CANADIAN
GOVERNORS GENERAL OF CANADA
(ie,
the ones who weren't inbred English dukes)
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The Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey
1952-1959
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The Rt. Hon. Georges Vanier
1959-1967
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The Rt. Hon. Roland Michener
1967-1974
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The Rt.
Hon. Jules Legar
1974-1979
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The Rt.
Hon. Edward Schreyer
1979-1984
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The Rt.
Hon. Jeanne Sauve
1984-1990
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The Rt.
Hon. Ramon Hnatyshyn
1990-1995
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The Rt.
Hon. Romeo LeBlanc
1995-1999
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The Rt.
Hon. Adrienne Clarkson
1999-2005
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The Rt.
Hon. Michealle Jean
2005-
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Detailed
Information:
|
Name
|
Appointed
by
Prime Minister
|
Term
|
Length
of term
|
Principal
Occupation
|
| Vincent
Massey |
St.
Laurent (Liberal) |
February
28, 1952 -
September 15, 1959
|
7
years, 6 months, 17 d. |
Politician
(Liberal) |
| Georges
Vanier |
Diefenbaker
(Conservative) |
September
15, 1959 -
March 5, 1967
|
7
years, 5 months, 21 d. |
General |
| Robert
Taschereau |
N/A,
automatically assumed office* |
March
5, 1967 -
April 17, 1967
|
1
month, 12 d. |
Chief
Justice of Canada |
| Roland
Michener |
Pearson
(Liberal) |
April
17, 1967 -
January 14, 1974
|
6
years, 8 months, 28 d. |
Politician
(Liberal) |
| Jules
Legar |
Trudeau
(Liberal) |
January
14, 1974 -
January 22, 1979
|
5
years, 8 d. |
Ambassador |
| Edward
Schreyer |
Trudeau
(Liberal) |
January
22, 1979 -
14 May 1984
|
5
years, 3 months, 23 d. |
Politician
(NDP) |
| Jeanne
Sauve |
Trudeau
(Liberal) |
May 14, 1984 -
January 29, 1990
|
5
years, 8 months, 15 d. |
Politician
(Liberal) |
|
Ramon Hnatyshyn |
Mulroney
(Conservative) |
January
29, 1990 -
February 8, 1995
|
5
years, 7 d. |
Politician
(Conservative) |
| Romeo
LeBlanc |
Chretien
(Liberal) |
February
8, 1995 -
October 7, 1999
|
4
years, 7 months, 30 d. |
Politician
(Liberal) |
| Adrienne
Clarkson |
Chretien
(Liberal) |
October
7, 1999 - September 27, 2005
|
5
years, 11 months, 20 d. |
Television
show host |
| Michaelle
Jean |
Martin
(Liberal) |
September
27, 2005 -
|
|
Televise
show host |
*According to
the Canadian constitution, when the Governor General dies or resigns unexpectedly,
his duties are temporarily given to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court until
a new GG can be appointed. When Vanier died in office in 1967 Justice Taschereau
thus became acting Governor General for little over a month.
Minorities
The Governor General is supposed to represent the "face
of Canada," and as a result the position has repeatedly used as a way in
which to elevate various cultural and ethnic minority groups to national prominence.
Today, it seems to be almost expected that the Governor General will be a minority
of some sort. It's also become a defacto custom to rotate between French-Canadians
and non-French Canadians.
| Name |
Distinctive
characteristics |
| Massey |
first
native-born Canadian appointed |
|
| Vanier |
first
French-Canadian |
+
French |
| Michener |
nothing
special |
|
| Legar |
nothing
special |
+
French |
| Schreyer |
first
western Canadian |
|
| Sauve |
first
woman |
+
French |
|
Hnatyshyn |
Ukrainian-Canadian
background |
|
|
LeBlanc |
Acadian,
first maritime Canadian |
+
French |
| Clarkson |
first
non-white, first immigrant |
|
| Jean
|
black,
immigrant |
+
French |
Medals
As you can see in the photos above, Governor Generals like to
wear lots of medals. The exact number has fluctated over the years, as some
Governor Generals have earned more in their previous lives than others.
Today,
upon assuming office the new GG is given the following five awards. In some
cases the Governor General herself is the person who actually awards the medal
in the first place, if so she is given a special title.
|
Medal
|
granted
since:
|
GG's
special title / rank: |
|
Order
of the Hospital of St. John
|
1888
|
Chief
Officer |
|
Canadian
Forces Decoration
|
1949
|
Commander-in-Chief
|
|
Order
of Canada
|
1967
|
Chancellor |
|
Order
of Military Meritt
|
1972
|
Chancellor |
|
Order
of Merit of the Police Forces
|
2000
|
Chancellor |
Mnemonic
In a recent episode of the Simpsons Bart helps Lisa study
her Canadian history by using various snappy mnemonic devices. At one point
he gives her one to help her remember the names of Canada's recent Governor
Generals. Lo and behold, it actually works. So here it is:
|
Clowns
|
love
|
haircuts,
|
so
|
should
|
Lee
|
Marvin's
|
Vallet.
|
|
Clarkson
|
Le Blanc
|
Hnatyshyn
|
Sauvé
|
Schreyer
|
Léger
|
Michener
|
Vanier
|
Actually
it's not perfect. It doesn't include Vincent Massey's name.
