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List of governors general of Canada facts for kids

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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.

Lieutenant General/Viceroy of New France, 1541–1627

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Monarch
Reign
Ref.
Took office Left office Duration
1 Jean-François de la Roque de Roberval.jpg Jean-François Roberval
(c. 1495–1560)
1541 1543 1–2 years Francis I
(1515–1547)
2 Grand Royal Coat of Arms of France.svg Troilus de Mesqouez
(1536–1606)
1578 unknown unknown Henry III
(1574–1589)
Henry IV
(1589–1610)
3 Grand Royal Coat of Arms of France.svg Aymar Chaste
(1514–1603)
1602 1603 0–1 years
4 Henri, Prince of Condé.jpg Henri II, Prince of Condé
(1588–1646)
1614 1619 4–5 years Louis XIII
(1610–1643)
5 Henri II de Montmorency.jpg Henri II, Duke of Montmorency
(1595–1632)
1619 1625 5–6 years
6 Grand Royal Coat of Arms of France.svg Henri de Lévis de Ventadour, Duke of Ventadour
(1596–1651)
1625 1627 1–2 years

Governors of New France, 1627–1663

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Monarch
Reign
Took office Left office Duration
1 GG-Champlain.jpg Samuel de Champlain
(1574–1635)
1627 1635 7–8 years Louis XIII
(1610–1643)
2 CharlesHuaultMontmagny.jpg Charles de Montmagny
(c. 1599–1654)
1635 1648 12–13 years
Louis XIV
(1643–1715)
3 Louis d'Ailleboust de Coulonge.jpg Louis d'Ailleboust de Coulonge
(c. 1612–1660)
1648 1651 2–3 years
4 Lausonjean.JPG Jean de Lauson
(1584–1666)
1651 1657 5–6 years
5 Grand Royal Coat of Arms of France.svg Pierre de Voyer d'Argenson, Vicomte de Mouzay
(c. 1599–1654)
1658 1661 2–3 years
6 Pierre du Bois d'Avaugour.jpg Pierre Dubois Davaugour
(1625–1709)
1661 1663 1–2 years

Governors general of New France, 1663–1760

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Monarch
Reign
Took office Left office Duration
1 Augustin de Saffray de Mezy.jpg Augustin de Saffray de Mésy
(1598–1665)
1663 1665 1–2 years Louis XIV
(1643–1715)
2 Daniel Remy de Courcelles.JPG Daniel de Rémy de Courcelle
(1626–1698)
1665 1672 6–7 years
3 Louis de Buade, comte de Frontenac et de Palluau (1622-1698).jpg Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac
(1622–1698)
1672 1682 9–10 years
4 Joseph-Antoine Le Febvre de La Barre.jpg Joseph-Antoine le Fèbvre, Sieur of La Barre
(1622–1688)
1682 1685 2–3 years
5 Jacques-Rene de Brisay, Marquis de Denonville.jpg Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville
(1637–1710)
1685 1689 3–4 years
(3) Louis de Buade, comte de Frontenac et de Palluau (1622-1698).jpg Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac
(1622–1698)
1689 1698 8–9 years
6 Hector-Calliere.jpg Louis-Hector de Callière
(1648–1703)
1698 1703 4–5 years
7 GG-Vaudreuil.jpg Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil
(1622–1698)
1703 1725 21–22 years
Louis XV
(1715–1774)
8 Marquis de Beauharnois.jpg Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois
(1671–1749)
1725 1747 21–22 years
9 GG-La Galissoniere.jpg Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière
(1693–1756)
1747 1749 1–2 years
10 GG-Jonquiere.jpg Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière, Marquis de la Jonquière
(1685–1752)
1749 1752 2–3 years
11 GG-Quesne.jpg Michel-Ange Duquesne de Menneville, Marquess Duquesne
(c. 1700–1778)
1752 1755 2–3 years
12 GG-Vaudreuil2.jpg 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 GG-Jeffrey Amherst.jpg Jeffery Amherst
(1717–1797)
1760 1763 2–3 years George III
(1760–1820)
2 GG-James Murray.jpg James Murray
(1721–1794)
1764 1768 3–4 years
3 General-Sir-Guy-Carleton 2.jpg Guy Carleton
KB
(1724–1808)
1768 1778 9–10 years
4 Sir Frederick Haldimand by Sir Joshua Reynolds.jpg 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 General-Sir-Guy-Carleton 2.jpg The Lord Dorchester
KB
(1724–1808)
1786 1796 9–10 years George III
(1760–1820)
2 GG-Robert Prescott.jpg Robert Prescott
(c. 1726–1815)
1796 1799 2–3 years
3 GG-Milnes.jpg Sir Robert Milnes, Baronet
(1754–1837)
1799 1805 5–6 years
4 Can GG NoPic.svg Thomas Dunn
(1729–1818)
1805 1807 1–2 years
5 GG-James Henry Craig.jpg Sir James Henry Craig
KB
(1748–1812)
1807 1811 3–4 years
6 GG-George Prevost.jpg Sir George Prévost, Baronet
(1767–1816)
1811 1815 3–4 years
7 GG-Drummond.jpg Sir Gordon Drummond
(1772–1854)
1815 1816 0–1 years
8 GG-John Coape Sherbrooke.jpg Sir John Coape Sherbrooke
(1764–1830)
1816 1818 1–2 years
9 GG-Charles Lennox.jpg The Duke of Richmond
KG, PC
(1764–1819)
1818 1819 0–1 years
10 GG-George Ramsay.jpg The Earl of Dalhousie
GCB
(1770–1838)
1820 1828 7–8 years George IV
(1820–1830)
11 Sir James Kempt by William Salter cropped 5 6 ratio.jpg Sir James Kempt
GCB
(c. 1765–1854)
1828 1830 1–2 years
12 GG-Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer.jpg The Lord Aylmer
(1775–1850)
1830 1835 4–5 years William IV
(1830–1837)
13 GG-Archibald Acheson.jpg The Earl of Gosford
GCB
(1776–1849)
1835 1837 1–2 years
14 GG-John Colborne.jpg Sir John Colborne
(1778–1863)
1837 1838 0–1 years Victoria
(1837–1901)
15 GG-John George Lambton.jpg The Earl of Durham
(1792–1840)
1838 1839 0–1 years
16 GG-Charles Poulett Thomson.jpg The Lord Sydenham
PC
(1799–1841)
1839 1841 1–2 years

