cash." Prior to the arrival of
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, uncle of King
George V, to take his post as Governor General, there was "a feeble undercurrent of criticism," centring on worries about a rigid court at Rideau Hall; worries that turned out to be unfounded as the royal couple was more relaxed than their predecessors.
Georges Vanier, who as Governor General always fostered unity and biculturalism, found himself the target of
Quebec sovereigntists in
Montreal, on
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, 1964, wherein a group of separatists held placards reading "
Vanier vendu" ("Vanier sold out") and "
Vanier fou de la Reine" ("Vanier Queen's jester").
After the turn of the second millennium several controversies emerged from Rideau Hall relating to the Goveror General's position in relation to the monarch. The first was in 2004 during Clarkson's tenure:
Rideau Hall staff stated that the Governor General would be attending the ceremony for the 60th anniversary of
D-Day as Canada's head of state; a statement that was later retracted, however, during the ceremony in France it became evident that the Queen was treated as a foreign representative, with the Governor General as the prime dignitary in attendance. Beginning
January 1 of the following year, the
Letters of Credence that foreign
diplomats present when beginning an assignment in Canada were altered so as to be addressed solely to the Governor General, without making any reference to the Queen; the same case was applied to
Letters of Recall presented when a diplomat finishes a sojourn in Canada. This change in
protocol was criticised by Canadian monarchists as an example of the government reducing the Queen's role, and was welcomed by republicans for the same reason. This trend continued later in the year, when, during the Queen's tour of Alberta and Saskatchewan to celebrate those provinces' centennials of entry into
confederation, the government of Alberta wished to have the Queen sign a provincial bill into law, but this wasn't done. In theory, this was because the constitutionality of the Queen doing so was questioned; however,
Rideau Hall also stated it would conflict with the federal government's policy of the "Canadianization" of Canada's institutions. After Clarkson left the vice-regal post, she revealed her opinions on her role during an interview with
Don Newman on
CBC Newsworld in October, 2006. In that interview, Clarkson stated she felt that while the Queen remained popular with Canadians, the Governor General was the direct representative of the Crown, but not of the Queen, and was therefore Canada's legal head of state; a theory contrary to
Eugene Forsey, the government of Canada itself, and numerous others, but inline with
Edward McWhinney.
Spending became an issue for
Adrienne Clarkson during her time as viceroy; under her governor generalcy the budget for her office doubled to
$41 million, which included renovations to
Rideau Hall and
La Citadelle's visitor centres, as well as upgrades of the public facilities and barrier-free access, and restoration work. What garnered the most attention, however, was a nineteen day circumpolar "northern identity" tour comprising
state visits to
Russia,
Finland, and
Iceland, with her husband and fifty other Canadians prominent in various fields, in 2003, which cost in excess of
$5 million. The
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade commissioned and for the trip but Clarkson's office controlled the general itinerary. The overall spending by the Office of the Governor General led to a parliamentary committee review in 2004, resulting in a cut back of 10% for the Governor General's budget for that year; a decision which was said by McWhinney to have been based on "common misconceptions" and a "simple failure to undertake elementary research."
Clarkson's successor,
Michaëlle Jean, after clearing up speculations about her being a supporter of
Quebec sovereignty just prior to her appointment as Governor General, faced another backlash when it was revealed that staff at Rideau Hall were removing portraits of
Canada's sovereigns and other members of the
Canadian Royal Family from the walls of the palace in order to give "a strong image of Canada"; a move which was viewed by the editorial board of the
National Post as one meant to "siphon off the great symbolic power of the monarchy, to further their particular tastes and agendas." Jean caused trouble again at the end of November, 2007, when the Chancellery of
Government House refused to process the application for
Constable Chris Garrett, who was killed in the line of duty in
Cobourg, Ontario, to posthumously receive the
Cross of Valour; the application was submitted eight months after the deadline. This resulted in condemnation from the
Premier of Ontario and a public outcry from members of the police forces across Canada, with many officers sending their 20 year service medals to Rideau Hall in protest;
Julian Fantino, Commissioner of the
Ontario Provincial Police, began organizing a delegation to appeal directly to Queen
Elizabeth II. The Governor General, in response, expressed recommendations to the ministry as to how to resolve the issue. This move was a first in that it was done publicly, via a press release from
Rideau Hall, as opposed to in confidence, as is usually the case with communications between the viceroy and prime minister.
The group
Citizens for a Canadian Republic advocate codifying the office in preparation for what they see as the eventual transformation into some form of presidency, thus completely replacing the monarchy. On the other hand, organizations such as the
Monarchist League of Canada support the retention of the Governor General as the representative of the reigning
Canadian monarch. Since the failure of the
Meech Lake Accord in 1987 and the
Charlottetown Accord in 1992, Canadian politicians have shown little appetite for opening discussions on constitutional matters; previous proposals made by the federal government to alter the status and power of the Governor General were met with wide disapproval from the provinces and elsewhere.
