The following is a list of the governors and governors general of Canada. Though the present-day office of the Governor General of Canada is legislatively covered under the Constitution Act, 1867 and legally constituted by the Letters Patent, 1947, the institution is, along with the institution of the Crown it represents, the oldest continuous and uniquely Canadian institution in Canada, having existed in an unbroken line since the appointment of Samuel de Champlain in 1627.[1]
Lieutenant General/Viceroy of New France, 1541–1627
editNo. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Monarch Reign |
Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Duration | |||||
1 | Jean-François Roberval (c. 1495–1560) |
1541 | 1543 | 1–2 years | Francis I (1515–1547) |
[2][3] | |
2 | Troilus de Mesqouez (1536–1606) |
1578 | unknown | unknown | Henry III (1574–1589) |
[2][4] | |
Henry IV (1589–1610) | |||||||
3 | Aymar Chaste (1514–1603) |
1602 | 1603 | 0–1 years | [citation needed] | ||
4 | Henri II, Prince of Condé (1588–1646) |
1614 | 1619 | 4–5 years | Louis XIII (1610–1643) |
[5] | |
5 | Henri II, Duke of Montmorency (1595–1632) |
1619 | 1625 | 5–6 years | [6] | ||
6 | Henri de Lévis de Ventadour, Duke of Ventadour (1596–1651) |
1625 | 1627 | 1–2 years | [7] |
Governors of New France, 1627–1663
editNo. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Monarch Reign | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Duration | ||||
1 | Samuel de Champlain (1574–1635) |
1627 | 1635 | 7–8 years | Louis XIII (1610–1643) | |
2 | Charles de Montmagny (c. 1599–1654) |
1635 | 1648 | 12–13 years | ||
Louis XIV (1643–1715) | ||||||
3 | Louis d'Ailleboust de Coulonge (c. 1612–1660) |
1648 | 1651 | 2–3 years | ||
4 | Jean de Lauson (1584–1666) |
1651 | 1657 | 5–6 years | ||
5 | Pierre de Voyer d'Argenson, Vicomte de Mouzay (c. 1599–1654) |
1658 | 1661 | 2–3 years | ||
6 | Pierre Dubois Davaugour (1625–1709) |
1661 | 1663 | 1–2 years |
Governors general of New France, 1663–1760
editNo. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Monarch Reign | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Duration | ||||
1 | Augustin de Saffray de Mésy (1598–1665) |
1663 | 1665 | 1–2 years | Louis XIV (1643–1715) | |
2 | Daniel de Rémy de Courcelle (1626–1698) |
1665 | 1672 | 6–7 years | ||
3 | Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac (1622–1698) |
1672 | 1682 | 9–10 years | ||
4 | Joseph-Antoine le Fèbvre, Sieur of La Barre (1622–1688) |
1682 | 1685 | 2–3 years | ||
5 | Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville (1637–1710) |
1685 | 1689 | 3–4 years | ||
(3) | Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac (1622–1698) |
1689 | 1698 | 8–9 years | ||
6 | Louis-Hector de Callière (1648–1703) |
1698 | 1703 | 4–5 years | ||
7 | Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil (1622–1698) |
1703 | 1725 | 21–22 years | ||
Louis XV (1715–1774) | ||||||
8 | Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois (1671–1749) |
1725 | 1747 | 21–22 years | ||
9 | Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière (1693–1756) |
1747 | 1749 | 1–2 years | ||
10 | Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière, Marquis de la Jonquière (1685–1752) |
1749 | 1752 | 2–3 years | ||
11 | Michel-Ange Duquesne de Menneville, Marquess Duquesne (c. 1700–1778) |
1752 | 1755 | 2–3 years | ||
12 | Pierre de Rigaud, marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnial (1698–1778) |
1755 | 1760 | 4–5 years |
Governors of the Province of Quebec, 1760–1786
editFollowing the Seven Years' War, control passed from France to Great Britain in the terms of the Treaty of Paris, creating the British Province of Quebec. Governors subsequently served under the British monarchy.
