A Crown of Maples - Canadian Representatives of the Crown

It is understood that the Queen cannot be in Canada at all times. Her principal residence is in London, and she is also Queen of fourteen other Commonwealth countries, sometimes referred to as Realms, in addition to the United Kingdom and Canada. As Queen of Canada, Her Majesty is represented here in federal jurisdiction by the Governor General and in each of our ten provinces by a Lieutenant Governor. Working together with a purpose in common, the 11 vice-regal representatives -- with the Governor General as first among equals -- exercise powers that flow from the Sovereign. Operating in their own jurisdictions, they personally represent the Queen and perform most of the functions assigned to her as our head of State.

The office of Governor General is the oldest continuous institution in Canada and is an unbroken link with the early days of our country's recorded history. Samuel de Champlain was appointed the first governor of New France in 1627 and was followed by seventeen French governors until 1760. From then until 1867, a total of twenty-one British governors and governors general held office in Canada.

At the time of Confederation, the role of Governor General was very similar to that of a constitutional monarch: advice was given not only by the Canadian Prime Minister, but by his British counterpart as well because, up to 1926, the Governor General represented the Sovereign in Canada as well as the British government. At the Imperial Conference of that year, this somewhat confusing dual arrangement was resolved: the Governor General would represent only the Sovereign. Furthermore, appointments to this office were to be made on the recommendation of the Canadian and not the British government. The passage of the Statute of Westminster, 1931, which recognized Canada as a self-governing realm, was perhaps the most important development in Canada's evolution as an independent country in the period between Confederation in 1867 and the patriation of our Constitution in 1982. Among other things, it provided that the laws of the United Kingdom Parliament, including those relating to the succession of the Crown, would not apply in Canada or in the Realms without the consent of the Parliament of Canada or the Parliaments of the other Realms. In essence, it outlined the powers that the Canadian parliament (and those of other Realms) held with regard to any changes to the status of its own monarchy -- for Canada, it was the Canadian Crown. With this fundamental change, and as Canada continued into full statehood, the office of Governor General also evolved to reflect the new reality that was Canada.

In 1947, Letters Patent of King George VI authorized and empowered the Governor General to exercise most of the royal prerogatives in right of Canada or, in other words, authorities entrusted to George VI in his capacity as King of Canada. In fact, some of these continued to be exercised by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister. The proclamation of the Canadian Flag in 1965, the appointment of additional senators under special circumstances such as the eight appointments made in 1990, and the creation of honours are prime examples. It rests with Her Majesty to appoint the Governor General, to approve changes to her own title as Queen of Canada, and to fulfill any other duties that the Prime Minister might advise her to exercise while she is in Canada. The proclamation of the patriation of our Constitution in 1982 was just such an example.

The Governor General's duties cover a broad area of responsibility.

Governor General Roméo
LeBlanc greets the
delegation from Lesotho
having received the letters
of credence of the High
Commissioner-designate of
the Kingdom of Lesotho.
May 1995.

In the early years after Confederation, Lieutenant Governors were seen as the representatives of the Governor General and agents of the federal government, rather than as direct representatives of the Sovereign. Dating back to 1872, legal judgements relating to the office and the evolution of Canadian federalism have further clarified and confirmed the status of Lieutenant Governor as direct representative of the Crown in the provinces. Although they continue to be appointed and paid by the federal government, they are the representatives of the Queen and, thereby, the embodiment of the Crown in the provinces.

Lieutenant Governors fulfil the responsibilities and functions of the Sovereign in the provinces as does the Governor General in federal jurisdiction. In their respective jurisdictions, they exercise the powers of the Queen as head of State and symbolize provincial sovereignty and constitutional status as full members within Canadian Confederation. As well, Lieutenant Governors lend the prestige of their offices and devote a great deal of time to the promotion of worthy causes as they travel extensively throughout their provinces.

Over the past three decades, the appointment of Lieutenant Governors has increasingly reflected a more accurate image of the modern face of Canadian society. Drawn from the Aboriginal and artistic communities, visibility minority groups, the disability community, the private and public sectors to name but a few, Lieutenant Governors are also a very public mirror of the richness and diversity of the Canadian Crown. As is the case with the Governor General, an important function of the Lieutenant Governors is to present honours and awards to deserving citizens who have made a difference in the life of their province and, by extension, their country. By its very presence, this public and visible role of the Canadian Crown and its representatives lends dignity and honour that warrants the gratitude of all citizens.

Lieutenant Governors are appointed for a term of office of not less than five years and bear the title "His/Her Honour" during office, as do their spouses. Lieutenant Governors bear the title "Honourable" for life.

We have seen that the role of the Crown and its representatives -- the Sovereign, the Governor General and Lieutenant Governors -- has continued to evolve just as our country itself has matured to full statehood. Canada has adapted the Crown to suit its own needs and purposes to the point where it clearly reflects our regional, bilingual and multicultural character.