Appointment
The
Canadian monarch appoints the Governor General on the advice of her Canadian Prime Minister.
Letters patent of
George VI issued in 1947 state: "We do hereby constitute, order, and declare that there shall be a Governor General and
Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada, and appointments to the Office of Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada shall be made by Commission under Our
Great Seal of Canada."
Upon taking office, the governor general-designate must take the Oath of Allegiance:
» "I, .............. do swear that I'll be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her Heirs and successors, according to law. So Help me God." It was at the 1919
Paris Peace Conference that Canadian Prime Minister
Robert Borden consulted
Prime Minister of South Africa,
Louis Botha, on the topic of appointments of governors general; the two agreed that the appointee should be a resident of their respective
Dominion. However, it wasn't until
Vincent Massey's appointment by Queen
Elizabeth II in 1952 that the position was filled by a Canadian resident; though, it should be remembered that prior to 1947 all residents of Canada were as equally
British subjects as their British counterparts. This continued until the practice of appointing non-Canadian-born persons was revived with the calling of
Adrienne Clarkson, born in
Hong Kong, to serve as Governor General. Moreover, by tradition, the post has been held alternately by
anglophone Canadians and
francophone Canadians. Beginning in 1967, the Prime Minister has forwarded the Queen a single name when proposing a vice-regal appointment; previously a list of several names had been given to the monarch. In general, the sovereign is bound by
constitutional convention to almost always follow the advice of his or her prime minister, as long as the Prime Minister maintains the confidence of the
House of Commons and acts within constitutional limits, though she retains the right to encourage, advise, and warn.
Although non-partisan while in office, Governors General are often former politicians. Since 1952, individuals who previously served as diplomats, cabinet members, or
Speakers of the House of Commons have been appointed to the post. Former Governor General
Adrienne Clarkson was previously an author and television anchor; she was the first Governor General in Canadian history without either a political or military background. She was also the first
Asian-Canadian and the second woman to serve in the position. The first female governor general of Canada was
Jeanne Sauvé, who served from 1984 to 1990. The third woman to hold this position,
Michaëlle Jean, who took office on
September 27,
2005, is also the first
black Canadian Governor General.
It is traditional that an appointed individual act as the Queen's representative for a minimum of five years, but in truth the viceroy serves
at Her Majesty's pleasure, and the Prime Minister may advise the Queen to retain the Governor General's in her service for longer. For instance, Adrienne Clarkson had been in office for five years as of 2004, but her appointment as Governor General was extended by the Queen on the advice of Prime Minister
Paul Martin, who argued that it was preferable to have an experienced Governor General in place while a
minority government remained in power. The tenures of other Governors General, including
Georges Vanier and
Roland Michener, have been extended beyond five years in previous circumstances. Governors General may resign from office, as, for instance,
Roméo LeBlanc did in 1999 due to health concerns.
If the Governor General dies or leaves the country for more than one month, the
Chief Justice of Canada (or, if that position is vacant, the senior puisne justice of the
Supreme Court of Canada) serves as
administrator of the government of Canada, and exercises all powers of the governor general. The only individuals to serve as administrators due to the deaths of governors general were Chief Justice
Sir Lyman Poore Duff (1940) and Chief Justice
Robert Taschereau (1967).
Role
The Governor General's main task is to perform the constitutional duties of the sovereign, on his or her behalf, to maintain stability of government within the principles of
responsible government. Past Governor General
Lord Lorne said of the job: "It is no easy thing to be a governor general of Canada. You must have the patience of a saint, the smile of a
cherub, the generosity of an Indian prince, and the back of a
camel."
Lord Dufferin stated: "A representative of all that's august, stable, and sedate in the country; incapable of partisanship, and lifted far above the atmosphere of fraction, without adherents to reward or opponents to oust from office; docile to the suggestions of his Ministers, and yet securing to the people the certainty of being able to get rid of an Administration of Parliament the moment either has forfeited their confidence."
Governmental role
» Main: Monarchy of Canada: Constitutional role
The Governor General is the representative of the
Canadian monarch, and may exercise most powers vested in the Crown. The Queen does retain all executive power and her
Royal Prerogative, but she very rarely personally intervenes in Canadian politics; most of her duties being exercised by the Governor General, though she does alone hold the power to appoint a governor general, and, as required by the Canadian constitution, to add seats to the Senate, but does so only on the advice of the Canadian Prime Minister. Although the person who is monarch of Canada is also monarch of the
United Kingdom, Canada being a sovereign nation, the
British government can't advise the Queen or her Governor General on Canadian matters, or otherwise interfere in Canadian affairs.