Governors general of the Province of Canada, 1841–1867

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Monarch
Reign
Took office Left office Duration
1 GG-Charles Poulett Thomson.jpg The Lord Sydenham
PC
(1799–1841)
5 February
1841
19 September
1841
226 days Victoria
(1837–1901)
2 GG-Charles Bagot.jpg Sir Charles Bagot
(1781–1843)
12 January
1842
19 May
1843
1 year, 127 days
3 GG-Charles T. Metcalfe.jpg The Lord Metcalfe
Bt, PC
(1785–1846)
30 May
1843
26 November
1845
2 years, 180 days
4 GG-Charles Murray Cathcart.jpg The Earl Cathcart
GCB
(1783–1859)
26 November
1845
30 January
1847
1 year, 65 days
5 GG-James Bruce Elgin.jpg The Earl of Elgin
PC, GCB
(1811–1863)
30 January
1847
19 December
1854
7 years, 323 days
6 GG-Edmund Walker Head.jpg Sir Edmund Walker Head, Baronet
KCB
(1805–1868)
19 December
1854
25 October
1861
6 years, 310 days
7 GG-Charles Monck.jpg The Viscount Monck
PC, GCMG
(1819–1894)
25 October
1861
1 July
1867
5 years, 249 days

Governors general of Canada, 1867–present

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Profession Term of office Monarch
Reign
Prime Minister
Term of office
Ref.
Took office Left office Duration
1 GG-Charles Monck.jpg 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)
2 GG-John Young.jpg The Lord Lisgar
(1807–1876)
Politician 14 November
1868
25 June
1872
3 years, 144 days
3 GG-Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood.jpg The Earl of Dufferin
(1826–1902)
Diplomat 25 June
1872
25 November
1878
6 years, 153 days
Alexander Mackenzie
(1873–1878)
Sir John A. Macdonald
(1878–1891)
4 GG-John Campbell.jpg John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne
(1845–1914)
Author,
Politician
25 November
1878
23 October
1883
4 years, 332 days
5 GG-Henry Petty-FitzMaurice.jpg The Marquess of Lansdowne
(1845–1927)
Politician 23 October
1883
11 June
1888
4 years, 232 days
6 GG-Frederick Stanley.jpg The Lord Stanley of Preston
(1841–1908)
Politician 11 June
1888
18 September
1893
5 years, 99 days
Sir John Abbott
(1891–1892)
Sir John Sparrow David Thompson
(1892–1894)
7 John Hamilton Gordon Earl of Aberdeen 1884.jpg The Earl of Aberdeen
(1847–1934)
Politician 18 September
1893
12 November
1898
5 years, 55 days
Sir Mackenzie Bowell
(1894–1896)
Sir Charles Tupper
(1896)
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
(1896–1911)
8 GG-Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound.jpg The Earl of Minto
(1845–1914)
Military officer 12 November
1898
10 December
1904
6 years, 28 days
Edward VII
(1901–1910)
9 GG-Albert Grey.jpg The Earl Grey
(1851–1917)
Politician 10 December
1904
13 October
1911
6 years, 307 days
George V
(1910–1936)
Sir Robert Borden
(1911–1920)
10 GG-Prince Arthur.jpg Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
(1850–1942)
Military officer 13 October
1911
11 November
1916
5 years, 29 days
11 GG-Victor Cavendish.jpg The Duke of Devonshire
(1868–1938)
Politician 11 November
1916
11 August
1921
4 years, 273 days
Arthur Meighen
(1920–1921)
12 GG-Julian Byng.jpg The Viscount Byng of Vimy
(1862–1935)
Military officer 11 August
1921
2 October
1926
5 years, 52 days
William Lyon Mackenzie King
(1921–1926)
Arthur Meighen
(1926)
William Lyon Mackenzie King
(1926–1930)
13 GG-Freeman Freeman-Thomas.jpg The Marquess of Willingdon
