Roland Michener
Encyclopedia
Daniel Roland Michener (April 19, 1900 August 6, 1991), commonly known as Roland Michener, was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada
, the 20th since Canadian Confederation
.
Michener was born and educated in Alberta
, where, after serving briefly in the Royal Air Force
, he acquired a university degree. He then attended the University of Oxford
as a Rhodes scholar
, playing hockey
there, and obtaining his two masters degrees. Subsequently, Michener returned to Canada and worked as a lawyer before entering politics, first in the provincial sphere and later in the federal; Michener was elected to the House of Commons
in 1957, where-after he served as speaker of the house
until 1962, and then in diplomatic postings between 1964 and 1967. He was that year appointed as governor general by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on the recommendation of Prime Minister of Canada
Lester B. Pearson
, to replace Georges Vanier
as viceroy
, and he occupied the post until succeeded by Jules Léger
in 1974. Michener proved to be a populist governor general whose tenure is considered to be a key turning point in the history of his office.
On October 15, 1962, Michener was sworn into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
, giving him the accordant style of The Honourable
; however, as a former governor general of Canada, Michener was entitled to be styled for life with the superior form of The Right Honourable
. He subsequently served on various corporate and charitable boards and sat as Chancellor of Queen's University
before he died on August 6, 1991.
, to Senator Edward Michener
and Mary E. Roland. He attended the University of Alberta
, where he achieved not only his Bachelor of Arts
degree, but also a Rhodes Scholarship
that took him to Hertford College at the University of Oxford
. There, he played for the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club
, and met a man who was to become influential and Michener's lifelong friend, Lester B. Pearson
. After completing both his Master of Arts and Bachelor of Civil Law
degrees, Michener returned to Canada, settling in Toronto
and practicing law. At the same time, he sat on the Executive Council of Ontario
, acted as the General Secretary for the Rhodes Foundation in Canada between 1936 and 1964, and sat as chairman of the Manitoba Royal Commission on Local Government.
On February 26, 1927, in St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church
(where future Governor General Adrienne Clarkson
later worshipped), Michener married Norah Willis
, and the couple bore three daughters.
as the Progressive Conservative
candidate in the riding
of St. David
, but was defeated by William Dennison of the Ontario Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. Michener made an attempt to win the district again in the election that followed
in 1945, and was successful in defeating Dennison, taking his seat in the Legislative Assembly
. Michener was subsequently appointed by Lieutenant Governor
Albert Edward Matthews
to the Executive Council
, acting on the advice of his premier
, George Drew, who gave Michener the position of Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario
, tasked with formalising cabinet procedures, including agenda and minutes. However, after Dennison was again victorious in the 1948 provincial election
, Michener decided to leave provincial politics for the federal variant.
The 1949 federal election
was Michener's first try for the House of Commons
in Ottawa
, but, as with his first attempt at the Ontario legislature, he was unsuccessful. It was not until the election of 1953
that Michener finally was elected as a the Progressive Conservative
(PC) Member of Parliament for St. Paul's. Three years later, the PC party elected at its leadership convention
John Diefenbaker
as leader, who subsequently led the Tories to a minority win in the election of 1957
, and was appointed as prime minister
. Though Michener was not offered a seat in the Cabinet
, he was appointed speaker of the house
, after the post was turned down by Stanley Knowles
.
From this position, Michener angered Diefenbaker by allowing the loyal opposition
a great degree of latitude during Question Period
, so much so that at one point, on May 25, 1959, Diefenbaker became so flustered that he refused to sit down when called to order by Michener. Actions like these, among others, impressed parliamentary observers, and a group of university professors initiated a campaign to make Michener's position as speaker permanent; they proposed that, as is the tradition with the Speaker of the British House of Commons
, Michener run as an independent in general elections, and that the political parties agree not to run candidates against him. Such an agreement, however, failed to materialize, and when Michener ran for re-election in the 1962 race
, he was defeated. This was the first time since 1867 that a speaker had lost his riding in an election in which his party formed the government. After Diefenbaker declined to advise the Governor General to summon Michener to the Senate, the latter returned to Toronto and dedicated his time to his law practice, Lang Michener LLP.
