Governor General of Canada
Crest
Incumbent: Michaëlle Jean
Style: Her Excellency, The Right Honourable
Appointed by: Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada
First governor general: Charles Monck, 4th Viscount Monck
Formation: July 1, 1867

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The Governor General of Canada (French (feminine): Gouverneure générale du Canada, or (masculine): Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative in Canada of the Canadian monarch, who is the head of state; Canada is one of sixteen Commonwealth realms, all of which share the same person as their respective sovereign. The monarch appoints the governor general on the advice of the prime minister of Canada. There is no specific term; as with other appointments, the incumbent is said to serve "at Her Majesty's pleasure," but by convention usually serves for approximately five years. Also by convention, the position tends to alternate between the anglophone and francophone communities.

The current constitution of the Office of Governor General is laid out by Letters Patent of King George VI, issued in 1947.^[1] By the Constitution Act, 1982, any constitutional amendment that affects the Crown, including the Office of Governor General, requires the unanimous consent of the provincial legislatures as well as the federal parliament. The 1904 Militia Act granted the governor general permission to use the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian military, in the name of the sovereign.^[2]

The present Governor General of Canada is Michaëlle Jean, who has served in the role since September 27, 2005. She was appointed on the advice of former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin to replace Adrienne Clarkson. The vice-regal consort is Jean's husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond.

History

Colonies

French colonization of North America began in 1580s, but the vast colony of New France (composed of Canada, Louisiana, and Acadia) grew only during the early and middle seventeenth century. The explorer Samuel de Champlain became the first unofficial Governor of New France in about 1613; however, in 1636, Charles Huault de Montmagny became the first individual formally appointed to the post. Originally, New France was administered by the French Company of One Hundred Associates; in 1663, however, King Louis XIV took over the control of the colony. After 1663, the head of the French administration in New France was known as the governor general; the first to hold this position was Augustin de Saffray de Mésy.

France gave up most of its North American territories, including Canada, to Great Britain via the Treaty of Paris, following the Seven Years' War (1756–1763). The Royal Proclamation of 1763 established the Office of Governor of Quebec to preside over the then named Province of Quebec. Lieutenant-General Sir Jeffrey Amherst governed the province during the last years of the Seven Years' War, but the first civilian to hold the position was James Murray (appointed 1764). The provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick remained separate, with their own colonial governors. In the 1780s, the British government of Prime Minister William Pitt accepted the idea that the provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick should share a single governor-in-chief (afterwards termed the governor general). The first individual to occupy this office was Lord Dorchester (appointed 1786). However, the governor-in-chief or governor general only directly governed the province of Lower Canada; Upper Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia were instead headed by their own lieutenant governors. In 1840, Upper and Lower Canada were united into the Province of Canada, which remained under the governor general's authority.

Responsible government

The role of the governor general changed greatly after the Rebellions of 1837, soon after which the British government agreed to grant the Canadian provinces responsible government. As a result, the governor general and lieutenant governors became largely nominal heads, while authority was really held by democratically elected legislatures and by provincial premiers. This arrangement continued after the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867; the governor general and lieutenant governors remained representatives of the Crown and of the British government, vested with executive authority via the monarch, while political power was actually exercised by the prime minister of Canada and the premiers, in the federal and provincial jurisdictions respectively. The political neutrality of the governor general was tested when the Marquis of Lorne disagreed with his prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, over the dismissal of Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Luc Letellier de St-Just. He eventually conceded, on the advice of the Colonial Secretary in London, to avoid conflict with the Cabinet.^[3] Later, after the death of Sir John A. Macdonald in May, 1891, there was a Cabinet crisis. Governor General Lord Stanley finally called on Thompson to form a government, but Thompson declined; so Lord Stanley chose John Abbott, who ultimately accepted the premiership.

The position of governor general experienced great change during the late 1920s and early 1930s, in the aftermath of the King-Byng Affair. In 1926, the Liberal Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King requested that Governor General Lord Byng of Vimy dissolve parliament; the Governor General, however, used his reserve power to refuse the request, citing both the fact that King actually held the minority of seats, and the general election that had been held only months earlier. Accordingly, King resigned, and Lord Byng appointed Arthur Meighen to replace him. Within a week, however, Meighen's Conservative government lost a no-confidence vote in the House of Commons, forcing the Governor General to dissolve Parliament and call elections. After Mackenzie King returned to power with a clear parliamentary majority, he sought to redefine the role of the governor general.