(1866–1941)
Politician 2 October
1926
4 April
1931
4 years, 184 days
R.B. Bennett
(1930–1935)
14 GG-Vere Ponsonby.jpg The Earl of Bessborough
(1880–1956)
Businessman 4 April
1931
2 November
1935
4 years, 212 days
William Lyon Mackenzie King
(1935–1948)
15 GG-John Buchan.jpg The Lord Tweedsmuir
(1875–1940)
Author, Politician 2 November
1935
11 February
1940
4 years, 101 days
Edward VIII
(1936)
George VI
(1936–1952)
16 GG-Alexander Cambridge.jpg The Earl of Athlone
(1874–1957)
Military officer 21 June
1940
12 April
1946
5 years, 295 days
17 GG-Harold Alexander.jpg The Viscount Alexander of Tunis
(1891–1969)
Military officer 12 April
1946
28 January
1952
5 years, 300 days
Louis St. Laurent
(1948–1957)
18 Governor General Vincent Massey (cropped).jpg Vincent Massey
(1887–1967)
Diplomat 28 February
1952
15 September
1959
7 years, 199 days Elizabeth II
(1952–2022)
John Diefenbaker
(1957–1963)
19 GG-Vanier.jpg Georges Vanier
(1888–1967)
Military officer,
Diplomat
15 September
1959
5 March
1967
7 years, 171 days
Lester B. Pearson
(1963–1968)
20 Governor General Roland Michener at Alma College graduation ceremonies 1972 (crop).jpg Roland Michener
(1900–1991)
Politician 17 April
1967
14 January
1974
6 years, 272 days
Pierre Trudeau
(1968–1979)
21 Jules Léger
(1913–1980)
Diplomat 14 January
1974
22 January
1979
5 years, 8 days
22 Ed Schreyer (3).jpg Edward Schreyer
(born 1935)
Politician 22 January
1979
14 May
1984
5 years, 113 days
Joe Clark
(1979–1980)
Pierre Trudeau
(1980–1984)
23 Jeanne Sauvé at Rideau Hall during visit of Ronald Reagan April 1987.jpg Jeanne Sauvé
(1922–1993)
Journalist,
Politician
14 May
1984
29 January
1990
5 years, 260 days
John Turner
(1984)
Brian Mulroney
(1984–1993)
24 Ray Hnatyshyn
(1934–2002)
Politician 29 January
1990
8 February
1995
5 years, 10 days
Kim Campbell
(1993)
Jean Chrétien
(1993–2003)
25 Roméo LeBlanc
(1927–2009)
Journalist,
Politician
8 February
1995
7 October
1999
4 years, 242 days
26 GG-Adrienne Clarkson2.jpg Adrienne Clarkson
(born 1939)
Journalist 7 October
1999
27 September
2005
5 years, 355 days
Paul Martin
(2003–2006)
27 GG-Michaëlle Jean.jpg Michaëlle Jean
(born 1957)
Journalist 27 September
2005
1 October
2010
5 years, 4 days
Stephen Harper
(2006–2015)
28 David Johnston 2011-12-01.jpg David Johnston
(born 1941)
Law professor,
University administrator
1 October
2010
2 October
2017
7 years, 1 day
Justin Trudeau
(since 2015)
29 Julie Payette 2017.jpg Julie Payette
(born 1963)
Astronaut,
Engineer
2 October
2017
22 January
2021
3 years, 112 days

30 Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada.jpg Mary Simon
(born 1947)
Broadcaster,
Diplomat
26 July
2021
Incumbent 3 years, 151 days
Charles III
(since 2022)

Administrators

Lyman Poore Duff
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);
  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).
  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);
  5. Chief Justice Bora Laskin while Governor General Jules Léger was recovering from a stroke (July 2 to December 9, 1974);
  6. Chief Justice Richard Wagner, from the resignation of Julie Payette to the installation of Mary Simon (January 22, 2021 to July 26, 2021).

See also

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