It was in the 1963 federal election
that the Liberal Party
was victorious, and its leader, who was thus appointed prime minister, was Michener's old friend from Oxford, Lester Pearson. Just over one year later, Pearson advised Governor General Georges Vanier
to appoint Michener to the diplomatic post of high commissioner
to India
, which Michener took up on July 9, 1964, six months before he was also made Canada's first high commissioner to Nepal
. While stationed on those foreign duties, Michener received overtures from the Prime Minister that the would be considered among the leading candidates for the governor generalship when he returned to Canada. But Vanier was in deteriorating health, and though he offered to stay on as viceroy through to the end of the Canadian Centennial
celebrations, Pearson was not comfortable in advising Queen Elizabeth II to allow it. The night after he conferred with his prime minister about that matter, on March 5, Vanier died at Rideau Hall
, leaving Chief Justice
Robert Taschereau
as Administrator of the Government
in the absence of a viceroy.
that the Elizabeth II had, by commission under the royal sign-manual
and Great Seal of Canada
, approved Pearson's choice of Michener to succeed Georges Vanier as the Queen's representative. Despite being a Conservative, Liberal members of parliament and cabinet ministers welcomed the selection of Michener; Paul Martin Sr.
said "I don’t think there was anybody inside or outside the public service who could qualify better than Michener... People just felt that this was a good appointment." Michener was subsequently sworn-in during a ceremony in the Senate chamber on April 17, that year, leaving one of the shortest periods where an individual has been governor general-designate.
The hurry did not end there, as, only ten days after Michener was made viceroy, he officially opened
that year's World's Fair
, Expo 67
, which was held in Montreal. The fair, combined with the 100th anniversary of Confederation
, attracted some 53 heads of state
, as well as numerous other dignitaries, to visit Canada, and, as per diplomatic protocol, it was Michener, as the representative of Canada's head of state, who greeted and held audience with each of them. Among this litany of guests was United States president
Lyndon B. Johnson
, Grace, Princess of Monaco
, Jacqueline Kennedy
, Emperor Haile Selassie
, and French president Charles de Gaulle
. Michener welcomed the latter when he landed at his first stop in Canada, Quebec City
, where the president addressed the gathered crowd, and they cheered wildly for him in return, but booed and jeered Michener.
Beginning in 1963, the Front de libération du Québec
(FLQ) became active in detonating some 95 bombs around Montreal
, resulting in multiple arrests, which then led to the October Crisis
in October, 1970. On the 5th of that month, FLQ members kidnapped British trade commissioner James Cross
and, five days later, did the same to Quebec's minister of labour, Pierre Laporte
. However, in 2010, it was revealed through interviews conducted with 12 of those involved in the kidnappings, including Jacques Lanctôt
and Jacques Rose, done for a documentary aired on Tout le monde en parle
, that Michener had originally been their intended target; the FLQ leaders allegedly planned to commandeer the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
's Télévision de Radio-Canada
and conduct a 24 hour telethon with the Governor General bound in a chair as a prop on the stage. Ultimately, with the two officials missing, Michener, as Governor-in-Council
, invoked the War Measures Act
, and Quebec police
, with the support of the Canadian Forces
, rounded up hundreds of individuals, leading to the detention of the kidnappers and their accomplices.
On July 1, 1967, the Order of Canada
was created, with Michener becoming the order's first member, as well as the first chancellor and principal companion. As such, he presided over the first investiture ceremony, at Rideau Hall on July 9, investing 90 people into the order, and, on a later visit to London
, United Kingdom
, he presented the sovereign of the order's insignia to Queen Elizabeth II. Similarly, on July 1, 1972, the Order of Military Merit
was founded, and Michener was appointed the first chancellor and commander.