At an Imperial Conference held later in 1926, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other Dominions all accepted the Balfour Declaration. The declaration acknowledged that the Dominions were equal in status to the United Kingdom, and that each governor-general would henceforth function solely as a representative of the Crown within their respective dominions, and not as an agent of the British government. Instead, the latter function would be taken over by high commissioners (who are akin to ambassadors). The principle of the equality of the Dominions was further extended by the Statute of Westminster, 1931. The concept that the entire empire was the territory belonging to the British Crown was abandoned; rather, it was held that each dominion was a kingdom in its own right, so that the monarch was separately King of the United Kingdom, King of Canada, King of Australia, and so forth. Even though the Dominion of Canada was recognized as independent of and equal to the United Kingdom, non-Canadian-born persons continued to be appointed to the post of Governor General; the first to break this was Vincent Massey, appointed in 1952.

The wars and beyond

During the First and Second World Wars the governor general's role turned from one of cultural patron and state ceremony to one of military inspector and morale booster. Starting in 1914, Governor General Prince Arthur donned his Field Marshal's uniform and put his efforts into raising contingents, inspecting army camps, and seeing troops off before their voyage to Europe. These actions led to conflict with the Prince's prime minister at the time, Robert Borden; though the latter placed blame on the military secretary Edward Stanton, but also opined that the Duke "laboured under the handicap of his position as a member of the Royal Family and never realized his limitations as Governor General."^[4] Prince Arthur's successor, the Duke of Devonshire, was faced with the issue of the Conscription Crisis of 1917; though the governor general remained a representative of the British government, Cavendish still held discussions with his Canadian prime minister, as well as His Majesty's Loyal Opposition members on the matter. Once conscription was implemented, Cavendish, after consulting with no less than Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Vincent Massey, Henri Bourassa, Archbishop of Montreal Paul Bruchési, Duncan Campbell Scott, Vilhjalmur Stefansson, and Stephen Leacock on the pulse of the nation, made efforts to conciliate Quebec, though with little real success.^[5]

Though the governor general had been venturing to Washington to meet informally with the president of the United States since the time of Lord Monck, the first official visit was of Lord Willingdon at the invitation of Calvin Coolidge. Willingdon was accorded the full honours of representative of the head of state, at the insistence of Vincent Massey.^[6] During the Great Depression Lord Bessborough voluntarily cut his salary by ten percent.^[7]

Thereafter, the next period of important change for the office came around the time of Roland Michener's tenure (1967–1974). In light of changing attitudes towards Canadian identity and the rise of the Quebec sovereignty movement, the images and role of the monarchy were cautiously downplayed. However, parallelling the earlier changes in constitutional law, the cultural role of the Canadian monarchy, including that of the governor general, altered accordingly. The federal and provincial governments began to recognize and promote the fact of the Queen's role as monarch of Canada being separate to her position as monarch of the United Kingdom.^[8][9][10] Additionally, with the creation of the distinct Canadian honours system, an increase of state visits coming with Canada's growing role on the world stage, and the more prevalent use of television to visually broadcast ceremonial state affairs, the governor general became more publicly active in national life. Michener also relaxed protocols and formalities surrounding the office; for instance, the long-standing custom of bowing or curtsying before the governor general was abandoned. Michener did retain the traditional military uniform associated with the office, but he was the last governor general to do so.

