Royal Progress by D. Michael Jackson

Author:D. Michael Jackson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dundurn
Published: 2020-02-07T16:00:00+00:00

Third, the prime minister’s involvement in the governor general’s future activities continues beyond the term of office.

It has long been the hallmark of many governors general to brand their office with particular initiatives that remain attached to their name: the Stanley Cup for men’s hockey teams since 1892, the Grey Cup for Canadian football since 1909, the Clarkson Cup for female hockey teams since 2006, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards, and the list goes on. It is, in a way, analogous to the various charities or causes supported by the members of the royal family. For instance, the Prince’s Trust Canada22 is well appreciated for its contribution to the improvement of the social and economic conditions of Canadians.

But an issue appears once the governor general has completed their term. Some have established foundations wherein they continue to pursue specific objectives. For instance, the Jeanne Sauvé Foundation for youth leadership, established at the end of her term with public and private money; the Institute for Canadian Citizenship established by Adrienne Clarkson; and the Rideau Hall Foundation for leadership and innovation established in 2017 by David Johnston. Those initiatives maintain the profile of former governors general in the public eye. Once the governor general has left office, controversy may arise over the public treasury’s financial responsibility for their personal activities. The former incumbents remain leading public figures. They continue to be solicited by the communities they identified with during their term and the social or cultural causes they supported. Former governors general have access to public funds that are made available annually to assist them in their personal activities, which encourages them to pursue their cherished objectives and in turn invites the public to continue to solicit them.

A controversy arose in 2018 over the use of public funds to reimburse the annual expenses of former governors general some ten years after the end of their term, and over the issue of transparency,23 showing that this situation cannot be ignored. Not taking into account the impact that the previous and future activities of office holders may have on the perception of the role of the monarchy and Canadians’ reaction to it is fraught with ambiguity. A person who has held the viceregal office will always be in the public eye.24 If they are publicly criticized, for whatever reason, justified or not, they may not be able to rely on the current prime minister to defend them,25 since the person who recommended them to the sovereign may have left long ago and the successor may feel only slight responsibility now, leaving the former governors general mainly to fend for themselves in the public arena.

Canadians’ perception of the role of the governor general and the monarchy is not changing just through laws and regulations. It is changing just as much through the social and cultural values they hold, as well as through the personality, public presence, and personal activities of the office holders, however legitimate they may be, and the commitments they continue to make after their term ends.

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