What does Canada's governor general do?

Answer 1

The Lieutenant Governor represents the Queen in right of a province.

As the provincial representative of the Queen, the Lieutenant Governor ensures that the province always has a premier who enjoys the support of a majority of members of the province's elected legislature. The Lieutenant Governor also appoints members of the province's Executive Council (i.e., ministers) on the advice of the premier.

The Lieutenant Governor summons, prorogues, and dissolves the provincial legislature on the advice of the premier. The Lieutenant Governor also grants Royal Assent (or, rarely, refuses Royal Assent) to bills passed by the legislature. The Queen's representative also reads the speech from the throne, to set out the agenda of the Government of the province at the start of each session of the legislature.

Answer 2

The Governor General of Canada represents the Queen.

Most of the Queen's executive functions are exercised by the Governor General, on the advice of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. By convention, only privy counsellors who are ministers--and are therefore responsible to the elected House of Commons--may advise the Governor General. The exercise of these functions on the advice of the Privy Council is referred to as the Governor General-in-Council.

The Governor General is also (as the Queen's representative) one of the three constituent parts of the Parliament of Canada (alongside the Senate and the House of Commons). Once both Houses have agreed on the passage of a bill, that bill is presented to the Governor General for royal assent. Unless the Governor General grants royal assent, that bill does not become law, and would cease to exist at the next prorogation or dissolution of the legislature. The Governor General may also, other than grant or deny royal assent, reserve the bill for the Queen to assent to personally.

The Governor General also makes several appointments to key federal roles, such as the Senate, the Supreme Court, and the heads of Crown Corporations; these appointments are Governor General-in-Council appointments (as explained above). Also, the Governor General summons, prorogues and dissolves the legislature (on the prime minister's advice), and reads the throne speech to start each session of Parliament (the speech is prepared by the Government).

Answer 3

The lieutenant governor is the representative of the Queen in a given province, and performs ceremonial functions, gives royal consent to the legislation that is passsed by the provincial parliament, appoints the premier (based on election results), etc.

Answer 4

The Governor General represents the Queen (Canada's head of State).

Governor General-in-Council

As the Queen's representative, the Governor General exercises the Queen's executive functions on the advice of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. By constitutional convention, the Governor General is only advised by privy counsellors who are also currently ministers (and are therefore responsible to the House of Commons). The Governor General's use of the Queen's powers, on the advice of the Privy Council, is referred to as the Governor General-in-Council, and is the executive branch of Canadian government.

Governor General represents the Queen-in-Parliament

The Governor General also represents the Queen as one of the components of the Parliament of Canada (alongside the Senate and Commons). Once both Houses have agreed on the passage of a bill, it is presented to the Governor General for royal assent. The Governor General may (a) grant royal assent; (b) refuse royal assent, or (c) reserve the bill for the Queen's consideration. The Governor General summons, prorogues and dissolves Parliament (on the advice of the prime minister), and reads the throne speech at the opening of each session (prepared by the Government).

Governor General's recognition of excellence

One of the roles of the Governor General is to promote the recognition of excellence. The Governor General is the Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada (the highest-ranked Canadian honour), the Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, and the Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, and appoints Canadians to these orders on the advice of an advisory council. The Governor General awards other honours, such as the Governor General's Caring Canadian Award, and Canadian Forces decorations.

Answer 5

Lieutenant Governor as the Queen's representative

The Lieutenant Governors represent Her Majesty the Queen of Canada in right of each province. The Lieutenant Governor is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Canadian prime minister (though the appointments are usually discussed with the leaders of the provincial governments before they are announced).

Lieutenant Governor and the Executive Council

The Lieutenant Governor for each province appoints an Executive Council, and exercises most of the Queen's functions only on the advice of these executive counsellors. By convention, only the premier and ministers (responsible to the Legislative Assembly, National Assembly, or House of Assembly as the case may be) may advise the monarch, and therefore only they can become executive counsellors. Executive functions exercised by the Lieutenant Governor, on the advice of the Executive Council, is referred to as the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council and is the foundation of authority for the executive branch of each provincial government.

Lieutenant Governor as a Part of the Legislature

The Lieutenant Governor of each province is also one of the two components of the provincial legislature (alongside the Legislative Assembly, National Assembly, or House of Assembly). Whenever the elected assembly has agreed to pass a bill, it is presented to the Lieutenant Governor for royal assent so that it can be enacted. The Lieutenant Governor can choose to (a) grant royal assent (the bill comes law); (b) refuse royal assent (the bill is rejected), or (c) refer the bill to the Governor General (the federal viceroy/vicereign considers the bill instead).

Answer 6

Why three? The Lieutenant Governor:

• Appoints the government and other provincial officials
• Enacts legislation and executive orders
• Opens, prorogues, and dissolves the legislature
• Calls elections
• Presents provincial honours
• Represents the Queen in the province
• Represents the province in a non-partisan way

Answer 7

The Lieutenant Governor can dissolve Provincial Parliament and appoint the Premier of the Province.