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Monarch Reign | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Duration | ||||
1 | Jeffery Amherst (1717–1797) |
1760 | 1763 | 2–3 years | George III (1760–1820) | |
2 | James Murray (1721–1794) |
1764 | 1768 | 4–5 years | ||
3 | Guy Carleton KB (1724–1808) |
1768 | 1778 | 9–10 years | ||
4 | Sir Frederick Haldimand KB (1724–1808) |
1778 | 1786 | 7–8 years |
Governors general of the Canadas/British North America, 1786–1841
editNo. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Monarch Reign | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Duration | ||||
1 | The Lord Dorchester KB (1724–1808) |
1786 | 1796 | 9–10 years | George III (1760–1820) | |
2 | Robert Prescott (c. 1726–1815) |
1796 | 1799 | 2–3 years | ||
3 | Sir Robert Milnes, Baronet (1754–1837) |
1799 | 1805 | 5–6 years | ||
4 | Thomas Dunn (1729–1818) |
1805 | 1807 | 1–2 years | ||
5 | Sir James Henry Craig KB (1748–1812) |
1807 | 1811 | 3–4 years | ||
6 | Sir George Prévost, Baronet (1767–1816) |
1811 | 1815 | 3–4 years | ||
7 | Sir Gordon Drummond (1772–1854) |
1815 | 1816 | 0–1 years | ||
8 | Sir John Coape Sherbrooke (1764–1830) |
1816 | 1818 | 1–2 years | ||
9 | The Duke of Richmond KG, PC (1764–1819) |
1818 | 1819 | 0–1 years | ||
10 | The Earl of Dalhousie GCB (1770–1838) |
1820 | 1828 | 7–8 years | George IV (1820–1830) | |
11 | Sir James Kempt GCB (c. 1765–1854) |
1828 | 1830 | 1–2 years | ||
12 | The Lord Aylmer (1775–1850) |
1830 | 1835 | 4–5 years | William IV (1830–1837) | |
13 | The Earl of Gosford GCB (1776–1849) |
1835 | 1837 | 1–2 years | ||
14 | Sir John Colborne (1778–1863) |
1837 | 1838 | 0–1 years | Victoria (1837–1901) | |
15 | The Earl of Durham (1792–1840) |
1838 | 1839 | 0–1 years | ||
16 | The Lord Sydenham PC (1799–1841) |
1839 | 1841 | 1–2 years |
Governors general of the Province of Canada, 1841–1867
editNo. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Monarch Reign | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Duration | ||||
1 | The Lord Sydenham PC (1799–1841) |
5 February 1841 |
19 September 1841 |
226 days | Victoria (1837–1901) | |
2 | Sir Charles Bagot (1781–1843) |
12 January 1842 |
19 May 1843 |
1 year, 127 days | ||
3 | The Lord Metcalfe Bt, PC (1785–1846) |
30 May 1843 |
26 November 1845 |
2 years, 180 days | ||
4 | The Earl Cathcart GCB (1783–1859) |
26 November 1845 |
30 January 1847 |
1 year, 65 days | ||
5 | The Earl of Elgin PC, GCB (1811–1863) |
30 January 1847 |
19 December 1854 |
7 years, 323 days | ||
6 | Sir Edmund Walker Head, Baronet KCB (1805–1868) |
19 December 1854 |
25 October 1861 |
6 years, 310 days | ||
7 | The Viscount Monck PC, GCMG (1819–1894) |
25 October 1861 |
1 July 1867 |
5 years, 249 days |
Governors general of Canada, 1867–present
editNo. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Profession | Term of office | Monarch Reign |
Prime Minister Term of office |
Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Duration | |||||||
1 | The Viscount Monck (1819–1894) |
Politician | 1 July 1867 |
14 November 1868 |
1 year, 136 days | Victoria (1837–1901) |
Sir John A. Macdonald (1867–1873) |
[8] | |
2 | The Lord Lisgar (1807–1876) |
Politician | 14 November 1868 |
25 June 1872 |
3 years, 144 days | [9] | |||
3 | The Earl of Dufferin (1826–1902) |
Diplomat | 25 June 1872 |
25 November 1878 |
6 years, 153 days | [10] | |||
Alexander Mackenzie (1873–1878) | |||||||||
Sir John A. Macdonald (1878–1891) | |||||||||
4 | John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne (1845–1914) |
Author, Politician |
25 November 1878 |
23 October 1883 |
4 years, 332 days | [11] | |||
5 | The Marquess of Lansdowne (1845–1927) |
Politician | 23 October 1883 |
11 June 1888 |
4 years, 232 days | [12] | |||
6 | The Lord Stanley of Preston (1841–1908) |
Politician | 11 June 1888 |
18 September 1893 |
5 years, 99 days | [13] | |||
Sir John Abbott (1891–1892) | |||||||||
Sir John Sparrow David Thompson (1892–1894) | |||||||||
7 | The Earl of Aberdeen (1847–1934) |
Politician | 18 September 1893 |
12 November 1898 |
5 years, 55 days | [14] | |||
Sir Mackenzie Bowell (1894–1896) | |||||||||
Sir Charles Tupper (1896) | |||||||||
Sir Wilfrid Laurier (1896–1911) | |||||||||
8 | The Earl of Minto (1845–1914) |
Military officer | 12 November 1898 |
10 December 1904 |
6 years, 28 days | [15] | |||
Edward VII (1901–1910) | |||||||||
9 | The Earl Grey (1851–1917) |
Politician | 10 December 1904 |
13 October 1911 |
6 years, 307 days | [16] | |||
George V (1910–1936) | |||||||||
Sir Robert Borden (1911–1920) | |||||||||
