Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Gabrielle Léger

Chancellor of the University of Ottawa
Vice-regal Consort of Canada


1916-1998; lived in Ottawa.

Born in Montreal.

Second woman chancellor of the University of Ottawa from 1979 to 1985.

Vice-regal consort of Governor General Jules Léger from 1974 to 1979.

Due to Jules Léger's illness early on in his term as Governor General, she played an important role in sharing his official duties.

She read the Governor General New Year's message in 1975 and became the first woman to read passages from the Speech from the Throne in 1976 when she read it along with Jules Léger.

She is the only spouse to have been featured in a portrait along with the Governor General.

Co-president along with Paul-Émile Cardinal Léger of the Jules and Paul-Émile Léger Foundation, created by a special act of the Canadian Parliament in 1981.

In 1974, she was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.

www.gg.ca

No comments: