Louise Arbour facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louise Arbour
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Arbour in 2026
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| 31st Governor General of Canada | |
| Assumed office June 8, 2026 |
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| Monarch | Charles III |
| Preceded by | Mary Simon |
| United Nations Special Representative for International Migration | |
| In office March 1, 2017 – December 31, 2018 |
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| Secretary General | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | Peter Sutherland |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights | |
| In office June 30, 2004 – August 31, 2008 |
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| Secretary General | |
| Preceded by | Sérgio Vieira de Mello |
| Succeeded by | Navi Pillay |
| Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada | |
| In office September 15, 1999 – June 28, 2004 |
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| Nominated by | Jean Chrétien |
| Preceded by | Peter Cory |
| Succeeded by | Rosalie Abella and Louise Charron |
| Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia | |
| In office October 1, 1996 – September 15, 1999 |
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| Secretary General |
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| Preceded by | Richard Goldstone |
| Succeeded by | Carla Del Ponte |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 10, 1947 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Domestic partner | Larry Taman (ca. 1969-1996) |
| Children | 3 |
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Louise Arbour (born February 10, 1947) is a Canadian legal expert. She has served as the 31st governor general of Canada since June 8, 2026. The Governor General is the King's representative in Canada.
Born in Montreal, Louise Arbour studied law at the Université de Montréal. Throughout her impressive career, she has held many important roles. These include being the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a judge on the Supreme Court of Canada, and a chief prosecutor for international courts. These courts dealt with very serious international crimes in places like the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. She also led the International Crisis Group from 2009 to 2014.
Louise Arbour made history by helping to hold powerful leaders accountable for serious international crimes. She also helped establish that certain serious human rights violations are considered crimes against humanity. From 2017 to 2018, she was a special representative for the United Nations Secretary-General on international migration. After these roles, she continued her law practice in Montreal.
On May 5, 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that King Charles III approved her appointment as governor general. She took office on June 8, 2026, following Mary Simon. Louise Arbour is the oldest person to become Governor General in Canadian history.
Contents
- Meet Louise Arbour: Canada's Governor General
Meet Louise Arbour: Canada's Governor General
Early Life and Education Journey
Growing Up in Montreal
Louise Arbour was born in Montreal, Quebec, on February 10, 1947. Her parents, Bernard and Rose Arbour, owned a hotel chain. She went to a convent school. While there, she became known for being outspoken as the editor of the school magazine.
Studying Law and Becoming a Legal Expert
In 1967, she finished her studies at Collège Regina Assumpta. She then went to the Université de Montréal. There, she earned her law degree (LL.B.) with honors in 1970. From 1971 to 1972, she worked as a law clerk for Justice Louis-Philippe Pigeon. He was a judge at the Supreme Court of Canada. During this time, she also studied law at the University of Ottawa. Moving from Quebec to Ontario was a big challenge for her. All her schooling had been in French. She became a lawyer in Quebec in 1971 and in Ontario in 1977.
A Career in Law and Justice
Serving Justice in Canada
From 1972 to 1973, Louise Arbour worked for the Law Reform Commission of Canada. She then taught law at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. She held various teaching positions there until 1987. She also served as the vice-president of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. In 1987, she became a judge on the Supreme Court of Ontario. Later, in 1990, she joined the Court of Appeal for Ontario. In 1995, she led a special investigation. This investigation looked into concerns about a women's prison in Kingston, Ontario. Her findings were published in what became known as the Arbour Report.
Working for International Justice at The Hague
In 1996, Louise Arbour became the Chief Prosecutor for two important international courts. These courts were the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). They were set up to deal with very serious international crimes. She played a key role in bringing justice to victims. For example, she helped secure the first conviction for crimes against large groups of people since 1948. She also helped hold powerful leaders accountable for serious international crimes. This included the president of Serbia at the time, Slobodan Milošević. It was the first time a leader in office was charged by an international court.
Becoming a Supreme Court Judge
In 1999, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien chose Louise Arbour to be a judge on the Supreme Court of Canada. This happened on May 26. She served on the Supreme Court for almost five years. She retired from this role in 2004. During her time as a judge, she wrote 68 important legal decisions.
Global Roles and Human Rights Advocacy
Leading Human Rights Efforts at the UN
After her time on the Supreme Court, Louise Arbour became the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights. In this role, she worked to protect and promote human rights around the world. She spoke out when countries did not uphold human rights. She completed her four-year term in 2008. From 2009 to 2014, she was the president and CEO of the International Crisis Group. After that, she worked as a senior lawyer for Borden Ladner Gervais. She also joined groups like the Global Commission on Drug Policy and the International Commission Against the Death Penalty.
