List of governors general of Canada facts for kids

Canada has a long history of important leaders who represent the King or Queen. This special role is called the Governor General. It's one of the oldest continuous jobs in Canada, going all the way back to 1627 with Samuel de Champlain. The Governor General acts on behalf of the monarch, helping to make sure the government runs smoothly and representing Canada on the world stage. This list shows all the people who have held this important position throughout Canada's history, from the early French days to today.

Early French Leaders: Viceroys and Governors (1541–1760)

Before Canada became a country, it was a French colony called New France. During this time, leaders were sent from France to govern the land.

French Viceroys (1541–1627)

These early leaders were called Lieutenant Generals or Viceroys. They represented the King of France in the new lands.

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			Monarch
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Jean-François Roberval	1541	1543	1–2 years	Francis I
2		Troilus de Mesqouez	1578	unknown	unknown	Henry III
						Henry IV
3		Aymar de Chaste	1602	1603	0–1 years
4		Henri II, Prince of Condé	1614	1619	4–5 years	Louis XIII
5		Henri II, Duke of Montmorency	1619	1625	5–6 years
6		Henri de Lévis de Ventadour, Duke of Ventadour	1625	1627	1–2 years

Governors of New France (1627–1663)

After the Viceroys, a new group of leaders called Governors took charge of New France. They helped establish and grow the French colony.

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			Monarch
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Samuel de Champlain	1627	1635	7–8 years	Louis XIII
2		Charles de Montmagny	1635	1648	12–13 years
						Louis XIV
3		Louis d'Ailleboust de Coulonge	1648	1651	2–3 years
4		Jean de Lauson	1651	1657	5–6 years
5		Pierre de Voyer d'Argenson, Vicomte de Mouzay	1658	1661	2–3 years
6		Pierre Dubois Davaugour	1661	1663	1–2 years

Governors General of New France (1663–1760)

The role of Governor General became even more important as New France grew. These leaders were responsible for the colony's defense and development.

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			Monarch
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Augustin de Saffray de Mésy	1663	1665	1–2 years	Louis XIV
2		Daniel de Rémy de Courcelle	1665	1672	6–7 years
3		Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac	1672	1682	9–10 years
4		Joseph-Antoine le Fèbvre, Sieur of La Barre	1682	1685	2–3 years
5		Jacques-René de Brisay, Marquis de Denonville	1685	1689	3–4 years
(3)		Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac	1689	1698	8–9 years
6		Louis-Hector de Callière	1698	1703	4–5 years
7		Philippe de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil	1703	1725	21–22 years
						Louis XV
8		Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois	1725	1747	21–22 years
9		Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière	1747	1749	1–2 years
10		Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière, Marquis de la Jonquière	1749	1752	2–3 years
11		Michel-Ange Duquesne de Menneville, Marquess Duquesne	1752	1755	2–3 years
12		Pierre de Rigaud, marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnial	1755	1760	4–5 years

British Rule Begins: Governors of Quebec (1760–1786)

After the Seven Years' War, control of Canada shifted from France to Great Britain. The new British leaders were called Governors of the Province of Quebec.

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			Monarch
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Jeffery Amherst	1760	1763	2–3 years	George III
2		James Murray	1764	1768	4–5 years
3		Guy Carleton	1768	1778	9–10 years
4		Sir Frederick Haldimand	1778	1786	7–8 years

Governors General of British North America (1786–1867)

As the British territories in North America grew, the leaders were known as Governors General of the Canadas or British North America.

Leaders of the Canadas (1786–1841)

These Governors General oversaw the various British colonies that would eventually become parts of Canada.

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			Monarch
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester	1786	1796	9–10 years	George III
2		Robert Prescott	1796	1799	2–3 years
3		Sir Robert Milnes, 1st Baronet	1799	1805	5–6 years
4		Thomas Dunn	1805	1807	1–2 years
5		Sir James Henry Craig	1807	1811	3–4 years
6		Sir George Prevost, 1st Baronet	1811	1815	3–4 years
7		Sir Gordon Drummond	1815	1816	0–1 years
8		Sir John Coape Sherbrooke	1816	1818	1–2 years
9		Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond	1818	1819	0–1 years
10		George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie	1820	1828	7–8 years	George IV
11		Sir James Kempt	1828	1830	1–2 years
12		Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer, 5th Baron Aylmer	1830	1835	4–5 years	William IV
13		Archibald Acheson, 2nd Earl of Gosford	1835	1837	1–2 years
14		Sir John Colborne	1837	1838	0–1 years	Victoria
15		John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham	1838	1839	0–1 years
16		Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham	1839	1841	1–2 years

Leaders of the Province of Canada (1841–1867)

The Province of Canada was formed in 1841, bringing together Upper and Lower Canada. These Governors General played a key role in its development before Confederation.

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office			Monarch
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham	5 February 1841	19 September 1841	226 days	Victoria
2		Sir Charles Bagot	12 January 1842	19 May 1843	1 year, 127 days
3		Charles Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe	30 May 1843	26 November 1845	2 years, 180 days
4		Charles Cathcart, 2nd Earl Cathcart	26 November 1845	30 January 1847	1 year, 65 days
5		James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin	30 January 1847	19 December 1854	7 years, 323 days
6		Sir Edmund Walker Head, Baronet	19 December 1854	25 October 1861	6 years, 310 days
7		Charles Monck, 4th Viscount Monck	25 October 1861	1 July 1867	5 years, 249 days

Canada's Modern Governors General (1867–Present)

When Canada became its own country in 1867, the role of Governor General continued. These individuals have represented the monarch and served Canada ever since.