Controversy

The Office of Governor General has occasionally been a controversial subject in Canada, mostly over costs associated with running the Office and household. As early as 1880, the viceroy attracted some ridicule; in July that year someone under the pseudonym "Captain Mac" issued a pamphlet called Canada: from the Lakes to the Gulf, in which he included a coarse satire of an investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall, where a retired inn-keeper and his wife undergo the rigorous protocol of the royal household and sprawl on the floor before the Duke of Argyll, so as to be granted the knighthood for which they had "paid in cold, hard cash."^[11] Prior to the arrival of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, uncle of King George V, to take his post as governor general, there was "a feeble undercurrent of criticism," centering on worries about a rigid court at Rideau Hall; worries that turned out to be unfounded as the royal couple was more relaxed than their predecessors.^[12]

Georges Vanier, who, as governor general, always fostered unity and biculturalism, found himself the target of Quebec sovereigntists in Montreal, on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, 1964, wherein a group of separatists held placards reading "Vanier vendu" ("Vanier sold out") and "Vanier fou de la Reine" ("Vanier Queen's jester").^[13]

Spending became an issue for Adrienne Clarkson during her time as viceroy; under her governor generalcy the budget for her office doubled to $41 million, which included renovations to Rideau Hall and La Citadelle's visitor centres, as well as upgrades of the public facilities and barrier-free access, and restoration work. What garnered the most attention, however, was a nineteen day circumpolar "northern identity" tour comprised of state visits to Russia, Finland, and Iceland, with her husband and fifty other Canadians prominent in various fields, in 2003, which cost in excess of $5 million. The trip was commissioned and paid for by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; however, the general itinerary was under the control of Clarkson's office. The overall spending by the Office of the Governor General led to a parliamentary committee review in 2004, the result of which was to cut back the Governor General's budget for that year.

The group Citizens for a Canadian Republic advocate codifying the office in preparation for what they sees as the eventual transformation into a presidency, thus completely replacing the monarchy. On the other hand, organizations such as the Monarchist League of Canada support the retention of the governor general as the representative of the reigning Canadian monarch. Since the failure of the Meech Lake Accord in 1987 and the Charlottetown Accord in 1992, Canadian politicians have shown little appetite for opening discussions on constitutional matters, especially on a polarizing topic such as the monarchy.

Appointment

The monarch appoints the governor general on the advice of the prime minister of Canada. The 1947 Letters Patent state: "We do hereby constitute, order, and declare that there shall be a Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada, and appointments to the Office of Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada shall be made by Commission under Our Great Seal of Canada."<ref name="LP" />

Upon taking office, the governor general-designate must take the Oath of Allegiance:

"I, .............. do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her Heirs and successors, according to law. So Help me God."<ref name="LP" />

From 1867 to 1952 every governor general was born beyond Canada's borders, and was a member of the Peerage. Though these vice-regals spent a relatively limited time in Canada, their travel schedules were so extensive that they could "learn more about Canada in five years than many Canadian in a lifetime."^[14] It was at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference that Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden consulted Prime Minister of South Africa Louis Botha on the topic of appointments of governors general; the two agreed that the appointee should be a resident of their respective dominion.^[15] However, it was not until Vincent Massey's appointment by Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 that the position was filled by a Canadian resident; though, it should be remembered that prior to 1947 all residents of Canada were as equally British subjects as their British counterparts. This continued until the practice of appointing non-Canadian-born persons was revived with the calling of Adrienne Clarkson to serve as governor general. Moreover, by tradition, the post has been held alternately by anglophone Canadians and francophone Canadians. Beginning in 1967, the prime minister has forwarded the Queen a single name when proposing a vice-regal appointment; previously a list of several names had been given to the monarch. In general, the sovereign is bound by constitutional convention to almost always follow the advice of his or her prime minister, as long as the prime minister maintains the confidence of the House of Commons and acts within constitutional limits, though she retains the right to encourage, advise, and warn.

Although non-partisan while in office, governors general are often former politicians. Since 1952, individuals who previously served as diplomats, as cabinet members, or as Speakers of the House of Commons have been appointed to the post. The former governor general, Adrienne Clarkson, was previously an author and television anchor; she was the first governor general in Canadian history without either a political or military background. She was also the first Asian-Canadian and the second woman to serve in the position. The first female governor general of Canada was Jeanne Sauvé, who served from 1984 to 1990. The third woman to hold this position is Michaëlle Jean, who took office on September 27, 2005. Jean is also the first black Canadian governor general.

