Governor-General

Canadian Parliament Structure of parliament: The Governor-General

The Constitution Act of 1867 essentially made Canada an independent nation, but stated “the executive government of and over Canada is declared to continue to be vested in the Queen.” Today, Queen Elizabeth II of Britain is also recognized as the hereditary sovereign of Canada. She serves as Canada's head of state. The governor-general is the queen's representative in Canada. However, the governor-general has limited powers. No bill may become law without royal assent, but the governor-general has never withheld it. The governor-general follows the advice of the prime minister for almost everything he or she does even though the governor-general retains the right to encourage or warn ministers about their actions.

In short, the role of the governor-general within Parliament has become largely ceremonial, such as reading the Speech from the Throne, the announcement of the government's legislative plans at the opening of a new Parliament. The governor-general can exercise his or her powers to check the prime minister and Cabinet if they flagrantly disregard the law or the unwritten conventions of the constitution, but this is very rare. (1)

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Resources

Notes and References

1. Encarta Online Encyclopedia

See Also

Governor-General of Canada

Introduction to Governor-General

Governor-General of Canada, senior representative of the crown in Canada. Canada is a constitutional monarchy; the Constitution of Canada recognizes Queen Elizabeth II as hereditary sovereign, but entrusts to the governor-general most of the tasks of the head of state.

In Canada, as in many constitutional monarchies, there is a clear distinction between the head of government and the head of state. The head of government, the prime minister, is an elected political, partisan leader. The head of state, the governor-general, is nonpartisan; he or she is therefore considered to be above politics and, thus, the representative of all Canadians and of the values they hold in common. The conventions of the Constitution grant political power to the prime minister and to his or her Cabinet, composed of members of Parliament. The office of governor-general is Canada's oldest continuing institution and an important symbol of Canadian unity.

The governor-general is appointed by the sovereign on the advice of the prime minister. Although the governor-general's term of office is not fixed and may vary, he or she usually remains in office for about five years. On taking office, a governor-general is accorded the title Right Honourable for life and the honorific His Excellency or Her Excellency for the period in office. The office also includes the use of two official residences: Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Ontario, and the Citadel in Québec City. The governor-general's flag, or personal standard, flies whenever he or she is in residence and takes precedence over all other flags in Canada, except for the sovereign's.

The governor-general acts as one of the three elements that make up the Canadian Parliament. The other two elements are an appointed Senate and an elected House of Commons. As part of Parliament, the governor-general has numerous responsibilities: He or she summons and prorogues (ends a session of) Parliament, opens sessions with a Speech from the Throne, gives royal assent to bills passed by the House and the Senate before they can become law, and dissolves Parliament to call for a general election.

The governor-general's most important responsibility is to ensure that Canada always has a prime minister. This is usually the leader of the majority in the House of Commons. The governor-general also presides over the swearing in of the prime minister, as well as that of the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Cabinet ministers, and other high officials of state. The governor-general appoints senators, based on the prime minister's recommendation. The governor-general is also the commander in chief of the Canadian Forces, and as such, approves the appointment of all senior officers.

In all of this, the governor-general almost always acts on the advice of the prime minister and the Cabinet. It is understood, however, that he or she may act independently in extraordinary circumstances and crises, particularly in the appointment of a prime minister and the dissolution of Parliament. But usually the governor-general strictly adheres to his or her three recognized rights “to be consulted, to encourage, and to warn.” He or she does these in regularly scheduled meetings with the prime minister and other senior government officials.

The governor-general also performs a host of other important duties. He or she plays a significant role in Canada's international relations by making state visits abroad, welcoming visiting heads of state and foreign dignitaries, and accepting the credentials of newly appointed ambassadors to Canada. The governor-general also promotes Canadian identity and unity, as well as cultural diversity. He or she presides over national celebrations and community events, lends national support to worthy organizations, and frequently visits Canadians in their work places across the country. The governor-general grants honors-including orders, decorations, and medals-that recognize the contributions and achievements of outstanding Canadian citizens.

Canada has had a crown-appointed governor-general as the head of state without interruption since the earliest European settlement nearly 400 years ago. Originally governors-general were French, then British. The first Canadian-born governor-general was Pierre Vaudreuil, appointed in 1755, but the tradition of appointing Canadian citizens really began in 1952 with the selection of Vincent Massey. The custom of alternating between English- and French-speaking Canadians followed.

Jeanne Sauvé became the first woman appointed governor-general in 1984. The second woman, Adrienne Clarkson, became governor-general in 1999. She was also the first immigrant and, being of Asian descent, the first member of a visible minority appointed to the office. In September 2005 Clarkson was replaced by Haitian-born Michaëlle Jean, the country's first black governor-general.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

Information about Governor-General in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Governor-General

Law is our Passion

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This entry was last updated: March 23, 2014