Another first was Michener's state visit
in 1971 to Trinidad and Tobago
; while King George VI
and Queen Elizabeth II had both carried out state visits on behalf of Canada, no Canadian governor general had ever previously undertaken such a trip. Then, in October of the same year, the Governor General was off to Iran
to attend the Iranian monarchy's 2,500 year anniversary. These voyages initially caused controversy among diplomatic insiders in Ottawa, who viewed it as inappropriate for someone who was not technically the country's head of state to undertake a state visit. However, the successes of the trip helped end the controversy, and established a precedent thereafter followed in Canada, and adopted by other Commonwealth realm
s.
of the Windsor uniform, Michener discontinued the practice of women curtseying before the governor general, a move that was rumoured to have been inspired by the refusal of Maryon Pearson
, wife of Prime Minister Lester Pearson, to give such deference to her long-time friends. Further, he fostered links between his position and his provincial counterparts by initiating periodic meetings with the lieutenant governors of the provinces, starting in 1973. He was, however, criticized for not reacting to Pierre Trudeau's "contemptuous musings" about the Crown and the governor general.
Michener, as governor general, created two awards to be bestowed on Canadians: reflecting his interest in sport fishing, he formed the Michener Tuna Trophy, and, in demonstration of his strong relationship with many reporters and journalists, he founded in 1970 the Michener Award for Journalism. In return, besides being bestowed with a number of honours by both the Queen-in-Council
and private organisations, Michener became the second of only two Canadians, after former governor general Vincent Massey
, to be presented with the Royal Victorian Chain
, a personal gift of the monarch, awarded to him by Queen Elizabeth II for his service.
, while also promoting physical activity to school children and seniors alike. To provide an example to follow, at the age of 80 he climbed to the peak of Alberta's Mount Michener
, to participate in the ceremony marking the Alberta Crown
-in-Council
's naming of the mountain after Michener. In 1990, he also agreed to allow his name to be used by The Michener Institute
.
In the mid-1980s, Michener became a caretaker for his wife after she was afflicted with Alzheimer's disease
. She died in Toronto on January 12, 1987, and Michener followed on August 6, 1991. St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church
in Ottawa, directly across Sussex Drive from Rideau Hall, is the repository of the couple's ashes.
Michener's style and title as governor general was, in full, and in English
: His Excellency the Right Honourable Daniel Roland Michener, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada, and in French
: Son Excellence le très honorable Daniel Roland Michener, chancelier et compagnon principal de l'ordre du Canada, chancelier et commandant de l'ordre du mérite militaire, gouverneur général et commandant en chef du Canada.
In his post-viceregal life, Michener's style and title was, in English: The Right Honourable Daniel Roland Michener, Companion of the Order of Canada, Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Member of the Order of Ontario, and in French: le très honorable Daniel Roland Michener, compagnon de l'ordre du Canada, commandant de l'ordre du mérite militaire.
Michener's post-nominal letters
are, in order according to the Oxford University Calendar Notes on Style: PC, CC, CMM, OOnt, CD, QC, BA LLD(hc) Alb, MA BCL Oxon, LLD(hc) Queens, FRHSC(hon)
Appointments June 4, 1945 June 7, 1948: Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) August 10, 1953 June 18, 1962: Member of Parliament (MP) October 15, 1962 August 6, 1991: Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
(PC) April 17, 1967 January 14, 1974: Knight of Justice, Prior, and Chief Officer in Canada of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
(KStJ)
Medals 1937: King George VI Coronation Medal
1953: Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
April 17, 1967: Canadian Forces Decoration
(CD) 1967: Canadian Centennial Medal
1977: Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
Awards 1973: Royal Victorian Chain
April 17, 1967 January 14, 1974: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Foot Guards
April 17, 1967 January 14, 1974: Colonel of the Regiment of the Canadian Grenadier Guards
, Doctor of Laws (LLD) 1967: University of Alberta
, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
Awards: Michener Award for Journalism
: Michener Fellowships (later Michener/Deacon Fellowships): Roland Michener Trophy
Organisations: Michener Awards Foundation: The Michener Institute
Geographic locations: Mount Michener
: Michener Crescent, Saskatoon
Buildings: Roland Michener Arena, Transcona
Schools: Roland Michener Elementary, Calgary: Roland Michener Secondary School, Slave Lake
: Roland Michener Public School, Ajax
: Roland Michener Public School, Kanata
: Roland Michener Secondary School
, Timmins: Roland Michener School, Saskatoon
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, the 20th since Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
.