It is traditional that an appointed individual act as the Queen's representative for a minimum of five years, but in truth the vice-regal serves at Her Majesty's pleasure, and the Canadian prime minister may advise the Queen to extend the vice-regal's tenure. For instance, Adrienne Clarkson had been in office for five years as of 2004, but her appointment as governor general was extended by the Queen on the advice of Prime Minister Paul Martin, who argued that it was preferable to have an experienced governor general in place while a minority government remained in power. The tenures of other governors general, including Georges Vanier and Roland Michener, have been extended beyond five years in previous circumstances. Governors general may resign from office, as, for instance, Roméo LeBlanc did in 1999 due to health concerns.

If the governor general dies or leaves the country for more than one month, the Chief justice of Canada (or, if that position is vacant, the senior puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Canada) serves as administrator of the government of Canada, and exercises all powers of the governor general. The only individuals to serve as administrators due to the deaths of governors general were Chief Justice Sir Lyman Poore Duff (1940) and Chief Justice Robert Taschereau (1967).

Role

The governor general's main task is to perform the constitutional duties of the sovereign, on his or her behalf, to maintain stability of government within the principles of responsible government. Past Governor General Lord Lorne said of the job: "It is no easy thing to be a governor general of Canada. You must have the patience of a saint, the smile of a cherub, the generosity of an Indian prince, and the back of a camel."^[16] Lord Dufferin stated: "A representative of all that is august, stable, and sedate in the country; incapable of partisanship, and lifted far above the atmosphere of fraction, without adherents to reward or opponents to oust from office; docile to the suggestions of his Ministers, and yet securing to the people the certainty of being able to get rid of an Administration of Parliament the moment either has forfeited their confidence."^[17]

Governmental role

Main: Monarchy in Canada: Constitutional role

The governor general is the representative of the Canadian monarch, and may exercise most powers vested in the Crown. The Queen does retain all executive power and her Royal Prerogative, but she very rarely personally intervenes in Canadian politics; most of her duties being exercised by the governor general, though she does alone hold the power to appoint a governor general, and, as required by the Canadian constitution, to add seats to the Senate, but does so only on the advice of the Canadian prime minister. Although the person who is monarch of Canada is also monarch of the United Kingdom, Canada being a sovereign nation, the British government cannot advise the Queen or her governor general on Canadian matters, or otherwise interfere in Canadian affairs.

Further information:Monarchy in Canada: International vs. domestic role

	If, and because your Governor-General is in the service of the Crown, he is, therefore... in the service of Canada. In other words, aloof though he be from actual executive responsibility, his attitude must be that of ceaseless and watchful readiness to take part... in the fostering of every influence that will sweeten and elevate public life; to... join in making known the resources and developments of the country; to vindicate, if required, the rights of the people and the ordinariness and Constitution, and lastly, to promote by all means in his power, without reference to class or creed, every movement and every institution calculated to forward the social, moral, and religious welfare of the inhabitants of the Dominion.[18]
—Governor General Lord Hamilton-Gordon, September 17, 1893

The governor general's powers are legally extensive, however they are in practice very limited. The governor general is a symbolic and nominal chief executive, acting within the constraints of constitutional convention and precedent. Most political power is exercised by the prime minister and Cabinet, who advise the governor general, and who are, in turn, accountable to the democratically elected House of Commons, and through it, to the people. Still, part of the Royal Prerogative, known as the reserve powers, however, remain as the Crown's final check against a government's power; as Senator and constitutional expert Eugene Forsey stated: "A Governor General must take all steps necessary to thwart the will of a ruthless prime minister." This power was used by Governor General Lord Byng against Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King in what is known as the King-Byng Affair of 1926. Some, such as the CBC's Larry Zolf, also speculated whether Governor General Adrienne Clarkson would refuse a recommendation from Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to dissolve Parliament in 2002.^[19]

Through the Constitution Act, 1867, the governor general is specifically granted the power to appoint, in the Queen's name, the lieutenant governors of the provinces, members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, senators, the speaker of the Senate, Supreme Court justices, and superior and county court judges in each province, except those of the courts of probate in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Effectively, however, the appointees are chosen by the prime minister or other ministers, with the premiers of the provinces concerned playing an advisory role in the appointment of lieutenant governors. The same act states that the governor general alone may summon the House of Commons. Beyond that, the governor general exercises the other powers that conventionally belong to the monarch.

