Lieutenant-Governor (Canada)
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In Canada, the lieutenant-governor (often without a hyphen[1], pronounced [lɛfˈtɛ.nənt]), in French lieutenant-gouverneur/lieutenant-gouverneure (always with a hyphen), is the Canadian Monarch's, or Crown's, representative in a province, much as the Governor General is her representative at the national level. The lieutenant-governor is therefore the province's vice-regal representative, though rarely exercising his or her executive powers personally without ministerial advice.
Lieutenant-Governors are styled His/Her Honour while in office and The Honourable for life. When addressing a Lieutenant-Governor His/Her Honour the Honourable is the correct terminology. A territorial Commissioner is styled The Honourable only while in office.[2]
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Similar positions in Canada's three territories are termed Commissioners and are representatives of the federal government, however, not the Queen directly. Yukon and Nunavut have had Commissioners since they were founded, but in Northwest Territories the position dates to 1905, when the most populous part of the territory was split away to become the provinces Alberta and Saskatchewan. Before then, Northwest Territories had a Lieutenant-Governor.
[edit] Constitutional role
- Main articles: Monarchy in the Canadian provinces, Canadian federalism, and Royal Prerogative
Since Confederation in 1867, the Dominion Government and the Foreign Office in London had believed that the Lieutenant Governors were the representatives in the provinces of the Governor General, as representative of the Crown, going so far as to stipulate that the Lieutenant Governor was to grant Royal Assent to provincial legislation in the name of the Governor General, and not of the Queen. However, due to precedent set in Ontario and Quebec, the latter never happened in any province, and Assent was given in Queen Victoria's name.[3] Later, a decision by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1892 stated that the Lieutenant Governor represented the Crown in his own right.[4] Today, though they continue to be appointed by the Governor General, the Lieutenant Governors continue to be considered as direct representatives of the Sovereign. As such, the lieutenant governor's role is almost entirely symbolic and cultural, acting as a symbol of the legal authority under which the government operates.
The lieutenant governor holds considerable constitutional and reserve powers, which are almost always exercised wholly upon the advice of the elected government. See Monarchy in the Canadian provinces: Duties for more information.
The difference in authority between the Australian state governors and the Canadian provincial lieutenant-governors is significant constitutionally. In Australia, governors are appointed by the Queen on the advice of the appropriate state premier. Canadian lieutenant governors are appointed by the governor general, rather than the Queen directly, on the advice of the prime minister.
[edit] Appointment
The lieutenant-governor is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister, usually in consultation with the relevant premiers. Though the lieutenant-governor "serves at the pleasure of Her Majesty" - meaning there is no set term - five years has become the traditional amount of time an individual will serve as the provincial vice-regal. In the past, the lieutenant-governors were a direct representative of the governor general, however they now directly represent the Queen in their respective provinces
Canadian lieutenant-governorships have been observed often to be used to promote women and minorities into a prominent position. The first female Vice-Regal in Canada was the Honourable Pauline Mills McGibbon, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario from 1974 to 1980. Five of Canada's ten current lieutenant-governors and one of the three territorial commissioners are women. There have been two black (Lincoln Alexander and Mayann E. Francis) and several Aboriginal lieutenant-governors. The current Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec uses a wheelchair. Former Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia Myra Freeman, who served from 2000 to 2006, is Jewish. The current Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta is a Chinese-Canadian, as was David Lam in British Columbia (Lieutenant-Governor from 1988 to 1995).
[edit] Symbols
Each lieutenant-governor also has a personal flag. Most consist of a blue field bearing the relevant provincial coat of arms surrounded by ten gold maple leafs, symbolizing each of the ten provinces. Quebec displays its arms on a white roundel, while Nova Scotia displays them on the Union Flag.
See Flags of the Lieutenant Governors of Canada.
[edit] Current Canadian lieutenant-governors
| Province | Current lieutenant-governor | Lieutenant-governor since | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | His Honour the Honourable Norman Kwong | January 20, 2005 | [3] |
| British Columbia | Her Honour the Honourable Iona Campagnolo | September 25, 2001 | [4] |
| Manitoba | His Honour the Honourable John Harvard | June 20, 2004 | [5] |
| New Brunswick | His Honour the Honourable Dr. Herménégilde Chiasson | August 26, 2003 | [6] |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | His Honour the Honourable Edward Roberts | November 1, 2002 | [7] |
| Nova Scotia | Her Honour the Honourable Mayann E. Francis | September 7, 2006 | [8] |
| Ontario | His Honour the Honourable James K. Bartleman | March 7, 2002 | [9] |
| Prince Edward Island | Her Honour the Honourable Barbara Oliver Hagerman | July 31, 2006 | [10] |
| Quebec | Her Honour the Honourable Lise Thibault | January 30, 1997 | [11] |
| Saskatchewan | His Honour the Honourable Dr. Gordon Barnhart | August 1, 2006 | [12] |
- See also Commissioners of the territories.
[edit] Former governorships
Northwest Territories (formerly) – websites: Alberta, Collections Canada
[edit] See also
- Monarchy in Canada
- Monarchy in the Canadian provinces, British Columbia | Alberta | Saskatchewan | Manitoba | Ontario | Quebec | New Brunswick | Nova Scotia | Prince Edward Island | Newfoundland and Labrador
- List of current Canadian lieutenant-governors and commissioners
[edit] References and notes
- ^ In a Canadian context there are numerous, and not mutually agreeable, notions regarding hyphenation and capitalisation of the position title. The Canadian Style (an official federal government style guide), indicates Lieutenant-Governor (upper case with hyphen; p. 46) though lieutenant-governors (lower case and hyphenated) when pluralised (p. 70). Similarly, governor is the main noun in this title and it is the term that is pluralised. The Oxford Guide to Canadian English Usage equivocates somewhat, indicating upper case only when used in and associated with a specific provincial L-G or name, not generally (e.g., Lieutenant-Governor Lincoln Alexander), and varied use (p. 244). The Constitution of Canada and a visitation of numerous provincial websites typically indicate Lieutenant Governor (of Province) (upper case and no hyphen), likely due to the primacy of those positions in their respective jurisdictions. For consistency in Wikipedia, the Oxford standard can be used when referring to Canadian lieutenant-governors.
- ^ [2]
- ^ Jackson, Michael; Canadian Monarchist News: Golden Jubilee and Provincial Crown; Spring, 2003
- ^ Dr. Philips, Stephen; Canadian Monarchist News: The Emergence of A Canadian Monarchy: 1867-1953; Summer, 2003