Michener was born and educated in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, where, after serving briefly in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, he acquired a university degree. He then attended the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
as a Rhodes scholar
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
, playing hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
there, and obtaining his two masters degrees. Subsequently, Michener returned to Canada and worked as a lawyer before entering politics, first in the provincial sphere and later in the federal; Michener was elected to the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in 1957, where-after he served as speaker of the house
Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada and is elected at the beginning of each new parliament by fellow Members of Parliament...
until 1962, and then in diplomatic postings between 1964 and 1967. He was that year appointed as governor general by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on the recommendation of Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Lester B. Pearson
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
, to replace Georges Vanier
Georges Vanier
Major-General Georges-Philéas Vanier was a Canadian soldier and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 19th since Canadian Confederation....
as viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, and he occupied the post until succeeded by Jules Léger
Jules Léger
Jules Léger was a Canadian diplomat and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 21st since Canadian Confederation....
in 1974. Michener proved to be a populist governor general whose tenure is considered to be a key turning point in the history of his office.
On October 15, 1962, Michener was sworn into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, giving him the accordant style of The Honourable
The Honourable
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
; however, as a former governor general of Canada, Michener was entitled to be styled for life with the superior form of The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
. He subsequently served on various corporate and charitable boards and sat as Chancellor of Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
before he died on August 6, 1991.
Youth and education
Michener was born in Lacombe, AlbertaLacombe, Alberta
Lacombe is a city in Alberta, Canada. It is located north of Red Deer, the nearest major city, and south of Edmonton, the nearest metropolitan area...
, to Senator Edward Michener
Edward Michener
Edward Michener was a politician from Alberta, Canada. He was born in Tintern, Ontario.Edward was acclaimed as Mayor of Red Deer, Alberta. In the 1904 Mayoral race, he held that position for 2 terms until 1906....
and Mary E. Roland. He attended the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
, where he achieved not only his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree, but also a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
that took him to Hertford College at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. There, he played for the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club
Oxford University Ice Hockey Club
Oxford University Ice Hockey Club, sometimes known as Oxford Blues, is one of the world's oldest ice hockey teams. Tradition places the origin of the club in 1885, when a match is said to have been played against Cambridge University Ice Hockey Club at St Moritz...
, and met a man who was to become influential and Michener's lifelong friend, Lester B. Pearson
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
. After completing both his Master of Arts and Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. Historically, it originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but many universities now offer the BCL as an undergraduate degree...
degrees, Michener returned to Canada, settling in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and practicing law. At the same time, he sat on the Executive Council of Ontario
Executive Council of Ontario
The Executive Council of Ontario plays an important role in theGovernment of Ontario, in accordance with the Westminster system....
, acted as the General Secretary for the Rhodes Foundation in Canada between 1936 and 1964, and sat as chairman of the Manitoba Royal Commission on Local Government.
On February 26, 1927, in St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church
Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto)
The Church of St. Mary Magdalene is an Anglo-Catholic parish of the Anglican Church of Canada located in Toronto. It is famous for its association with composer Healey Willan and was part of the composite Robertson Davies used to form "St. Aidan's" in his novel The Cunning Man...
