Governor General of Canada
Canada is a Constitutional monarchy, and the Governor General of Canada is delegated to act as the de facto Head of State, on behalf of the actual head of State, the current monarch.
The current monarch appoints the Governor General, but, in practice, monarchs always defer to the advice of the Prime Minister.
Unlike the United States of America, Canada's evolution to full sovereignty has been gradual. Originally the recommendation as to who should be the next Governor General was made in the United Kingdom, by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. 16 of the first 17 Governors General were members of the UK House of Lords, while the other was a Prince.
More recently the recommendation has been made by the Prime Minister of Canada, and the Governors General recommended by them, starting with Vincent Massey, have all been prominent Canadians.
Governors general of Canada, 1867–present
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | ||||
| 1 | 
|
The Viscount Monck | 1867-07-01 | 1868-11-14 | |
| 2 | 
|
The Lord Lisgar | 1868-11-14 | 1872-06-25 | |
| 3 | 
|
The Earl of Dufferin | 1872-06-25 | 1878-11-25 | |
| 4 | 
|
John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne | 1878-11-25 | 1883-10-23 | |
| 5 | 
|
The Marquess of Lansdowne | 1883-10-23 | 1888-06-11 | |
| 6 | 
|
The Lord Stanley of Preston | 1888-06-11 | 1893-09-18 | |
| 7 | 
|
The Earl of Aberdeen | 1893-09-18 | 1898-11-02 | |
| 8 | 
|
The Earl of Minto | 1898-11-12 | 1904-12-10 | |
| 9 | 
|
The Earl Grey | 1904-12-10 | 1911-10-13 | |
| 10 | 
|
Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn | 1911-10-13 | 1916-11-11 | |
| 11 | 
|
The Duke of Devonshire | 1916-11-11 | 1921-08-11 | |
| 12 | 
|
The Viscount Byng of Vimy | 1921-08-11 | 1926-10-02 | |
| 13 | 
|
The Marquess of Willingdon | 1926-10-02 | 1931-04-04 | |
| 14 | 
|
The Earl of Bessborough | 1931-04-04 | 1935-11-02 | |
| 15 | 
|
The Lord Tweedsmuir | 1935-11-02 | 1940-02-11 | |
| 16 | 
|
The Earl of Athlone | 1940-02-11 | 1946-04-12 | |
| 17 | 
|
The Viscount Alexander of Tunis | 1946-04-12 | 1952-01-18 | |
| 18 | .jpg)
|
Vincent Massey | 1952-01-18 | 1959-09-15 | |
| 19 | 
|
Georges Vanier | 1959-09-15 | 1967-03-05 | |
| 20 | .jpg)
|
Roland Michener | 1967-04-17 | 1974-01-14 | |
| 21 | Jules Léger | 1974-01-14 | 1979-01-22 | ||
| 22 | .jpg)
|
Edward Schreyer | 1979-01-22 | 1984-05-14 | |
| 23 | .jpg)
|
Jeanne Sauvé | 1984-05-14 | 1990-01-29 | |
| 24 | Ray Hnatyshyn | 1990-01-29 | 1995-02-08 | ||
| 25 | Roméo LeBlanc | 1995-02-08 | 1999-10-07 | ||
| 26 | 
|
Adrienne Clarkson | 1999-10-07 | 2005-09-27 | |
| 27 | 
|
Michaëlle Jean | 2005-09-27 | 2010-10-01 | |
| 28 | 
|
David Johnston | 2010-10-01 | 2017-10-02 | |
| 29 | 
|
Julie Payette | 2017-10-02 | 2021-01-22 | |
| 30 | 
|
Mary Simon | 2021-07-26 | Incumbent | |