» Further information:Monarchy of Canada: International and domestic aspects
The Governor General's powers are legally extensive, however they're in practise very limited. The Governor General is a symbolic and nominal
chief executive, acting within the constraints of constitutional convention and precedent. Most political power is exercised by the
Prime Minister and
Cabinet, who advise the Governor General, and who are, in turn, accountable to the democratically elected House of Commons, and through it, to the people. Still, part of the Royal Prerogative, known as the
reserve powers, however, remain as the Crown's final check against a government's power; as Senator and constitutional expert
Eugene Forsey stated: "A Governor General must take all steps necessary to thwart the will of a ruthless prime minister." This power was used by Governor General
Lord Byng against Prime Minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King in what is known as the
King-Byng Affair of 1926. Some, such as the
CBC's Larry Zolf, also speculated whether Governor General
Adrienne Clarkson would refuse a recommendation from Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien to dissolve Parliament in 2002.
Through the
Constitution Act, 1867, the Governor General is specifically granted the power to appoint, in the Queen's name, the
lieutenant governors of the provinces, members of the
Queen's Privy Council for Canada,
senators, the speaker of the Senate,
Supreme Court justices, and
superior and county court judges in each province, except those of the courts of probate in
Nova Scotia and
New Brunswick. Effectively, however, the appointees are chosen by the prime minister or other ministers, with the
premiers of the provinces concerned playing an advisory role in the appointment of lieutenant governors. The same act states that the governor general alone may summon the
House of Commons. Beyond that, the Governor General exercises the other powers that conventionally belong to the monarch.
All laws are enacted in the monarch's name; before a bill can become law,
Royal Assent (the monarch's approval) is required. The Governor General acts on the monarch's behalf; in theory, he or she's three options: he or she may grant Royal Assent (making the bill law), withhold Royal Assent (vetoing the bill), or reserve the bill for the signification of the Queen's pleasure (allowing the sovereign to personally grant or withhold assent). If the Governor General does grant Royal Assent, the sovereign may, within two years, "disallow" the bill, thereby annulling the law in question. No modern Governor General has disallowed a bill, however provincial lieutenant governors have. A lieutenant governor may, instead of granting the Royal Assent to a bill, reserve the bill for the Governor General. This practice was last invoked by the Lieutenant Governor of
Saskatchewan in 1961. The
commissioners of the Canadian territories are not appointed by the Governor General; nor do they act as representatives of the Crown.
Should the monarch be in Canada to undertake affairs of state, the Governor General removes him or herself from the scene. Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir stated, in relation to King
George VI granting Royal Assent to Canadian law in the
Canadian Senate in 1939, that when the King of Canada was present "I cease to exist as Viceroy, and retain only a shadowy legal existence as Governor General in Council." However, the presence of the monarch doesn't undermine the Governor General's ability to perform governmental roles.
By the Letters Patent issued by
George VI in 1947, the Governor General must seek the permission of the monarch, via the Prime Minister, before leaving Canada.
Ceremonial role
The Governor General's functions are primarily ceremonial. As representative of the sovereign, the Governor General performs some of the ritual functions normally associated with heads of state. He or she makes
state visits abroad, hosts foreign heads of state, receives
ambassadors and
high commissioners, meets ceremonial groups, and awards medals, decorations, and prizes (including the
Governor General's Literary Awards). During an election, the governor general will curtail their public duties, so as not to seem as though they're involving themselves in political affairs. It has become a tradition for every outgoing governor general to establish a trophy or award, usually in sport, to be named after him or her, as well as for the Governor General to tour the country, meeting with Canadians at various types of events. The latter was begun by former Governor General
John Young, in 1869.
He or she serves the primarily symbolic role as the
Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces. Symbolically, the Governor General fills this position, in the name of the Queen, as the allegiance of Armed Forces members is to the Canadian Crown, and not to the sitting, and transient, government. In practise, it isn't clear whether the commanders of the Armed Forces could, in reality, turn to the Governor General if they thought that the orders they were receiving from the Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence were illegal or unethical, or whether the Governor General would be justified in issuing new orders directly. The Governor General is also the colonel of the regiment of Canada's three
household regiments: the
Governor General's Horse Guards,
Governor General's Foot Guards and
Canadian Grenadier Guards. This ceremonial position is directly under the position of
colonel-in-chief, which is held by the Queen.
Precedence and privileges
In the
order of precedence, the Governor General outranks all individuals except the monarch; as direct representative of the sovereign, the Governor General even outranks other members of the
Royal Family. The Governor General is said to be
Primus inter pares (first amongst equals) with other 10 representatives of the Crown in Canada.