(where future Governor General Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Clarkson
Adrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....
later worshipped), Michener married Norah Willis
Norah Michener
Norah Willis Michener was the wife of Roland Michener, the 20th Governor General of Canada. As the spouse of a Governor General, she held the title of Chatelaine of Rideau Hall....
, and the couple bore three daughters.
Political career
Michener first ran for political office in Ontario's 1943 electionOntario general election, 1943
The Ontario general election of 1943 was held on August 4, 1943, to elect the 90 Members of the 21st Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
as the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
candidate in the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of St. David
St. David (electoral district)
St. David was a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that returned Members of Provincial Parliament to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario at Queen's Park. It was created in downtown Toronto in 1926 and was merged into the riding of St. George—St. David in 1987.-MPPs for St...
, but was defeated by William Dennison of the Ontario Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. Michener made an attempt to win the district again in the election that followed
Ontario general election, 1945
The Ontario general election of 1945 was held on June 4, 1945, to elect the 90 members of the 22nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
in 1945, and was successful in defeating Dennison, taking his seat in the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
. Michener was subsequently appointed by Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
Albert Edward Matthews
Albert Edward Matthews
Albert Edward Matthews was the 16th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.Matthews was born in Lindsay, Ontario. He worked as an investment broker in Toronto and rose to the position of director. Matthews served as Ontario's 16th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1937 to 1946...
to the Executive Council
Executive Council of Ontario
The Executive Council of Ontario plays an important role in theGovernment of Ontario, in accordance with the Westminster system....
, acting on the advice of his premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
, George Drew, who gave Michener the position of Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario
Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario
The Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario was a senior position in the provincial cabinet of Ontario from before Canadian Confederation until the 1960s....
, tasked with formalising cabinet procedures, including agenda and minutes. However, after Dennison was again victorious in the 1948 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1948
The Ontario general election of 1948 was held on June 7, 1948, to elect the 90 members of the 23rd Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, Michener decided to leave provincial politics for the federal variant.
The 1949 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1949
The Canadian federal election of 1949 was held on June 27 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 21st Parliament of Canada. It was the first election in Canada in almost thirty years in which the Liberal Party of Canada was not led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. King had...
was Michener's first try for the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, but, as with his first attempt at the Ontario legislature, he was unsuccessful. It was not until the election of 1953
Canadian federal election, 1953
The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Louis St...
that Michener finally was elected as a the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
(PC) Member of Parliament for St. Paul's. Three years later, the PC party elected at its leadership convention
Progressive Conservative leadership conventions
The first Progressive Conservative Party of Canada leadership election was held in 1927, when the party was called the Conservative Party. Prior to then the party's leader was chosen by caucus....
John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
as leader, who subsequently led the Tories to a minority win in the election of 1957
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
, and was appointed as prime minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
. Though Michener was not offered a seat in the Cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
, he was appointed speaker of the house
Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada and is elected at the beginning of each new parliament by fellow Members of Parliament...
, after the post was turned down by Stanley Knowles
Stanley Knowles
Stanley Howard Knowles, PC, OC was a Canadian parliamentarian. Knowles represented the riding of Winnipeg North Centre from 1942 to 1958 on behalf of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and again from 1962 to 1984 representing the CCF's successor, the New Democratic Party .Knowles was widely...
.
From this position, Michener angered Diefenbaker by allowing the loyal opposition
Official Opposition (Canada)
In Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually the largest parliamentary opposition party in the House of Commons or a provincial legislative assembly that is not in government, either on its own or as part of a governing coalition...
a great degree of latitude during Question Period
Question Period
Question Period, known officially as Oral Questions occurs each sitting day in the Canadian House of Commons. According to the House of Commons Compendium, “The primary purpose of Question Period is to seek information from the Government and to call it to account for its actions.”-History:The...
