List of governors general of Canada

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

Further information: Lieutenant General of New France

No.	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

Main article: Governor of New France

No.	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

Main article: Governor General of New France

No.	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

Following 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

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Monarch Reign
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Guy Carleton, 1st Baron 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, 1st 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, 1st 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		Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond KG, PC (1764–1819)	1818	1819	0–1 years
10		George Ramsay, 9th 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		Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer, 5th Baron Aylmer (1775–1850)	1830	1835	4–5 years	William IV (1830–1837)
13		Archibald Acheson, 2nd 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		John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham (1792–1840)	1838	1839	0–1 years
16		Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham PC (1799–1841)	1839	1841	1–2 years

Governors general of the Province of Canada, 1841–1867

Main article: Governor General of the Province of Canada

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Monarch Reign
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron 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		Charles Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe Bt, PC (1785–1846)	30 May 1843	26 November 1845	2 years, 180 days
4		Charles Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart GCB (1783–1859)	26 November 1845	30 January 1847	1 year, 65 days
5		James Bruce, 8th 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		Charles Monck, 4th Viscount Monck PC, GCMG (1819–1894)	25 October 1861	1 July 1867	5 years, 249 days

Governors general of Canada, 1867–present

Main article: Governor General of Canada

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Profession	Term of office			Monarch Reign	Prime Minister Term of office	Ref.
				Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Charles Monck, 4th 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		John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar (1807–1876)	Politician	14 November 1868	25 June 1872	3 years, 144 days			[9]
3		Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st 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		Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne (1845–1927)	Politician	23 October 1883	11 June 1888	4 years, 232 days			[12]
6		Frederick Stanley, 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		John Hamilton-Gordon, 7th 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		Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto (1845–1914)	Military officer	12 November 1898	10 December 1904	6 years, 28 days			[15]
							Edward VII (1901–1910)
9		Albert Grey, 4th 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		Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (1868–1938)	Politician	11 November 1916	11 August 1921	4 years, 273 days			[18]
								Arthur Meighen (1920–1921)
12		Julian Byng, 1st 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		Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon (1866–1941)	Politician	2 October 1926	4 April 1931	4 years, 184 days			[20]
								R.B. Bennett (1930–1935)
14		Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough (1880–1956)	Businessman	4 April 1931	2 November 1935	4 years, 212 days			[21]
								William Lyon Mackenzie King (1935–1948)
15		John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875–1940)	Author, Politician	2 November 1935	11 February 1940	4 years, 101 days			[22]
							Edward VIII (1936)
							George VI (1936–1952)
16		Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (1874–1957)	Military officer	21 June 1940	12 April 1946	5 years, 295 days			[23]
17		Harold Alexander, 1st Earl 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 (1928–2009)	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, 175 days
							Charles III (since 2022)

Administrators

Main article: Administrator of the Government of Canada

Chief Justice Lyman Duff was administrator of Canada in 1940.

The 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:

1. Chief Justice Lyman Duff between the death of Lord Tweedsmuir and the arrival of Lord Athlone (February 11 to June 21, 1940);^[40]
2. 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]
3. 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);
4. Chief Justice Robert Taschereau following the death of Georges Vanier to the installation of Roland Michener (March 5 to April 17, 1967);^[42]
5. Chief Justice Bora Laskin while Governor General Jules Léger was recovering from a stroke (July 2 to December 9, 1974);^[43]
6. 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

• Canada portal
• Politics portal

• List of Canadian monarchs
• List of vicereines in Canada
• Viceregal consort of Canada
• Viceregal eponyms in Canada

References

1. 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.
2. Senate of Canada. "Canada: A Constitutional Monarchy". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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
6. Wrong 2009, p. 35
7. Wrong 2009, p. 51
8. "The Viscount Monck". The Governor General of Canada. Office of the Secretary to the Governor General.
9. "Sir John Young, Baron Lisgar". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
10. Harris, Carolyn. "Lord Dufferin". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
11. Harris, Carolyn. "John Douglas Sutherland Campbell, Marquess of Lorne". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
12. Harris, Carolyn. "The Marquess of Landsdowne, Governor General of Canada". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
13. Harris, Carolyn. "Lord Stanley". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
14. Harris, Carolyn. "John Campbell Hamilton-Gordon, Earl of Aberdeen". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
15. Harris, Carolyn. "Gibert John Murray Kynynmound Elliot, 4th Earl of Minto". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
16. "Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
17. Harris, Carolyn. "Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught and Strathearn". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
18. Harris, Carolyn. "Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
19. Harris, Carolyn. "Viscount Byng of Vimy". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
20. "The Marquess of Willingdon". Governor General of Canada. Office of the Governor General. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
21. Hillmer, Norman. "Vere Barbazon Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
22. Hillmer, Norman. "John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
23. Harris, Carolyn. "Alexander Cambridge, Earl of Athlone". The Canadian Encyclopedia.
24. Hillmer, Norman. "Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada.
25. Granatstein, J.L. "Vincent Massey". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
26. Monet, Jacques. "Georges Vanier". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
27. Hillmer, Norman. "Roland Michener". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
28. Monet, Jacques. "Jules Leger". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
29. Hillmer, Norman. "Ed Schreyer". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
30. Tremblay, Jean-Noel. "Jeanne Sauvé". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
31. Hillmer, Norman. "Ray Hnatyshyn". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
32. "Roméo LeBlanc". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
33. "Adrienne Clarkson". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
34. "Michaëlle Jean". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
35. Azzi, Stephen. "David Lloyd Johnston". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
36. "Incoming Governor General Julie Payette drops attempt to seal U.S. court records". ctvnews.ca. 21 August 2017.
37. Raymond, Katrine. "Julie Payette". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
38. "Incoming Governor General Julie Payette drops attempt to seal U.S. court records". ctvnews.ca. 21 August 2017.
39. General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor (September 22, 2017). "Former Governors General". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
40. Gosse, Richard (1 September 1975). "The Four Courts of Sir Lyman Duff". The Canadian Bar Review. 53 (3): 511–512.
41. McKenna, Stephen (2020). Grace and Wisdom: Patrick G. Kerwin, Chief Justice of Canada. Petra Books. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-927032-68-8.
42. Gallant, Jacques. "Gov. Gen. Julie Payette has resigned. What happens now?". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
43. Girard, Philip (2015). Bora Laskin: Bringing Law to Life. University of Toronto Press. p. 423. ISBN 978-1-4426-1688-2.
44. Slaughter, Graham. "Canada's top judge is now acting Governor General, but expert urges speedy replacement". CTV News. Retrieved 18 February 2021.

External links

• Governor General of Canada > Former Governors General
• Department of Canadian Heritage > A Crown of Maples – Appendices > Governors/Governors General of Canada