Wives of Canadian Governor Generals Since 1867

[in progress]

The present day office of the Governor General of Canada came into being upon Canadian Confederation in 1867, yet it is generally accepted that the institution of Governor General is a continuation from the first governorship of New France in 1608.

This list presents only the wives of the Governor Generals who served under Queen Victoria, upon the Confederation of Canada in 1867. Since 1867, there have been 28 Governor Generals, three of them women (see entry under Governor Generals of Canada). Therefore, the following list contains 25 names representing the wives of the 25 Governor Generals from 1867 to 2011.

1. Lady Elizabeth Louise Mary Monck

(The Viscount Monck, GG from 1867-1869)

• Wife of the first Governor General of Canada upon confederation.
• Had seven children of which four lived to adulthood.
• Went back to Ireland with her husband in 1868; died in Ireland in 1892.

Of note: In a visit to the new capital in 1864, Lord Monck saw Rideau Hall, which became the Governor General's residence, and was purchased by the Government of Canada from the MacKay estate in 1868 for $82,000. Before living in Ottawa, the Moncks had resided at Spencerwood, near Quebec City. Lady Monck loved horticulture and made considerable improvements to the grounds of the official residence.

http://archive.gg.ca/gg

2. Adelaide Annabella Dalton

(The Lord Lisgar, GG from 1869-1872)

• Born in 1821 in Ireland.
• Was widowed in 1876, remarried twice after Lord Lisgar’s death.
• Died in Paris in 1895.

Of note: Lord Lisgar and his wife, Lady Adelaide Annabella Dalton Lisgar, added many important traditions to Rideau Hall. They held the first recorded New Year's Levee in 1869, while he was Administrator, and organized Christmas and Garden Parties. And in 1872, the noon gun firing on Parliament Hill was established, and the Governor General's Foot Guards army regiment was created.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Young,_1st_Baron_Lisgar

http://archive.gg.ca/gg

3. Hariot Georgina Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava

(The Earl of Dufferin, GG from 1872-1878)

• Born in 1833; died in 1936.
• Had three daughters and six sons.
• Came to Canada in 1872.
• Built a reputation as “the most effective diplomatic wife of her generation”; was popular and well loved.
• Was the first spouse to accompany the Governor General on a tour, visiting southern Ontario in 1872.
• Visited every province of Canada with her husband. Along with her husband, she drove a spike in the line of what would become the Canadian Pacific Railway.
• Following their mandate in Canada, Lord and Lady Dufferin went to India where he was appointed as the country’s viceroy.
• While in India, she set up the National Association for supplying Female Medical Aid to the Women of India (training women doctors, midwives and nurses to improve the situation of Indian women).
• There are numerous Lady Dufferin hospitals and clinics, medical colleges and midwifery schools named after her.
• Received the Crown of India in 1884 and the Royal Order of Victory and Albert in 1889.

Of note: As an orator and writer, Lord Dufferin closely followed political debate in Parliament, although as Governor General he was not permitted inside the House of Commons. Instead, Lady Dufferin often attended the debates and reported back to him.

http://archive.gg.ca/gg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hariot_Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood,_Marchioness_of_Dufferin_and_Ava

4. Princess Louise Caroline Alberta

(John George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll, better known as Marquess of Lorne, GG from 1878-1883)

• Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter.
• First royal resident of Rideau Hall.
• Along with her husband, Princess Louise made many lasting contributions to Canadian society especially in the arts and sciences.
• Encouraged the establishment of the Royal Society of Canada, the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and the National Gallery of Canada, even selecting some of its first paintings

Of note: Princess Louise was an able sculptor and artist, and a supporter of the feminist movement. Lake Louise in Alberta is named for her as is the province of Alberta.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Louise,_Duchess_of_Argyll

Governor Generals of Canada

1. JEANNE SAUVÉ, 1922-1993

23^rd Governor General of Canada

Journalist, politician, stateswoman

• Born Jeanne Mathilde Benoît in Saskatchewan.
• First female Governor General of Canada.
• Appointed by Pierre Trudeau.
• Mandate from 1984 to 1990.
• During her term of office as Governor General of Canada, she emphasized the themes of peace, national unity and young people.

www.canadaonline.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Sauvé

2. ADRIENNE CLARKSON, 1939-

26^th governor general of Canada

Journalist, broadcaster, stateswoman

• Born Adrienne Louise Poy in Hong Kong. Came to Ottawa in 1941.
• First immigrant and first Chinese-Canadian to be Governor General of Canada.
• Appointed by Jean Chrétien.
• Mandate from 1999-2005.
• During her term of office as Governor General, she travelled extensively across Canada to meet Canadians where they live. In her first year as Governor General of Canada she visited 81 communities and travelled 115,000 km (about 71,500 miles). She kept a similar pace for the next five years.

www.canadaonline.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrienne_Clarkson

3. MICHAËLLE JEAN, 1957-

27^th Governor General of Canada

Journalist, broadcaster

• Born in Haiti. Came to Canada as a refugee in 1968.
• First black Governor General of Canada.
• Appointed by Paul Martin.
• Mandate was from 2005-2010.
• During her term of office as Governor General, she declared "the time of the Two Solitudes that for too long described the character of this country is past," and called for the protection of the environment, the shielding of culture against globalization, and an end to the marginalisation of young people.

www.canadaonline.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michaëlle_Jean

Valerie Knowles

History instructor, archivist, writer

Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. Moved to Ottawa in 1961.

