House of Commons Procedure and Practice

Second Edition, 2009

House of Commons Procedure and Practice - Governors General of Canada Since 1867 - Appendix 1. Governors General of Canada Since 1867

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Appendix 1

Governors General of Canada Since 1867

Appointed by the Sovereign under the advice of the Prime Minister, the Governor General usually holds office for five years. However, the term can continue beyond five years and is brought to an end by the installation or the swearing in of a successor. The Constitution Act, 1867 confers upon the Governor General certain basic powers of government: a recommendation from the Governor General must accompany all spending measures introduced in the House; it is the Governor General who gives Royal Assent to legislation; and it is the Governor General who summons, prorogues and dissolves Parliament. However, in administering the executive authority of the government, the Governor General acts solely upon the advice of the Ministry. In addition to these basic powers of government, the Governor General also has a number of ceremonial responsibilities. The list of Governors General of Canada since Confederation and the information on their appointment and term of office was kindly provided by Rideau Hall.

 

 

 

 

 

Term of Office[1]

 

 

Governor General

Appointment Date[2]

Installation Date[3]

Last Day in Office[4]

Monck-01.jpg

1.

Charles Stanley Monck,
Viscount Monck

 

June 1, 1867

 

July 1, 1867

 

November 14, 1868

 

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2.

Sir John Young,
Lord Lisgar

 

December 29, 1868

 

February 2, 1869

 

June 21, 1872

 

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3.

Sir Frederick Temple Blackwood,
The Earl of Dufferin

 

May 22, 1872

 

June 25, 1872

 

November 14, 1878

 

Lorne-04.jpg

4.

Sir John Douglas Sutherland Campbell,
The Marquess of Lorne

 

October 7, 1878

 

November 25,1878

 

October 22, 1883

 

Lansdowne-05.jpg

5.

Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice,
The Marquess of Lansdowne

 

August 18, 1883

 

October 23, 1883

 

May 30, 1888

 

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6.

Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley,
Lord Stanley of Preston

 

May 1, 1888

 

June 11, 1888

 

September 6, 1893

 

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7.

Sir John Campbell Hamilton Gordon,
The Earl of Aberdeen

 

May 22, 1893

 

September 18, 1893

 

November 12, 1898

 

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8.

Gilbert John Murray Kynynmound Elliot,
The Earl of Minto

 

July 30, 1898

 

November 12, 1898

 

November 18, 1904

 

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9.

Sir Albert Henry George Grey,
Earl Grey

 

September 26, 1904

 

December 10, 1904

 

October 12, 1911

 

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10.

H.R.H. Prince Arthur William Patrick Albert,
Field Marshall
H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn

 

March 6, 1911

 

October 13, 1911

 

October 11, 1916

 

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11.

Sir Victor Christian William Cavendish,
The Duke of Devonshire

 

August 8, 1916

 

November 11, 1916

 

July 19, 1921

 

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12.

Sir Julian Hedworth George Byng,
General Lord Byng of Vimy

 

August 2, 1921

 

August 11, 1921

 

September 29, 1926

 

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13.

Sir Freeman Freeman-Thomas,
The Viscount Willingdon of Ratton

 

August 5, 1926

 

October 2, 1926

 

January 16, 1931

 

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14.

Sir Vere Brabazon Ponsonby,
The Earl of Bessborough

 

March 20, 1931

 

April 4, 1931

 

September 29, 1935

 

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15.

Sir John Buchan,
Lord Tweedsmuir of Elsfield

 

August 10, 1935

 

November 2, 1935

 

February 11, 1940*

 

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16.

Sir Alexander Augustus Frederick William Alfred George Cambridge,
Major General The Earl of Athlone

 

June 2, 1940

 

June 21, 1940

 

March 16, 1946

 

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17.

Sir Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander,

Field Marshall
The Viscount Alexander  of Tunis

March 21, 1946

 

April 12, 1946

 

January 28, 1952

 

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18.

The Rt. Hon. Vincent Charles Massey

 

February 1, 1952

 

February 28, 1952

 

September 15, 1959

 

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19.

Major General The Rt. Hon. Georges Philias Vanier

 

August 1, 1959

 

September 15, 1959

 

March 5, 1967*

 

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20.

The Rt. Hon. Daniel Roland Michener

 

March 29, 1967

 

April 17, 1967

 

January 14, 1974

 

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21.

The Rt. Hon. Jules Léger

 

October 5, 1973

 

January 14, 1974

 

January 22, 1979

 

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22.

The Rt. Hon. Edward
Richard Schreyer

 

December 28, 1978

 

January 22, 1979

 

May 14, 1984

 

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23.

The Rt. Hon. Jeanne
Mathilde Sauvé

 

January 28, 1984

 

May 14, 1984

 

January 29, 1990

 

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24.

The Rt. Hon. Ramon
John Hnatyshyn

 

December 14, 1989

 

January 29, 1990

 

February 8,1995

 

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25.

The Rt. Hon. Roméo
Adrien LeBlanc

 

January 16, 1995

 

February 8, 1995

 

October 7, 1999

 

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26.

The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson

 

September 28, 1999

 

October 7, 1999

 

September 27, 2005

 

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27.

The Rt. Hon. Michaëlle Jean

 

September 10, 2005

 

September 27, 2005

 

 

 



[1] Term of Office: The appointment of a Governor General is without a specific term and persists legally until brought to an end by the installation or the swearing in of a successor. By convention, the term is usually regarded as five years, but its actual length is determined by the Prime Minister’s recommendation to the Sovereign on the appointment of a successor.

[2] Appointment Date: The appointment is made by the Sovereign on the basis of formal advice submitted by the Prime Minister who recommends the appointment in the form of a commission of appointment. The date of the commission becomes the appointment date. The appointment is then announced simultaneously in London and in Ottawa in the form of a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

[3] Installation Date: The swearing in or installation formalizes the appointment of the Governor General and is the first official day of his/her term of office.

[4] Last Day in Office: The last day of the Governor General’s term of office is usually the day of the installation or swearing in of his/her successor. However, in some cases, an Administrator was appointed from the last day in office of the Governor General until the installation of the successor.

* Died in office.

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