Portal:Canada/Selected article/6
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Governor General of Canada (French: Gouverneure générale du Canada or Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative in Canada of the Canadian Monarch, who is the Head of State; Canada is one of sixteen Commonwealth Realms, all of which share the same person as their respective monarch (currently, Queen Elizabeth II). The 1904 Militia Act granted the Governor General permission to use the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian military, in the name of the Sovereign.[1] The correct title today is, "Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada."
The current constitution of the Office of Governor General is laid out by Letters Patent of King George VI issued in 1947.[2] By the Constitution Act, 1982, any constitutional amendment that affects the Crown, including the Office of Governor General, requires the unanimous consent of the provincial legislatures as well as the federal parliament, rather than the two-thirds majority necessary for most other amendments.
The Monarch appoints the governor general on the advice of the Prime Minister of Canada. There is no specific term, but by convention the governor general usually serves for approximately five years. Also by convention, the position tends to alternate between the anglophone and francophone communities. In each Canadian province, a Lieutenant Governor, appointed by the governor general, serves as the viceroy.
The present Governor General of Canada is Michaëlle Jean, who has served since 27 September 2005. She was appointed on the advice of former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin to replace Adrienne Clarkson. Jean is Canada's third female, second non-Caucasian, and first black governor general. The Vice-Regal Consort is Jean's husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond.