10 | Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1850–1942) |
Military officer | 13 October 1911 |
11 November 1916 |
5 years, 29 days | [17] | |||
11 | The Duke of Devonshire (1868–1938) |
Politician | 11 November 1916 |
11 August 1921 |
4 years, 273 days | [18] | |||
Arthur Meighen (1920–1921) | |||||||||
12 | The Viscount Byng of Vimy (1862–1935) |
Military officer | 11 August 1921 |
2 October 1926 |
5 years, 52 days | [19] | |||
William Lyon Mackenzie King (1921–1926) | |||||||||
Arthur Meighen (1926) | |||||||||
William Lyon Mackenzie King (1926–1930) | |||||||||
13 | The Marquess of Willingdon (1866–1941) |
Politician | 2 October 1926 |
4 April 1931 |
4 years, 184 days | [20] | |||
R.B. Bennett (1930–1935) | |||||||||
14 | The Earl of Bessborough (1880–1956) |
Businessman | 4 April 1931 |
2 November 1935 |
4 years, 212 days | [21] | |||
William Lyon Mackenzie King (1935–1948) | |||||||||
15 | The Lord Tweedsmuir (1875–1940) |
Author, Politician | 2 November 1935 |
11 February 1940 |
4 years, 101 days | [22] | |||
Edward VIII (1936) | |||||||||
George VI (1936–1952) | |||||||||
16 | The Earl of Athlone (1874–1957) |
Military officer | 21 June 1940 |
12 April 1946 |
5 years, 295 days | [23] | |||
17 | The Viscount Alexander of Tunis (1891–1969) |
Military officer | 12 April 1946 |
28 January 1952 |
5 years, 300 days | [24] | |||
Louis St. Laurent (1948–1957) | |||||||||
18 | Vincent Massey (1887–1967) |
Diplomat | 28 February 1952 |
15 September 1959 |
7 years, 199 days | Elizabeth II (1952–2022) |
[25] | ||
John Diefenbaker (1957–1963) | |||||||||
19 | Georges Vanier (1888–1967) |
Military officer, Diplomat |
15 September 1959 |
5 March 1967 |
7 years, 171 days | [26] | |||
Lester B. Pearson (1963–1968) | |||||||||
20 | Roland Michener (1900–1991) |
Politician | 17 April 1967 |
14 January 1974 |
6 years, 272 days | [27] | |||
Pierre Trudeau (1968–1979) | |||||||||
21 | Jules Léger (1913–1980) |
Diplomat | 14 January 1974 |
22 January 1979 |
5 years, 8 days | [28] | |||
22 | Edward Schreyer (born 1935) |
Politician | 22 January 1979 |
14 May 1984 |
5 years, 113 days | [29] | |||
Joe Clark (1979–1980) | |||||||||
Pierre Trudeau (1980–1984) | |||||||||
23 | Jeanne Sauvé (1922–1993) |
Journalist, Politician |
14 May 1984 |
29 January 1990 |
5 years, 260 days | [30] | |||
John Turner (1984) | |||||||||
Brian Mulroney (1984–1993) | |||||||||
24 | Ray Hnatyshyn (1934–2002) |
Politician | 29 January 1990 |
8 February 1995 |
5 years, 10 days | [31] | |||
Kim Campbell (1993) | |||||||||
Jean Chrétien (1993–2003) | |||||||||
25 | Roméo LeBlanc (1927–2009) |
Journalist, Politician |
8 February 1995 |
7 October 1999 |
4 years, 242 days | [32] | |||
26 | Adrienne Clarkson (born 1939) |
Journalist | 7 October 1999 |
27 September 2005 |
5 years, 355 days | [33] | |||
Paul Martin (2003–2006) | |||||||||
27 | Michaëlle Jean (born 1957) |
Journalist | 27 September 2005 |
1 October 2010 |
5 years, 4 days | [34] | |||
Stephen Harper (2006–2015) | |||||||||
28 | David Johnston (born 1941) |
Law professor, University administrator |
1 October 2010 |
2 October 2017 |
7 years, 1 day | [35] [36] | |||
Justin Trudeau (since 2015) | |||||||||
29 | Julie Payette (born 1963) |
Astronaut, Engineer |
2 October 2017 |
22 January 2021 |
3 years, 112 days | [37] [38] [39] | |||
30 | Mary Simon (born 1947) |
Broadcaster, Diplomat |
26 July 2021 |
Incumbent | 3 years, 125 days | ||||
Charles III (since 2022) |
Administrators
editThe following is a list of Administrators of the Government, Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada who were acting governors appointed as the result of the death, resignation, prolonged absence of the sitting viceroy, or for any other reason:
- Chief Justice Lyman Duff between the death of Lord Tweedsmuir and the arrival of Lord Athlone (February 11 to June 21, 1940);[40]
- Senior Puisne Justice Patrick Kerwin during the absence of Governor General Lord Alexander and Chief Justice Thibaudeau Rinfret (June 11 to August 2, 1951).[41]
- Chief Justice Thibaudeau Rinfret once the commission was ended on the departure of the Lord Alexander and the installation of Vincent Massey (January 28 to February 28, 1952);
- Chief Justice Robert Taschereau following the death of Georges Vanier to the installation of Roland Michener (March 5 to April 17, 1967);[42]
- Chief Justice Bora Laskin while Governor General Jules Léger was recovering from a stroke (July 2 to December 9, 1974);[43]