While in office the Governor General and his or her spouse, the
viceregal consort, is styled "His Excellency" or "Her Excellency." Moreover, Governors General are appointed to the
Queen's Privy Council for Canada upon retirement unless they're already members and are entitled to the style "
The Right Honourable" for life. However, once they vacate the position the term "Excellency" is dropped. The Governor General is the only Canadian entitled to use the term "Excellency" while in
Canada but visiting heads of state are also referred to as "Excellency." During his or her term in office the Governor General is also the Chancellor and Principal Companion of the
Order of Canada, the Chancellor of the
Order of Military Merit, the Chancellor of the
Order of Merit of the Police Forces, and Knight/Dame of Justice, Prior, and Chief Officer of the
Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in Canada, and wearing the white cross of the order. Hence, the Governor General is entitled to wear the badges or insignia of these orders along with any other decorations. At his or her installation ceremony the Governor General is presented with the collars of the Order of Canada, the Order of Military Merit, the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, and the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
The
Governor General's flag is a blue flag bearing a crowned lion holding a red
maple leaf in its paw; the design was adopted in 1981. The flag takes precedence over all other flags, save only the
Queen's personal Canadian flag. The flag may be flown from a vehicle in which the Governor General is travelling, or from a building in which the governor general is present or is residing. On state visits abroad, however, the governor general typically uses the
national flag, which is a more recognizable Canadian symbol.
The
Vice Regal Salute is the
anthem used to greet the governor general. The Salute comprises the first six
bars of the Canadian
royal anthem ("
God Save the Queen"), and the first four and last four bars of "
O Canada," the Canadian national anthem. On state visits abroad "O Canada" alone is used to salute the Governor General.
The Governor General receives an annual salary of
$110,126, and under the Constitution Act, payment of that salary is the first claim on the revenue of the federal government. The official residence of the Governor General is
Rideau Hall in
Ottawa. A Governor General's wife is known as the
chatelaine of Rideau Hall, but there's no equivalent term or title for a Governor General's husband. Since 1872, Governors General have also resided in the
Citadel (
La Citadelle) in
Quebec City,
Quebec for a part of each year (normally several weeks).
The Governor General and his staff also had a suite of offices on
Parliament Hill in the East Block until well into
World War II. The offices were subsequently incorporated into the
Prime Minister's Office (PMO), but have been restored to their 19th century appearance after the PMO moved to the
Langevin Block in the 1970s, and are now preserved as a tourist attraction along with other historic offices in the East Block.
The Governor General's staff is headed by the
Secretary to the Governor General, working out of Rideau Hall, although it's referred to as
Government House when speaking of its business use.
Canadian institutions established by Governors General or Vice-regal Consorts
Former Canadian Governors General
Activities post-commission
Retired Governors General usually withdraw from public life or accept diplomatic postings.
Ed Schreyer, who held the position from 1979 to 1984, became
High Commissioner to Australia upon his retirement. In 2005 he became the first former governor general to run for elected office in Canada when he ran for a seat in the
Canadian House of Commons as a candidate for the
New Democratic Party in the riding of
Selkirk—Interlake. Schreyer lost the election to Conservative
James Bezan.
There are several examples from the era of British Governors General of Canada where former viceroys returned to a political career in Britain by sitting with party affiliations in the
House of Lords and, in some cases, taking positions in the
British cabinet. In 1952,
Lord Alexander of Tunis resigned as Governor General of Canada to accept an appointment as Sir
Winston Churchill's Minister of Defence.
Lord Lansdowne and the
Duke of Devonshire both served in British cabinets following their vice-regal careers. Lansdowne also went on to serve as leader of the
Conservative Party in the House of Lords for over a decade.
Autobiographies
Only three former Canadian Governors General have left a written testament about their lives in the form of an autobiography.
John Buchan wrote
Memory Hold-the-Door, the first autobiographical account, during his time in Rideau Hall and he published
Memory in 1940. In 1948 Vincent Massey wrote the first volume of his autobiography,
On Being Canadian, and then the second,
What's Past is Prologue: the Memoirs of the Right Honourable Vincent. Shortly after leaving Rideau Hall
Adrienne Clarkson signed a two book deal with Penguin Canada, the first of which was an autobiography titled
Heart Matters.
Spelling
According to the Canadian government the title "Governor General" isn't
hyphenated, even though a hyphen is used in other Commonwealth realms. Many other media organizations in Canada ignore this rule, however, and use the more conventional "governor-general" spelling. As "
governor" is the main
noun in the title, it's the term that's
pluralized. Moreover, both terms are often
capitalized, particularly when preceding an incumbent's name, but sometimes they're not (for example,
Canadian governors general).
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