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Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments

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The Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments was established on 4 November 2012 to assist the government of Canada (the Crown-in-Council) with the appointment of the governor general of Canada, provincial lieutenant governors, and territorial commissioners. The committee was disbanded following the defeat of the Conservative Party of Canada, led by Stephen Harper, in the 2015 federal election and remains "dormant" under Harper's successor as prime minister, Justin Trudeau.[1]

First iteration (Governor General Consultation Committee)

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The Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments grew out of the ad hoc committee established in 2010 for the selection of a new governor general following the tenure of Michaëlle Jean. For the task, Prime Minister Stephen Harper convened a special search group—the Governor General Consultation Committee[2]—which consisted of Sheila-Marie Cook, Secretary to the Governor General (the chairperson); Kevin MacLeod; Christopher Manfredi, dean of the Faculty of Arts at McGill University; Rainer Knopff, a political scientist at the University of Calgary; Jacques Monet; and Christopher McCreery, historian and private secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.[6] The group, which was described as a "tight circle of monarchists," was instructed to submit a list of non-partisan candidates, each of whom would respect the monarchical aspects of the viceregal office. They conducted extensive consultations with more than 200 people across the country,[5][7] including academics, provincial premiers, current and former political party leaders, former prime ministers, and others, in order to develop a short list of five candidates from which the Prime Minister would make the final selection.[10]

Second iteration (Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments)

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The non-partisan Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments consisted of its chairperson—the Canadian Secretary to the Queen (most recently Kevin MacLeod)—as well as two permanent federal delegates, one Anglophone (most recently Robert Watt, citizenship judge and former Chief Herald of Canada) and one Francophone (most recently Jacques Monet, constitutional scholar and member of the Canadian Institute of Jesuit Studies); each served for a time not exceeding six years.[11] For the appointment of a lieutenant governor or commissioner, two additional members drawn from the relevant province or territory would be temporarily added as members;[12][13] each was a member for no longer than six months.[11] A representative from the Office of the Prime Minister acted as an observer only.[11]

Various other groups and individuals were consulted before the committee produced a shortlist of candidates; the recommendations were non-binding,[11] as the appointment of the governor general remains the prerogative of the Canadian monarch acting on the advice of the prime minister of Canada, the appointment of the lieutenant governors the prerogative of the governor general acting on the advice of the prime minister of Canada, and the appointment of the commissioners the prerogative of the governor general acting on the advice of the minister of indigenous and northern affairs.

Harper later explained that he set up the committee and did not legislate it because he saw it as "only a first step to creating a much more formal selection process, beyond the sole judgment of the prime minister of the day." Writing this after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Harper also stated, "I hope that, as King Charles III [...] takes the throne, there will be more discussion as to how he should be best represented in Canada and its provinces."[14]

Third iteration (Advisory Group on the Selection of the Next Governor General)

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The 29th ministry, headed by Justin Trudeau, dissolved the Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments in 2017,[15] before Trudeau selected Julie Payette to replace David Johnston as governor general. After reports of a toxic work environment in Rideau Hall during Payette's tenure, Trudeau was criticized for not thoroughly vetting Payette prior to her appointment and for not having used the advisory committee to find candidates.[16][17]

Following Payette's resignation in January 2021, a six-member advisory panel—the Advisory Group on the Selection of the Next Governor General—was struck to seek out candidates for the vice-regal position and develop a shortlist of names to give the Prime Minister.[18] This committee consisted of Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc, acting Clerk of the Privy Council Janice Charette, Inuit leader Natan Obed, Université de Montréal rector Daniel Jutras, interim Canada Post chair Suromitra Sanatani, and Judith A. LaRocque, a former secretary to the governor general.[19] While the membership of the earlier consultation and advisory committees included those with interest in and connections to the viceregal office, the advisory group formed in 2021 was composed of members "selected for the diverse perspectives they bring to the work." This group was also the first to include a political representative from Cabinet.[20]

The eventual selection of Mary Simon was informed through the advice of the advisory group.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Queen Elizabeth without Canadian secretary as Liberal government mulls future of job".
  2. ^ Canada News Centre. "Governor General Consultation Committee". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  3. ^ Galloway, Gloria; Ibbitson, John (8 July 2010), "Next governor-general unveiled", The Globe and Mail, retrieved 10 July 2010
  4. ^ a b "David Johnston: a worthy viceroy", The Globe and Mail, 9 July 2010, archived from the original on 10 September 2010, retrieved 9 July 2010
  5. ^ a b Curry, Bill (11 July 2010), "Selection panel ordered to find non-partisan governor-general: PMO", The Globe and Mail, archived from the original on 16 July 2010, retrieved 11 July 2010
  6. ^ [3][4][5]
  7. ^ Ditchburn, Jennifer (28 June 2010), "Tight circle of monarchists helping Harper pick next Governor General", Winnipeg Free Press, archived from the original on 8 July 2010, retrieved 10 July 2010
  8. ^ Office of the Prime Minister of Canada (8 July 2010). "PM welcomes appointment of David Johnston as Governor General Designate". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 12 July 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  9. ^ Gillespie, Kevin (29 December 2015), Osgoode Constitutional Law Society — Crown & Constitution Speakers' Series: Monarchy in Action, Philosophia regis, retrieved 29 December 2015
  10. ^ [4][8][9]
  11. ^ a b c d Office of the Prime Minister of Canada (4 November 2012). "Terms of reference: Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  12. ^ Cheadle, Bruce (4 November 2012), Harper creates new panel to ensure 'non-partisan' vice regal appointments, The Canadian Press, archived from the original on 7 February 2013, retrieved 4 November 2012
  13. ^ Office of the Prime Minister of Canada (4 November 2012). "PM announces new Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  14. ^ Harper, Stephen (15 October 2022), "The Crown at the end of the second Elizabethan age", National Post, retrieved 27 March 2023
  15. ^ Beeby, Dean (19 September 2017), Liberals leave royal position vacant in Queen's Sapphire Jubilee year, CBC News, retrieved 11 August 2023
  16. ^ "Trudeau consults Queen on process for picking a new governor general". CBC News. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  17. ^ Messamore, Barbara J. (26 January 2021). "What the Payette episode teaches us about fit and the Governor General". Policy Options. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  18. ^ Minister LeBlanc announces advisory group to assist with the selection of the next Governor General, 12 March 2021
  19. ^ "Short list of potential governor general candidates will go to Trudeau in 'next few days'". National Post. Canadian Press. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  20. ^ Feldman, Stephanie (19 April 2021), The Evolution of the Selection and Appointment of the Governor General, Library of Parliament, retrieved 11 August 2023
  21. ^ Office of the Prime Minister of Canada (6 July 2021), Prime Minister announces The Queen's approval of Canada's next Governor General, Queen's Printer for Canada, retrieved 11 August 2023
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