Advocating for International Migration and Military Review
On March 9, 2017, the U.N. Secretary-General, António Guterres, chose Louise Arbour for a new role. She became his Special Representative for International Migration. She worked on issues related to people moving between countries. In 2018, she noted that negative feelings about migration in some countries were not helpful. In April 2021, the Canadian Minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan, asked her to lead a review. This review looked into how the military handled serious issues like harassment and other inappropriate behavior. Her final report in May 2022 included 48 suggestions. One idea was for regular courts to handle serious allegations of misconduct involving military members.
Canada's Governor General: A New Chapter
Taking Office in 2026
On May 5, 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that King Charles III had approved Louise Arbour's appointment. She became the 31st governor general of Canada, taking over from Mary Simon. Before her installation on June 8, 2026, Arbour met with King Charles III in London. During this meeting, she received special honors, as is traditional for governors general. Louise Arbour is the oldest person to hold the office of Governor General in Canadian history. At her installation ceremony, she encouraged Canadians to be careful about the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
Personal Life and Family
Louise Arbour lived with her partner, Larry Taman, for 27 years. They had three children together: Emilie, Patrick, and Catherine. She also has grandchildren. Louise Arbour speaks both English and French very well.
Her daughter, Emilie Taman, is a lawyer and politician. Emilie has run for election with the New Democratic Party (NDP) in different areas of Ottawa.
Louise Arbour has always supported international justice, human rights, and working together globally. These ideas have guided her work as both a judge and a diplomat.
Louise Arbour in the Public Eye
Publications and Public Debates
Louise Arbour has written many works about legal procedures and criminal law in both French and English. She has also been an editor for several legal publications.
In April 2016, Arbour took part in a Munk Debate. This debate discussed what was then called a global refugee crisis. She argued that Western nations have a moral duty to accept many refugees. Although her side started with strong support, they did not win the debate.
Awards and Special Recognition
Honoring Contributions to Justice
In 2005, Louise Arbour received the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights. She shared this award with Justice Richard Goldstone. It recognized their work on the international criminal courts for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. A Canadian-German TV movie, Hunt for Justice, was made about her in 2005. It showed her efforts to bring serious international criminals to justice. Canadian actress Wendy Crewson played Arbour in the movie.
In 2016, she was awarded the Tang Prize in rule of law. This was for her contributions to international criminal justice and protecting human rights. Several schools are named after her, including Louise Arbour Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario.
Schools and Other Tributes
Louise Arbour was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2007. This honor recognized her work in the Canadian justice system and her dedication to human rights worldwide. In 2009, she became a Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec. She also received the Commander of the National Order of the Legion of Honour in 2011. In 2014, she was added to Canada's Walk of Fame.
She has received many honorary degrees from universities. These include degrees from the University of Western Ontario, Mount Saint Vincent University, University of New Brunswick, University of British Columbia, Concordia University, University of Waterloo, University of Alberta, University of Guelph, Simon Fraser University, and Vancouver Island University.
In January 2023, Louise Arbour received the 2023 Sandra Day O'Connor Justice Prize. This award from Arizona State University recognized her lifetime work in human rights and upholding the rule of law.
Official Honours and Appointments
Awards and Medals
| Viceregal styles of Louise Arbour (2026–present) |
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Ribbon bars of Louise Arbour
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| Honour | Date | Citation |
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Order of Canada |
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Order of Military Merit | Extraordinary Commander of the Order in 2026 |
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Order of Merit of the Police Forces | Commander of the Order in 2026 |
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The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem | Dame of Justice and Prior of the Order in 2026 |
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National Order of Quebec | Grand Officer of the Order in 2009 |
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125th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal | 1992 |
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Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal | 2002 |
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Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal | 2012 |
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King Charles III Coronation Medal | 2025 |
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Canadian Forces' Decoration | 2026 |
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Royal Order of Civil Merit (Spain) | Grand Cross in 2009 |
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Order of National Merit (Colombia) | Grand Cross in 2010 |
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Order of the Corwn (Belgium) | Grand Officier in 2015 |
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National Order of the Legion of Honour (France) | Commandeur in 2010 |
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Order of Montréal | Commandeure in 2023 |
Honorary Military Roles
| Military command | Date | Regiment | Position |
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 Canadian Army |
2026 – present | The Governor General's Horse Guards | Colonel of the Regiment |
| Canadian Army |
2026 – present | Governor General's Foot Guards | Colonel of the Regiment |
| Canadian Army |
2026 – present | The Canadian Grenadier Guards | Colonel of the Regiment |
