List of governors general of Canada

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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.^[1]

Viceroys of Canada, 1541–1627[]

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Viceroys representing the monarchs of France
No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Under Francis I of France (1541–1547)
1		Jean-François Roberval[2][3] (c. 1495–1560)	1541	1543	1–2 years
Under Henry III (1574–1589)
2		Troilus de Mesqouez[2][4] (1536–1606)	1578	?	?
Under Henry IV (1589–1610)
↓		Troillus des Mesgoüets (continued)	1598	?	?
3		Aymar Chaste[citation needed] (1514–1603)	1602	1603	0–1 years
Under Louis XIII (1610–1627)
4		Henri, Prince of Condé[5] (1588–1646)	1614	1619	4–5 years
5		Henri II de Montmorency[6]	1619	1625	5–6 years
6		Henri de Lévis de Ventadour[7]	1625	1627	1–2 years

Governors of New France, 1627–1663[]

Governors representing the monarchs of France
No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Under Louis XIII of France (1627–1643)
1		Samuel de Champlain (1574–1635)	1627	1635	7–8 years
2		Charles de Montmagny (c. 1599–1654)	1635	14 May 1643	7–8 years
Under Louis XIV (1643–1663)
↓		Charles de Montmagny (continued)	14 May 1643	1648	4–5 years
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[]

Governors general representing the monarchs of France
No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Under Louis XIV of France (1663–1715)
7		Augustin de Saffray de Mésy (1598–1665)	1663	1665	1–2 years
8		Daniel de Rémy de Courcelle (1626–1698)	1665	1672	6–7 years
9		Louis de Buade de Frontenac (1622–1698) (first time)	1672	1682	9–10 years
10		Joseph-Antoine de La Barre (1622–1688)	1682	1685	2–3 years
11		Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville (1637–1710)	1685	1689	3–4 years
9		Louis de Buade de Frontenac (1622–1698; second appointment)	1689	1698	8–9 years
12		Louis-Hector de Callière (1648–1703)	1698	1703	4–5 years
13		Philippe de Rigaud Vaudreuil (c. 1643–1725)	1703	1 September 1715	11–12 years
Under Louis XV (1715–1760)
↓		Philippe de Rigaud Vaudreuil (continued)	1 September 1715	1725	9–10 years
14		Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois (1671–1749)	1725	1747	21–22 years
15		Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière (1693–1756)	1747	1749	1–2 years
16		Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière, Marquis de la Jonquière (1685–1752)	1749	1752	2–3 years
17		Michel-Ange Duquesne de Menneville (c. 1700–1778)	1752	1755	2–3 years
18		Pierre de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal (1698–1778)	1755	1760	4–5 years

Governors of the Province of Quebec, 1760–1786[]

Governors representing the monarchs of Great Britain
No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Under George III of the United Kingdom (1760–1786)
19		Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst (1717–1797)	1760	1763	2–3 years
20		James Murray (1721–1794)	1764	1768	3–4 years
21		Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester KB (1724–1808)	1768	1778	9–10 years
22		Sir Frederick Haldimand KB (1718–1791)	1778	1786	7–8 years

Governors-in-Chief/Governors General of the Canadas, 1786–1841[]

Governors representing the monarchs of Great Britain
No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Under George III of the United Kingdom (1786–1820)
23		Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester KB (1724–1808)	1786	1796	9–10 years
24		Robert Prescott (c. 1726–1815)	1796	1799	2–3 years
25		Sir Robert Milnes, 1st Baronet (1754–1837)	1799	1 January 1801	1–2 years
Governors representing the monarchs of the United Kingdom
↓		Sir Robert Milnes (continued)	1 January 1801	1805	3–4 years
26		Thomas Dunn (1729–1818)	1805	1807	1–2 years
27		Sir James Henry Craig KB (1748–1812)	1807	1811	3–4 years
28		Sir George Prévost, 1st Baronet (1767–1816)	1811	1815	3–4 years
29		Sir Gordon Drummond (1772–1854)	1815	1816	0–1 years
30		Sir John Coape Sherbrooke (1764–1830)	1816	1818	1–2 years
31		Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond KG, PC (1764–1819)	1818	1819	0–1 years
Under George IV of the United Kingdom (1820–1830)
32		George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie GCB (1770–1838)	1820	1828	7–8 years
33		Sir James Kempt GCB (c. 1765–1854)	1828	1830	1–2 years
Under William IV (1830–1837)
34		Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer, 5th Baron Aylmer (1775–1850)	1830	1835	4–5 years
35		Archibald Acheson, 2nd Earl of Gosford GCB (1776–1849)	1835	1837	1–2 years
Under Victoria (1837–1841)
36		John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton (1778–1863)	1837	1838	0–1 years
37		John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham (1792–1840)	1838	1839	0–1 years
38		Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham PC (1799–1841)	1839	5 February 1841	1–2 years

