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Governor General of Canada / Gouverneur général du Canadaa
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Governor General

 

Role and Responsibilities of the Governor General

The Office of the Governor General, Canada's oldest continuing institution, is a thread that ties Canadians together. From Samuel de Champlain in 1608 to Viscount Monck in 1867 to Vincent Massey in 1952 to today’s Governor General, the institution of Governor General dates back nearly 400 years.

What is the Governor General's position in Government?

Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. This means Canadians recognize The Queen as our Head of State. Canada's Governor General carries out Her Majesty's duties in Canada on a daily basis and is Canada's de facto Head of State.

Like many other democracies, Canada has clearly defined the difference between the Head of State and Head of Government.

The Governor General

  • represents The Queen who is the Head of State
  • is appointed by The Queen on the advice of Canada’s Prime Minister

The Prime Minister

  • is the Head of Government
  • is the leader of the party with the most support in Parliament

What does the Governor General do?

The Governor General's role is built on four major themes:
Created: 2005-09-27
Updated: 2005-12-06
Important Notices
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