List of governors general of Canada facts for kids

The Governor General of Canada is a very important person in Canada! They represent the King or Queen of Canada (currently King Charles III) in Canada. This role is one of the oldest and most continuous jobs in Canadian history, going all the way back to 1627 with Samuel de Champlain.

The Governor General's job is explained in Canada's main laws, like the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Letters Patent, 1947. They help make sure the government runs smoothly and act as a symbol of Canada's connection to the Crown.

Early Leaders of New France (1541–1627)

Before Canada became a country, it was known as New France, a colony of France. The first leaders were called "Lieutenant General" or "Viceroy." They were like the King's representatives in the new land.

No.	Picture	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			French Monarch Reign
			Started	Ended	How long
1		Jean-François Roberval (c. 1495–1560)	1541	1543	1–2 years	Francis I (1515–1547)
2		Troilus de Mesqouez (1536–1606)	1578	unknown	unknown	Henry III (1574–1589)
						Henry IV (1589–1610)
3		Aymar Chaste (1514–1603)	1602	1603	0–1 years
4		Henri II, Prince of Condé (1588–1646)	1614	1619	4–5 years	Louis XIII (1610–1643)
5		Henri II, Duke of Montmorency (1595–1632)	1619	1625	5–6 years
6		Henri de Lévis de Ventadour, Duke of Ventadour (1596–1651)	1625	1627	1–2 years

Governors of New France (1627–1663)

After 1627, the leaders of New France were called "Governors." They were still representing the French King and helping to build the colony.

No.	Picture	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			French Monarch Reign
			Started	Ended	How long
1		Samuel de Champlain (1574–1635)	1627	1635	7–8 years	Louis XIII (1610–1643)
2		Charles de Montmagny (c. 1599–1654)	1635	1648	12–13 years
						Louis XIV (1643–1715)
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)

The title changed again to "Governor General" in 1663. These leaders continued to govern New France until it became a British colony.

No.	Picture	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			French Monarch Reign
			Started	Ended	How long
1		Augustin de Saffray de Mésy (1598–1665)	1663	1665	1–2 years	Louis XIV (1643–1715)
2		Daniel de Rémy de Courcelle (1626–1698)	1665	1672	6–7 years
3		Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac (1622–1698)	1672	1682	9–10 years
4		Joseph-Antoine le Fèbvre, Sieur of La Barre (1622–1688)	1682	1685	2–3 years
5		Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville, Marquis de Denonville (1637–1710)	1685	1689	3–4 years
(3)		Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac (1622–1698)	1689	1698	8–9 years
6		Louis-Hector de Callière (1648–1703)	1698	1703	4–5 years
7		Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil (1622–1698)	1703	1725	21–22 years
						Louis XV (1715–1774)
8		Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois (1671–1749)	1725	1747	21–22 years
9		Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière (1693–1756)	1747	1749	1–2 years
10		Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière, Marquis de la Jonquière (1685–1752)	1749	1752	2–3 years
11		Michel-Ange Duquesne de Menneville, Marquess Duquesne (c. 1700–1778)	1752	1755	2–3 years
12		Pierre de Rigaud, marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnial (1698–1778)	1755	1760	4–5 years

Governors of British Quebec (1760–1786)

After the Seven Years' War, France lost control of New France to Great Britain. This new British area was called the Province of Quebec. The leaders were now called "Governors" and represented the British King.

No.	Picture	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			British Monarch Reign
			Started	Ended	How long
1		Jeffery Amherst (1717–1797)	1760	1763	2–3 years	George III (1760–1820)
2		James Murray (1721–1794)	1764	1768	4–5 years
3		Guy Carleton (1724–1808)	1768	1778	9–10 years
4		Sir Frederick Haldimand (1724–1808)	1778	1786	7–8 years

Governors General of the Canadas (1786–1841)

This period saw the British colonies in North America grow. The leader's role became "Governor General of the Canadas/British North America."

No.	Picture	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			British Monarch Reign
			Started	Ended	How long
1		Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester (1724–1808)	1786	1796	9–10 years	George III (1760–1820)
2		Robert Prescott (c. 1726–1815)	1796	1799	2–3 years
3		Sir Robert Milnes, 1st Baronet (1754–1837)	1799	1805	5–6 years
4		Thomas Dunn (1729–1818)	1805	1807	1–2 years
5		Sir James Henry Craig (1748–1812)	1807	1811	3–4 years
6		Sir George Prévost, 1st Baronet (1767–1816)	1811	1815	3–4 years
7		Sir Gordon Drummond (1772–1854)	1815	1816	0–1 years
8		Sir John Coape Sherbrooke (1764–1830)	1816	1818	1–2 years
9		Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond (1764–1819)	1818	1819	0–1 years
10		George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie (1770–1838)	1820	1828	7–8 years	George IV (1820–1830)
11		Sir James Kempt (c. 1765–1854)	1828	1830	1–2 years
12		Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer, 5th Baron Aylmer (1775–1850)	1830	1835	4–5 years	William IV (1830–1837)
13		Archibald Acheson, 2nd Earl of Gosford (1776–1849)	1835	1837	1–2 years
14		Sir John Colborne (1778–1863)	1837	1838	0–1 years	Victoria (1837–1901)
15		John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham (1792–1840)	1838	1839	0–1 years
16		Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham (1799–1841)	1839	1841	1–2 years

Governors General of the Province of Canada (1841–1867)

The Province of Canada was formed by joining Upper and Lower Canada. The Governors General continued to lead this larger colony until Canada became its own country in 1867.