, so much so that at one point, on May 25, 1959, Diefenbaker became so flustered that he refused to sit down when called to order by Michener. Actions like these, among others, impressed parliamentary observers, and a group of university professors initiated a campaign to make Michener's position as speaker permanent; they proposed that, as is the tradition with the Speaker of the British House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
, Michener run as an independent in general elections, and that the political parties agree not to run candidates against him. Such an agreement, however, failed to materialize, and when Michener ran for re-election in the 1962 race
Canadian federal election, 1962
The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Parliament of Canada...
, he was defeated. This was the first time since 1867 that a speaker had lost his riding in an election in which his party formed the government. After Diefenbaker declined to advise the Governor General to summon Michener to the Senate, the latter returned to Toronto and dedicated his time to his law practice, Lang Michener LLP.
It was in the 1963 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1963
The Canadian federal election of 1963 was held on April 8 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 26th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of the minority Progressive Conservative government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.-Overview:During the Tories' last year in...
that the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
was victorious, and its leader, who was thus appointed prime minister, was Michener's old friend from Oxford, Lester Pearson. Just over one year later, Pearson advised Governor General Georges Vanier
Georges Vanier
Major-General Georges-Philéas Vanier was a Canadian soldier and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 19th since Canadian Confederation....
to appoint Michener to the diplomatic post of high commissioner
High Commissioner (Commonwealth)
In the Commonwealth of Nations, a High Commissioner is the senior diplomat in charge of the diplomatic mission of one Commonwealth government to another.-History:...
to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, which Michener took up on July 9, 1964, six months before he was also made Canada's first high commissioner to Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. While stationed on those foreign duties, Michener received overtures from the Prime Minister that the would be considered among the leading candidates for the governor generalship when he returned to Canada. But Vanier was in deteriorating health, and though he offered to stay on as viceroy through to the end of the Canadian Centennial
Canadian Centennial
The Canadian Centennial was a year long celebration held in 1967 when Canada celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Celebrations occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1. 1967 coins were different from previous years' issues, with animals on each...
celebrations, Pearson was not comfortable in advising Queen Elizabeth II to allow it. The night after he conferred with his prime minister about that matter, on March 5, Vanier died at Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
, leaving Chief Justice
Chief Justice of Canada
The Chief Justice of Canada, like the eight puisne Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, is appointed by the Governor-in-Council . All nine are chosen from either sitting judges or barristers who have at least ten years' standing at the bar of a province or territory...
Robert Taschereau
Robert Taschereau
Robert Taschereau, CC, PC was a lawyer who became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and who briefly served as acting Governor General of Canada following the death of Georges Vanier in 1967.-Biography:...
as Administrator of the Government
Administrator of the Government
An Administrator in the constitutional practice of some countries in the Commonwealth is a person who fulfils a role similar to that of a Governor or a Governor-General...
in the absence of a viceroy.
Governorship general
Michener was immediately recalled from India and it was on March 29, 1967 announced from the Office of the Prime MinisterOffice of the Prime Minister (Canada)
In Canada, the Office of the Prime Minister , located in the Langevin Block, on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, is one of the most powerful parts of the government. It is made up of the prime minister and his or her top political staff, who are charged with advising the prime minister on decisions,...
that the Elizabeth II had, by commission under the royal sign-manual
Royal sign-manual
The royal sign manual is the formal name given in the Commonwealth realms to the autograph signature of the sovereign, by the affixing of which the monarch expresses his or her pleasure either by order, commission, or warrant. A sign-manual warrant may be either an executive actfor example, an...
and Great Seal of Canada
Great Seal of Canada
The Great Seal of Canada is a seal used for official purposes of state in Canada such as the certification of Acts of Parliament that have been granted Royal Assent....
, approved Pearson's choice of Michener to succeed Georges Vanier as the Queen's representative. Despite being a Conservative, Liberal members of parliament and cabinet ministers welcomed the selection of Michener; Paul Martin Sr.