Governors General of the Province of Canada, 1841–1867[]

Governors general representing the monarchs of the United Kingdom
No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
Under Queen Victoria (1841–1867)
↓		The Lord Sydenham (continued)	5 February 1841	19 September 1841 †	226 days
39		Sir Charles Bagot (1781–1843)	12 January 1842	19 May 1843	1 year, 127 days
40		Charles Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe Bt, PC (1785–1846)	30 May 1843	26 November 1845	2 years, 180 days
41		Charles Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart GCB (1783–1859)	26 November 1845	30 January 1847	1 year, 65 days
42		James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin PC, GCB (1811–1863)	30 January 1847	19 December 1854	7 years, 323 days
43		Sir Edmund Walker Head, 8th Baronet KCB (1805–1868)	19 December 1854	25 October 1861	6 years, 310 days
44		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[]

Governors general representing the monarchs of the United Kingdom
No.	No.	Portrait	Name	Profession	Term of office			Prime Minister(s)
					Took office	Left office	Time in office
Under Queen Victoria (1867–1901)
↓	1		The Viscount Monck (continued)	Politician[8]	1 July 1867	14 November 1868	1 year, 136 days	Macdonald
45	2		John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar GCMG, GCB, PC (1807–1876)	Politician[9]	2 February 1869	25 June 1872	3 years, 144 days	Macdonald
46	3		Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, the Earl of Dufferin KP, GCB, GCMG, PC (1826–1902)	Diplomat[10]	25 June 1872	25 November 1878	6 years, 153 days	Macdonald Mackenzie Macdonald
47	4		John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne KG, KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC (1845–1914)	Author, politician[11]	25 November 1878	23 October 1883	4 years, 332 days	Macdonald
48	5		Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne KG, GCMG, PC (1845–1927)	Politician[12]	23 October 1883	11 June 1888	4 years, 232 days	Macdonald
49	6		Frederick Stanley, 1st Baron Stanley of Preston KG, GCB, GCVO, PC (1841–1908)	Politician[13]	11 June 1888	18 September 1893	5 years, 99 days	Macdonald Abbott Thompson
50	7		John Hamilton-Gordon, 7th Earl of Aberdeen KT, GCMG, GCVO, PC (1847–1934)	Politician[14]	18 September 1893	12 November 1898	5 years, 55 days	Thompson Bowell Tupper Laurier
51	8		Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto KG, GCMG, PC (1845–1914)	Military officer[15]	12 November 1898	22 January 1901	2 years, 71 days	Laurier
Under Edward VII (1901–1910)
↓	↓		The Earl of Minto (continued)		22 January 1901	10 December 1904	3 years, 323 days	Laurier
52	9		Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey GCMG, GCVO, PC (1851–1917)	Politician[16]	10 December 1904	6 May 1910	5 years, 147 days	Laurier
Under George V (1910–1931)
↓	↓		The Earl Grey (continued)		6 May 1910	13 October 1911	1 year, 160 days	Laurier Borden
53	10		Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn KG, KT, KP, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GCVO, GBE, TD, PC, ADC (1850–1942)	Military officer[17]	13 October 1911	11 November 1916	5 years, 29 days	Borden
54	11		Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire KG, GCMG, GCVO, PC, JP (1868–1938)	Politician[18]	11 November 1916	11 August 1921	4 years, 273 days	Borden Meighen
55	12		Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy GCB, GCMG, MVO (1862–1935)	Military officer[19]	11 August 1921	2 October 1926	5 years, 52 days	Meighen King Meighen King
56	13		Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GBE, PC (1866–1941)	Politician[20]	2 October 1926	4 April 1931	4 years, 184 days	King Bennett
57	14		Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough GCMG, PC (1880–1956)	Businessman[21]	4 April 1931	11 December 1931	251 days	Bennett King
Governors general representing the monarchs of Canada