- Chief Justice Richard Wagner, from the resignation of Julie Payette to the installation of Mary Simon (January 22 to July 26, 2021).[44]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Department of Canadian Heritage (2015). A Crown of Maples: Constitutional Monarchy in Canada (PDF). Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-100-20079-8.
- ^ a b Senate of Canada. "Canada: A Constitutional Monarchy". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
- ^ La Roque de Roquebrune, R. (1979) [1966]. "La Rocque de Roberval, Jean-François de". In Brown, George Williams (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. I (1000–1700) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- ^ Government of Canada. "The Kings and Queens of Canada: The Crown in Canadian History > Henri III (1551–1589)". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
- ^ Wrong, George M. (2009), Langton, H. H. (ed.), The Chronicles of Canada, vol. II: The Rise of New France, Fireship Press, pp. 33–35, ISBN 978-1-934757-45-1, retrieved 18 September 2015
- ^ Wrong 2009, p. 35
- ^ Wrong 2009, p. 51
- ^ "The Viscount Monck". The Governor General of Canada. Office of the Secretary to the Governor General.
- ^ "Sir John Young, Baron Lisgar". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Carolyn. "Lord Dufferin". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Carolyn. "John Douglas Sutherland Campbell, Marquess of Lorne". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Carolyn. "The Marquess of Landsdowne, Governor General of Canada". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Carolyn. "Lord Stanley". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Carolyn. "John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, Earl of Aberdeen". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Carolyn. "Gibert John Murray Kynynmound Elliot, 4th Earl of Minto". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Carolyn. "Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Carolyn. "Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Carolyn. "Viscount Byng of Vimy". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "The Marquess of Willingdon". Governor General of Canada. Office of the Governor General. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Hillmer, Norman. "Vere Barbazon Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Hillmer, Norman. "John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Harris, Carolyn. "Alexander Cambridge, Earl of Athlone". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
- ^ Hillmer, Norman. "Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada.
- ^ Granatstein, J.L. "Vincent Massey". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Monet, Jacques. "Georges Vanier". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Hillmer, Norman. "Roland Michener". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Monet, Jacques. "Jules Leger". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Hillmer, Norman. "Ed Schreyer". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Tremblay, Jean-Noel. "Jeanne Sauvé". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Hillmer, Norman. "Ray Hnatyshyn". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Roméo LeBlanc". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Adrienne Clarkson". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Michaëlle Jean". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Azzi, Stephen. "David Lloyd Johnston". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Incoming Governor General Julie Payette drops attempt to seal U.S. court records". ctvnews.ca. 21 August 2017.
- ^ Raymond, Katrine. "Julie Payette". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Incoming Governor General Julie Payette drops attempt to seal U.S. court records". ctvnews.ca. 21 August 2017.
- ^ General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor (September 22, 2017). "Former Governors General". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- ^ Gosse, Richard (1 September 1975). "The Four Courts of Sir Lyman Duff". The Canadian Bar Review. 53 (3): 511–512.
- ^ McKenna, Stephen (2020). Grace and Wisdom: Patrick G. Kerwin, Chief Justice of Canada. Petra Books. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-927032-68-8.
- ^ Gallant, Jacques. "Gov. Gen. Julie Payette has resigned. What happens now?". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ Girard, Philip (2015). Bora Laskin: Bringing Law to Life. University of Toronto Press. p. 423. ISBN 978-1-4426-1688-2.
- ^ Slaughter, Graham. "Canada's top judge is now acting Governor General, but expert urges speedy replacement". CTV News. Retrieved 18 February 2021.