Studied at Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts (history), McGill University (M.A. History) and Carleton University (print journalism).

Author of 11 non-fiction works. Has written many books on historical figures and events related to Ottawa's history such as Making Waves: A History of the Riverside Hospital of Ottawa (1996) and Through the Chateau Door: A History of the Zonta Club of Ottawa, 1929-1989 (1994).

More recently, she has published Capital Lives Vol. II: Profiles of 32 Leading Ottawa Personalities (2010).

www.writersunion.ca
www.valerieknowles.com

Kim Campbell

The 19^th Prime Minister of Canada

"In a democracy, government isn't something that a small group of people do to everybody else, it's not even something they do for everybody else, it should be something they do with everybody else." - Kim Campbell, March 25, 1993

Since 1867, Canada has had 23 different prime ministers with one prime minister being a woman. Kim Campbell replaced Brian Mulroney and was Prime Minister of Canada for a total of 132 days in 1993. She lost the election to Jean Chrétien.

Born Avril Phædra Douglas "Kim" Campbell in 1947 in Port Alberni, B.C.

Is a Canadian politician, lawyer, university professor, diplomat, and writer.

Served as the 19th Prime Minister of Canada from June 25, 1993, to November 4, 1993 (132 days). She was 46 years old.

Spent much of her life breaking barriers for women. Is widely regarded as one of the foremost thinkers and speakers on gender issues in the world.

Kim Campbell Firsts

• First and to date the only female Prime Minister of Canada.
• First baby boomer to hold the office of Prime Minister.
• First and only PM to have been born in British Columbia.
• Frst female Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1990–1993).
• First female Minister of National Defence under Brian Mulroney in 1993.
• First female president of her freshman class at UBC in 1969.
• First female student president of her high school in 1964.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Campbell

http://www.kimcampbell.com/

Prime Minister of Canada

KIM CAMPBELL, 1947-

The 19^th Prime Minister of Canada

"In a democracy, government isn't something that a small group of people do to everybody else, it's not even something they do for everybody else, it should be something they do with everybody else." -- Kim Campbell, March 25, 1993

Born Avril Phædra Douglas "Kim" Campbell in 1947 in Port Alberni, B.C.

Is a Canadian politician, lawyer, university professor, diplomat, and writer.

Served as the 19th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 25, 1993, to November 4, 1993 (132 days). She was 46 years old.

Spent much of her life breaking barriers for women. Is widely regarded as one of the foremost thinkers and speakers on gender issues in the world.

Kim Campbell Firsts

• First and to date the only female Prime Minister of Canada.
• First baby boomer to hold the office of Prime Minister.
• First and only PM to have been born in British Columbia.
• Frst female Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1990–1993).
• First female Minister of National Defence under Brian Mulroney in 1993.
• First female student president of her high school in 1964.
• First female president of her freshman class at UBC in 1969.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Campbell

http://www.kimcampbell.com/

Margaret M. Kehoe

Activist, politician, advocate
Winner of Y Women of Distinction Lifetime Achievement Award, Ottawa 2011

Born in 1918. Known in Ottawa as "Toddy" and for being an inspiration to girls and women, encouraging them to pursue their ambitions.

One of the first women to graduate from the University of Ottawa in 1940.

Founded the Brighthope School for children with disabilities.

Worked with Marion Dewar in the 1960s and 1970s to move Ottawa towards progressive social change.

As alderman in Carleton Ward, was part of a project of conservation of the ByWard Market and Project 4000, which led to the establishment of Ottawa's Office of Equal Opportunity.

Her work led to the commissioning of the Capital's Terry Fox Monument.

Retired from politics in 1985.

The Wrap, The Ottawa Citizen
http://www.ymcaywca.ca
http://ca.rss.news.yahoo.com

Jean Spear

Founder of the first war brides club in Canada

Moved to Ottawa in 1944.

Originally from Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey, came to Canada in December 1944 for love of her Canadian husband and his country.

Started Canada’s first war brides club in 1945, the ESWIC (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Canada) club for war brides. She continues to serve as its president to this day. There are nearly 50,000 war brides who, like her, left their homeland between 1944 and 1946 to come to Canada to be with their soldier-husbands.

Was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's new year's honours list for 2006.

www.ottawacitizen.com
www.canadianwarbrides.com
http://members.shaw.ca/francislyster/warbride/updates.htm