All laws are enacted in the monarch's name; before a bill can become law, Royal Assent (the Monarch's approval) is required. The governor general acts on the monarch's behalf; in theory, he or she has three options: he or she may grant Royal Assent (making the bill law), withhold Royal Assent (vetoing the bill), or reserve the bill for the signification of the Queen's pleasure (allowing the sovereign to personally grant or withhold assent). If the governor general does grant Royal Assent, the sovereign may, within two years, "disallow" the bill, thereby annulling the law in question. No modern governor general has disallowed a bill, however provincial lieutenant governors have. A lieutenant governor may, instead of granting the Royal Assent to a bill, reserve the bill for the governor general. This practice was last invoked by the lieutenant governor of Saskatchewan in 1961. The commissioners of the Canadian territories are not appointed by the governor general; nor do they act as representatives of the Crown.

Should the monarch be in Canada to undertake affairs of state, the governor general removes him or herself from the scene. Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir stated, in relation to King George VI granting Royal Assent to Canadian law in the Canadian Senate in 1939, that when the King of Canada was present "I cease to exist as Viceroy, and retain only a shadowy legal existence as Governor General in Council."^[20] However, the presence of the Monarch does not undermine the Governor General's ability to perform governmental roles.

By the Letters Patent isssued by George VI in 1947, the governor general must seek the permission of the monarch, via the prime minister, before leaving Canada.^[21]

Ceremonial role

The governor general's functions are primarily ceremonial. As representative of the sovereign, the governor general performs some of the ritual functions normally associated with heads of state. He or she makes state visits abroad, hosts foreign heads of state, receives ambassadors and high commissioners, meets ceremonial groups, and awards medals, decorations, and prizes (including the Governor General's Literary Awards). During an election the governor general will curtail their public duties, so as not to seem as though they're involving themselves in political affairs. It has become a tradition for every outgoing governor general to establish a trophy or award, usually in sport, to be named after him or her, as well as for the governor general to tour the country, meeting with Canadians at various types of events. The latter was begun by former Governor General John Young, in 1869.^[22]

Further information: List of Awards Named After Governors General of Canada

He or she serves the symbolic role as the commander-in-chief of the Canadian Forces. Symbolically the governor general fills this position, in the name of the Queen, as the allegiance of Armed Forces members is to the Canadian Crown, and not to the sitting, and transient, government. In practice, it is not clear whether the commanders of the Armed Forces could, in reality, turn to the governor general if they thought that the orders they were receiving from the prime minister and minister of national defence were illegal or unethical, or whether the governor general would be justified in issuing new orders directly. The governor general is also the colonel of the regiment of Canada's three household regiments: the Governor General's Horse Guards, Governor General's Foot Guards and Canadian Grenadier Guards. This ceremonial position is directly under the position of colonel-in-chief, which is held by the Queen.

Formerly, Letters of Credence and Recall (presented by incoming high commissioners and ambassadors to Canada) were addressed to the Queen; since the beginning of 2005, however, they have been addressed to the governor general, without reference to the monarch. This decision has caused some controversy, drawing the ire of several monarchists.^[23]

Precedence and privileges

In the order of precedence, the governor general outranks all individuals except the monarch; as direct representative of the sovereign, the governor general even outranks other members of the Royal Family.

While in office the governor general, as well as his or her spouse (the viceregal consort), is styled "His Excellency" or "Her Excellency." Moreover, governors general are appointed to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada upon retirement (unless they are already members), and are entitled to the style "The Right Honourable" for life; however, the term "Excellency" is dropped once they vacate the position. The governor general is the only Canadian entitled to use the term "Excellency" while in Canada; however, visiting heads of state are termed "Excellency" while in Canada. During his or her term in office, the governor general is also the chancellor and principal companion of the Order of Canada, the chancellor of the Order of Military Merit, and the chancellor of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces and Knight/Dame of Justice, Prior, and Chief Officer, of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in Canada and wearing the white cross of the order. Hence, the governor general is entitled to wear the badges or insignia of these orders along with any other decorations. At his or her installation ceremony, the governor general is presented with the collars of the Order of Canada, the Order of Military Merit, the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, and the Canadian Heraldic Authority.

