Chronicling the Governors General

This news has once again stirred up questions about whether we need a figure who ostensibly represents the King in performing the constitutional and ceremonial duties of the head of state. Fraser, also founding president of the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada, remains supportive.

His book looks at the men and women who have held the GG post since 1952, at which time Canadian-born citizens took over from Brits in the role. The former Saturday Night magazine editor spoke to UCC News about his new work.  

It’s both not strong and crucial. We’ve had good governors general, and less than good. But the thing that has given them a bit of extra lustre is the history and relationship with our crown. But the crown is definitely not what it used to be in this country. If somebody tells me they think it’s stupid to have a foreign head of state, I just say, “Okay, what’s your solution, and how are you going to put it in place?”

When the French first arrived, they needed someone in charge to report to the king, and that was Samuel de Champlain. And the notion just continues [in English-dominant Canada]. It was a colony, and someone had to run it — a governor. As the country became more varied in its population makeup, and more involved in its situ rather than as part of a large empire, it was natural to want someone Canadian in the position, although they didn’t want to get rid of the relationship with the crown. But the office exists at the command of the Canadian people; it’s not there because it’s imposed by the British monarch.

Massey loved UCC [and would visit]. In my last year at the College, we were in the new building, and one of the features was a little chapel built out of the old bike shed in the quadrangle. I’m afraid while it was being built, it was a convenient place for grade 11 boys to smoke, because you could have a guard on the door that led into the quadrangle, and a guard on the other door that led into the hallway. 

One day, the nightmare happened. There were knocks on both doors, and coming from the quadrangle was a master, and if that wasn’t bad enough, coming down the stairs were Reverend Cedric Sowby, the headmaster, and Mr. Massey. One exit led to [punishment] and the other into expulsion. My schoolmates ran into the arms of the teacher, but I was back of the line and it was too late for me to get out before Sowby and Massey came in. So I got down on my knees and started praying like I’d never prayed before. And I got away with it.    

I first saw him at UCC as well, when I got my first prize book. He was [at the ceremony]. I went on to Memorial University of Newfoundland, and I covered his last vice-regal trip, which was to Newfoundland, and I got to watch him up close, when he was near his end. I got to admire his wife, Madame Vanier, and became good friends with her, so much so that she was godmother to one of my daughters. 

In some ways it was Adrienne Clarkson [1999-2005], and Vanier was pretty close, but under a different sort of gaze. Massey was important, and Roland Michener [1967-74] was good. Michaëlle Jean [2005-2010] spoke to minority communities here, and so she was an important governor general as well.