↓	↓		The Earl of Bessborough (continued)		11 December 1931	2 November 1935	3 years, 326 days	Bennett
58	15		John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir GCMG, GCVO, CH, PC (1875–1940)	Author[22]	2 November 1935	20 January 1936	79 days	King
Under Edward VIII (1936)
↓	↓		The Lord Tweedsmuir (continued)		20 January 1936	11 December 1936	326 days	King
Under George VI (1936–1952)
↓	↓		The Lord Tweedsmuir (continued)		11 December 1936	11 February 1940 †	3 years, 62 days	King
59	16		Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, DSO, PC, ADC, FRS (1874–1957)	Military officer[23]	21 June 1940	12 April 1946	5 years, 295 days	King
60	17		Harold Alexander, the Viscount Alexander of Tunis KG, GCB, OM, GCMG, CSI, DSO, MC, CD, PC, PC (1891–1969)	Military officer[24]	12 April 1946	6 February 1952	5 years, 300 days	King St. Laurent
Under Elizabeth II (1952–present)
↓	↓		The Viscount Alexander of Tunis (continued)		6 February 1952	28 February 1952	22 days	St. Laurent
61	18		Vincent Massey PC, CH, CD, FRSC(hon) (1887–1967)	Diplomat[25]	28 February 1952	15 September 1959	7 years, 199 days	St. Laurent Diefenbaker
62	19		Georges Vanier PC, DSO, MC, CD (1888–1967)	Military officer, diplomat[26]	15 September 1959	5 March 1967 †	7 years, 171 days	Diefenbaker Pearson
63	20		Roland Michener PC, CC, CMM, CD, QC, FRHSC (1900–1991)	Politician[27]	17 April 1967	14 January 1974	6 years, 272 days	Pearson P. E. Trudeau
64	21		Jules Léger PC, CC, CMM, CD (1913–1980)	Diplomat[28]	14 January 1974	22 January 1979	5 years, 8 days	P. E. Trudeau
65	22		Edward Schreyer PC, CC, CMM, OM, CD (born 1935)	Politician[29]	22 January 1979	14 May 1984	5 years, 113 days	P. E. Trudeau Clark P. E. Trudeau
66	23		Jeanne Sauvé PC, CC, CMM, CD (1922–1993)	Journalist, politician[30]	14 May 1984	29 January 1990	5 years, 260 days	P. E. Trudeau Turner Mulroney
67	24		Ray Hnatyshyn PC, CC, CMM, CD, QC, FRHSC(hon) (1934–2002)	Politician[31]	29 January 1990	8 February 1995	5 years, 10 days	Mulroney Campbell Chrétien
68	25		Roméo LeBlanc PC, CC, CMM, ONB, CD (1928–2009)	Journalist, politician[32]	8 February 1995	7 October 1999	4 years, 241 days	Chrétien
69	26		Adrienne Clarkson PC, CC, CMM, COM, CD, FRSC(hon), FRAIC(hon), FRCPSC(hon) (born 1939)	Journalist[33]	7 October 1999	27 September 2005	5 years, 355 days	Chrétien Martin
70	27		Michaëlle Jean PC, CC, CMM, COM, CD, FRCPSC(hon) (born 1957)	Journalist[34]	27 September 2005	1 October 2010	5 years, 4 days	Martin Harper
71	28		David Johnston PC, CC, CMM, COM, CD, FRSC(hon), FRCPSC(hon) (born 1941)	University administrator[35]	1 October 2010	2 October 2017[36]	7 years, 1 day	Harper J. Trudeau
72	29		Julie Payette CC, CMM, COM, OQ, CD (born 1963)	Astronaut, engineer[37]	2 October 2017[36]	22 January 2021[38]	3 years, 112 days	J. Trudeau
73	30		Mary May Simon CC, CMM, COM, OQ, CD (born 1947)	Broadcaster, diplomat	26 July 2021	incumbent	50 days	J. Trudeau

Living former governors general of Canada[]

As of September 2021, there are five living former governors general of Canada. The most recently deceased governor general, Roméo LeBlanc (1995–1999), died on 24 June 2009.

Administrators[]

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 or 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);^[39]
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).^[40]
3. Chief Justice Thibaudeau Rinfret between 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);^[41]
5. Chief Justice Bora Laskin while Governor General Jules Léger was recovering from a stroke (July 2 to December 9, 1974);^[42]
6. Chief Justice Richard Wagner, from the resignation of Julie Payette to the installation of Mary Simon (January 23, 2021 to July 26, 2021).^[43]

See also[]

• Governors General of Canada timeline
• List of Canadian monarchs
• List of vicereines in Canada
• Viceregal consort of Canada
• Viceregal eponyms in Canada

References[]

External links[]

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