The governor general's flag is a blue flag bearing a crowned lion holding a red maple leaf in its paw; the design was adopted in 1981. The flag takes precedence over all other flags, save only the Queen's personal Canadian flag. The flag may be flown from a vehicle in which the governor general is travelling, or from a building in which the governor general is present or is residing. On state visits abroad, however, the governor general typically uses the national flag, which is a more recognizable Canadian symbol.

The Vice Regal Salute is the anthem used to greet the governor general. The Salute comprises the first six bars of the Canadian royal anthem ("God Save the Queen"), and the first four and last four bars of the Canadian national anthem ("O Canada"). On state visits abroad, "O Canada" alone is used to salute the governor general.

The governor general receives an annual salary of $110,126, and under the Constitution Act, payment of that salary is the first claim on the revenue of the federal government. The official residence of the governor general is Rideau Hall in Ottawa. A governor general's wife is known as the chatelaine of Rideau Hall, but there is no equivalent term or title for a governor general's husband. Since 1872, governors general have also resided in the Citadel (La Citadelle) in Quebec City, Quebec for a part of each year (normally several weeks).

The governor general and his staff also had a suite of offices on Parliament Hill in the East Block until well into World War II.^[24] The offices were subsequently incorporated into the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), but have been restored to their 19th century appearance after the PMO moved to the Langevin Block in the 1970s, and are now preserved as a tourist attraction along with other historic offices in the East Block.^[25]

The governor general's staff is headed by the secretary to the governor general, working out of Rideau Hall, although it is referred to as Government House when speaking of its business use.^[26]

Canadian institutions established by governors general or vice-regal consorts

• Ottawa Maternity Hospital – Lady Aberdeen
• Victorian Order of Nurses – Lady Aberdeen
• Royal Society of Canada – Marquess of Lorne
• Canada's first anti-tuberculosis association – Lord Minto
• The Battlefields Park – Lord Grey
• King's Jubilee Cancer Fund – Lord Bessborough
• Vanier Institute of the Family – Georges Vanier^[27]
• Jeanne Sauvé Youth Foundation – Jeanne Sauvé

Activities post-commission

Retired governors general usually withdraw from public life or accept diplomatic postings. Ed Schreyer, who held the position from 1979 to 1984, became High Commissioner to Australia upon his retirement. In 2005, he became the first former governor general to run for elected office in Canada when he ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons as a candidate for the New Democratic Party in the riding of Selkirk—Interlake. Schreyer lost the election to Conservative James Bezan.

There are several examples from the era of British governors general of Canada where former viceroys returned to a political career in Britain by sitting with party affiliations in the House of Lords and, in some cases, taking positions in the British cabinet. In 1952, Lord Alexander of Tunis resigned as governor general of Canada to accept an appointment as Sir Winston Churchill's Minister of Defence. Lord Lansdowne and the Duke of Devonshire both served in British cabinets following their vice-regal careers. Lansdowne also went on to serve as leader of the Conservative Party in the House of Lords for over a decade.

Books by former Governors General of Canada

Only three former Canadian governors general have left a written testament about their lives in the form of an autobiography. John Buchan was the first to leave an autobiography, Memory Hold-the-Door which was written during his time in Rideau Hall and published in 1940. Vincent Massey was the second to write an autobiography and the only one who has written two volumes. The first volume, On Being Canadian, was published in 1948 and the second What's Past is Prologue: the Memoirs of the Right Honourable Vincent. Shortly after leaving Rideau Hall Adrienne Clarkson signed a two book deal with Penguin Canada, the first of which was an autobiography titled Heart Matters.

Spelling

According to the Canadian government, the title Governor General is not hyphenated, even though a hyphen is used in other Commonwealth realms. Many other media organizations in Canada ignore this rule, however, and use the more conventional "governor-general" spelling. As governor is the main noun in the title, it is the term that is pluralized. Moreover, both terms are often capitalized, particularly when preceding an incumbent's name, but sometimes they are not (e.g., Canadian governors general).

See also

• Monarchy in Canada
• List of Governors General of Canada
• Flag of the Governor General of Canada
• Air transport of the Royal Family and executive of Canada
• Governor General's Award
• List of Awards presented by the Governor General of Canada

External links

• Official Website
• Letters Patent Constituting the Office of Governor General of Canada, 1947
• Maple Leaf Web: The Governor General of Canada

References

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