No.	Portrait	Name	Profession	Term of office			Monarch	Prime Minister
				Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Charles Monck, 4th Viscount Monck	Politician	1 July 1867	14 November 1868	1 year, 136 days	Victoria	Sir John A. Macdonald
2		John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar	Politician	14 November 1868	25 June 1872	3 years, 144 days
3		Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Earl of Dufferin	Diplomat	25 June 1872	25 November 1878	6 years, 153 days
								Alexander Mackenzie
								Sir John A. Macdonald
4		John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne	Author, Politician	25 November 1878	23 October 1883	4 years, 332 days
5		Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne	Politician	23 October 1883	11 June 1888	4 years, 232 days
6		Frederick Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston	Politician	11 June 1888	18 September 1893	5 years, 99 days
								Sir John Abbott
								Sir John Sparrow David Thompson
7		John Hamilton-Gordon, 7th Earl of Aberdeen	Politician	18 September 1893	12 November 1898	5 years, 55 days
								Sir Mackenzie Bowell
								Sir Charles Tupper
								Sir Wilfrid Laurier
8		Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto	Military officer	12 November 1898	10 December 1904	6 years, 28 days
							Edward VII
9		Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey	Politician	10 December 1904	13 October 1911	6 years, 307 days
							George V
								Sir Robert Borden
10		Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn	Military officer	13 October 1911	11 November 1916	5 years, 29 days
11		Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire	Politician	11 November 1916	11 August 1921	4 years, 273 days
								Arthur Meighen
12		Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy	Military officer	11 August 1921	2 October 1926	5 years, 52 days
								William Lyon Mackenzie King
								Arthur Meighen
								William Lyon Mackenzie King
13		Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon	Politician	2 October 1926	4 April 1931	4 years, 184 days
								R.B. Bennett
14		Vere Ponsonby, 9th Earl of Bessborough	Businessman	4 April 1931	2 November 1935	4 years, 212 days
								William Lyon Mackenzie King
15		John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir	Author, Politician	2 November 1935	11 February 1940	4 years, 101 days
							Edward VIII
							George VI
16		Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone	Military officer	21 June 1940	12 April 1946	5 years, 295 days
17		Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis	Military officer	12 April 1946	28 January 1952	5 years, 300 days
								Louis St. Laurent
18		Vincent Massey	Diplomat	28 February 1952	15 September 1959	7 years, 199 days	Elizabeth II
								John Diefenbaker
19		Georges Vanier	Military officer, Diplomat	15 September 1959	5 March 1967	7 years, 171 days
								Lester B. Pearson
20		Roland Michener	Politician	17 April 1967	14 January 1974	6 years, 272 days
								Pierre Trudeau
21		Jules Léger	Diplomat	14 January 1974	22 January 1979	5 years, 8 days
22		Edward Schreyer	Politician	22 January 1979	14 May 1984	5 years, 113 days
								Joe Clark
								Pierre Trudeau
23		Jeanne Sauvé	Journalist, Politician	14 May 1984	29 January 1990	5 years, 260 days
								John Turner
								Brian Mulroney
24		Ray Hnatyshyn	Politician	29 January 1990	8 February 1995	5 years, 10 days
								Kim Campbell
								Jean Chrétien
25		Roméo LeBlanc	Journalist, Politician	8 February 1995	7 October 1999	4 years, 242 days
26		Adrienne Clarkson	Journalist	7 October 1999	27 September 2005	5 years, 355 days
								Paul Martin
27		Michaëlle Jean	Journalist	27 September 2005	1 October 2010	5 years, 4 days
								Stephen Harper
28		David Johnston	Law professor, University administrator	1 October 2010	2 October 2017	7 years, 1 day
								Justin Trudeau
29		Julie Payette	Astronaut, Engineer	2 October 2017	22 January 2021	3 years, 112 days
30		Mary Simon	Broadcaster, Diplomat	26 July 2021	8 June 2026	4 years, 317 days
							Charles III
								Mark Carney
31		Louise Arbour	Jurist	8 June 2026	Incumbent	14 days

What Happens When the Governor General is Away? Administrators!

Sometimes, if the Governor General is unable to perform their duties (for example, if they resign, pass away, or are away for a long time), a special person called an Administrator steps in. This role is usually filled by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. They act as the Governor General until a new one is appointed or the current one returns.

Chief Justice Lyman Duff served as an Administrator of Canada in 1940.

Here are some of the people who have served as Administrators:

• Chief Justice Sir Lyman Duff, who served between the death of Lord Tweedsmuir and the arrival of Lord Athlone (February 11 to June 21, 1940).
• Senior Puisne Justice Patrick Kerwin, who stepped in when Governor General Lord Alexander and Chief Justice Thibaudeau Rinfret were absent (June 11 to August 2, 1951).
• Chief Justice Thibaudeau Rinfret, who served from the departure of Lord Alexander until Vincent Massey was installed (January 28 to February 28, 1952).
• Chief Justice Robert Taschereau, who served from the death of Georges Vanier until Roland Michener was installed (March 5 to April 17, 1967).
• Chief Justice Bora Laskin, who stepped in while Governor General Jules Léger was recovering from a stroke (July 2 to December 9, 1974).
• Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, who served while Governor General Adrienne Clarkson was in the hospital (July 8 to July 11, 2005).
• Chief Justice Richard Wagner, who served from the resignation of Julie Payette until Mary Simon was installed (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