No.	Picture	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			British Monarch Reign
			Started	Ended	How long
1		Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham (1799–1841)	5 February 1841	19 September 1841	226 days	Victoria (1837–1901)
2		Sir Charles Bagot (1781–1843)	12 January 1842	19 May 1843	1 year, 127 days
3		Charles Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe (1785–1846)	30 May 1843	26 November 1845	2 years, 180 days
4		Charles Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart (1783–1859)	26 November 1845	30 January 1847	1 year, 65 days
5		James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin (1811–1863)	30 January 1847	19 December 1854	7 years, 323 days
6		Sir Edmund Walker Head, Baronet (1805–1868)	19 December 1854	25 October 1861	6 years, 310 days
7		Charles Monck, 4th Viscount Monck (1819–1894)	25 October 1861	1 July 1867	5 years, 249 days

Governors General of Canada (1867–Present)

Since Canada became a country in 1867, the Governor General has continued to be the representative of the monarch. This role is very important for Canada's government and its connection to the Commonwealth.

No.	Picture	Name (Born–Died)	Job	Time in Office			Monarch Reign	Prime Minister Term of office
				Started	Ended	How long
1		Charles Monck, 4th 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		John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar (1807–1876)	Politician	14 November 1868	25 June 1872	3 years, 144 days
3		Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st 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		John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne (1845–1914)	Author, Politician	25 November 1878	23 October 1883	4 years, 332 days
5		Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne (1845–1927)	Politician	23 October 1883	11 June 1888	4 years, 232 days
6		Frederick Stanley, 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, 7th 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		Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto (1845–1914)	Military officer	12 November 1898	10 December 1904	6 years, 28 days
							Edward VII (1901–1910)
9		Albert Grey, 4th 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		Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1850–1942)	Military officer	13 October 1911	11 November 1916	5 years, 29 days
11		Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (1868–1938)	Politician	11 November 1916	11 August 1921	4 years, 273 days
								Arthur Meighen (1920–1921)
12		Julian Byng, 1st 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		Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon (1866–1941)	Politician	2 October 1926	4 April 1931	4 years, 184 days
								R.B. Bennett (1930–1935)
14		Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough (1880–1956)	Businessman	4 April 1931	2 November 1935	4 years, 212 days
								William Lyon Mackenzie King (1935–1948)
15		John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875–1940)	Author, Politician	2 November 1935	11 February 1940	4 years, 101 days
							Edward VIII (1936)
							George VI (1936–1952)
16		Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (1874–1957)	Military officer	21 June 1940	12 April 1946	5 years, 295 days
17		Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis (1891–1969)	Military officer	12 April 1946	28 January 1952	5 years, 300 days
								Louis St. Laurent (1948–1957)
18		Vincent Massey (1887–1967)	Diplomat	28 February 1952	15 September 1959	7 years, 199 days	Elizabeth II (1952–2022)
								John Diefenbaker (1957–1963)
19		Georges Vanier (1888–1967)	Military officer, Diplomat	15 September 1959	5 March 1967	7 years, 171 days
								Lester B. Pearson (1963–1968)
20		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		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 (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 (1928–2009)	Journalist, Politician	8 February 1995	7 October 1999	4 years, 242 days
26		Adrienne Clarkson (born 1939)	Journalist	7 October 1999	27 September 2005	5 years, 355 days
								Paul Martin (2003–2006)
27		Michaëlle Jean (born 1957)	Journalist	27 September 2005	1 October 2010	5 years, 4 days
								Stephen Harper (2006–2015)
28		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 (born 1963)	Astronaut, Engineer	2 October 2017	22 January 2021	3 years, 112 days
30		Mary Simon (born 1947)	Broadcaster, Diplomat	26 July 2021	Incumbent	3 years, 348 days
							Charles III (since 2022)

Temporary Leaders (Administrators)

Sometimes, when a Governor General leaves office or is unable to do their job, a temporary leader steps in. This person is called an "Administrator of the Government." Usually, this role is filled by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Here are some examples of people who served as temporary Administrators:

• Chief Justice Lyman Duff (February 11 to June 21, 1940)
• Senior Justice Patrick Kerwin (June 11 to August 2, 1951)
• Chief Justice Thibaudeau Rinfret (January 28 to February 28, 1952)
• Chief Justice Robert Taschereau (March 5 to April 17, 1967)
• Chief Justice Bora Laskin (July 2 to December 9, 1974)
• Chief Justice Richard Wagner (January 22 to July 26, 2021)

See also

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