Governor General of Canada

The Governor General of Canada (French: Gouverneur général or Gouverneure générale) is the representative of the Canadian monarch. Canada is one of sixteen Commonwealth realms, all of which share a single monarch (currently, Queen Elizabeth II). The Governor General acts as the Queen's viceregal representative in Canada and is often viewed as the de facto head of state. The 1947 Letters Patent granted the Governor General the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian military in the name of the Queen.

Related Topics:
French - Canadian monarch - Commonwealth realm - Queen Elizabeth II - Viceregal - De facto - Head of state - Letters Patent - Commander-in-Chief - Canadian military

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As Canada is a constitutional monarchy, the Governor General's role is almost always limited to ceremonial and non-partisan functions. In practice, most political power is exercised by the Parliament of Canada (which is composed of the Crown, the Senate, and the House of Commons), and by the Prime Minister and Cabinet. By constitutional convention, the Governor General exercises his or her powers, with very few exceptions, solely on the advice of the Prime Minister and other ministers. Although the Queen of Canada is also Queen of the United Kingdom, the British Government does not advise the Governor General or otherwise interfere in Canadian affairs. The Queen does not personally intervene in Canadian politics, either; she does hold the power to appoint a Governor General, but does so only on the advice of the Canadian Prime Minister. Any constitutional amendment that affects the office of Governor General requires the unanimous consent of the provincial legislatures, rather than the two-thirds majority necessary for most other amendments.

Related Topics:
Constitutional monarchy - Parliament of Canada - Crown - Senate - House of Commons - Prime Minister - Cabinet

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In Canada, the title "Governor General" is not hyphenated, even though a hyphen is used in other Commonwealth realms.

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The Governor General of Canada is Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, who has served since 27 September 2005. The Vice Regal Consort is His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond.

Related Topics:
Michaëlle Jean - 27 September - 2005 - Vice Regal Consort - Jean-Daniel Lafond

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