Paul Joseph James Martin
Joseph James Guillaume Paul Martin, PC, CC, QC , often referred to as Paul Martin, Sr, was a noted Canadian politician. He was the father of Paul Martin , who served as Prime Minister of Canada from 2003 - 2006.-Early life:Martin was born in Ottawa, Ontario, the son of Lumina and Joseph...
said "I don’t think there was anybody inside or outside the public service who could qualify better than Michener... People just felt that this was a good appointment." Michener was subsequently sworn-in during a ceremony in the Senate chamber on April 17, that year, leaving one of the shortest periods where an individual has been governor general-designate.
The hurry did not end there, as, only ten days after Michener was made viceroy, he officially opened
Expo 67 (opening week)
Expo 67 was held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The opening week began at the end of April 1967. The official opening ceremonies for the 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67 occurred on Thursday, April 27 at the Place des Nations pavilion...
that year's World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
, Expo 67
Expo 67
The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
, which was held in Montreal. The fair, combined with the 100th anniversary of Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
, attracted some 53 heads of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
, as well as numerous other dignitaries, to visit Canada, and, as per diplomatic protocol, it was Michener, as the representative of Canada's head of state, who greeted and held audience with each of them. Among this litany of guests was United States president
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
, Grace, Princess of Monaco
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
, Jacqueline Kennedy
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Five years later she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle...
, Emperor Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia
Haile Selassie I , born Tafari Makonnen, was Ethiopia's regent from 1916 to 1930 and Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974...
, and French president Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
. Michener welcomed the latter when he landed at his first stop in Canada, Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, where the president addressed the gathered crowd, and they cheered wildly for him in return, but booed and jeered Michener.
Beginning in 1963, the Front de libération du Québec
Front de libération du Québec
The Front de libération du Québec was a left-wing Quebecois nationalist and Marxist-Leninist paramilitary group in Quebec, Canada. It was active between 1963 and 1970, and was regarded as a terrorist organization for its violent methods of action...
(FLQ) became active in detonating some 95 bombs around Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, resulting in multiple arrests, which then led to the October Crisis
October Crisis
The October Crisis was a series of events triggered by two kidnappings of government officials by members of the Front de libération du Québec during October 1970 in the province of Quebec, mainly in the Montreal metropolitan area.The circumstances ultimately culminated in the only peacetime use...
in October, 1970. On the 5th of that month, FLQ members kidnapped British trade commissioner James Cross
James Cross
James Richard Cross, CMG was a British diplomat in Canada who was kidnapped by the Front de libération du Québec terrorist group during the October Crisis of October 1970....
and, five days later, did the same to Quebec's minister of labour, Pierre Laporte
Pierre Laporte
Pierre Laporte was a Canadian lawyer, journalist and politician who was the Deputy Premier and Minister of Labour of the province of Quebec before being kidnapped and killed by members of the group Front de libération du Québec during the October Crisis. Mr...
. However, in 2010, it was revealed through interviews conducted with 12 of those involved in the kidnappings, including Jacques Lanctôt
Jacques Lanctôt
Jacques Lanctôt is a Canadian writer and publisher, restaurateur, and former militant separatist.Lanctôt is a former member of the FLQ, a violent separatist group.He was one of the FLQ members who kidnapped James Cross, a British diplomat in October 1970....
and Jacques Rose, done for a documentary aired on Tout le monde en parle
Tout le monde en parle (Quebec)
Tout le monde en parle is a Quebec talk show hosted and co-produced by Guy A. Lepage, broadcast on Radio-Canada since 2004. It has been adapted from the French show of the same name, created and hosted by Thierry Ardisson.- Concept :...
, that Michener had originally been their intended target; the FLQ leaders allegedly planned to commandeer the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
's Télévision de Radio-Canada
Télévision de Radio-Canada
Télévision de Radio-Canada is a Canadian French language television network. It is owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, known in French as Société Radio-Canada. Headquarters are at Maison Radio-Canada in Montreal, which is also home to the network's flagship station, CBFT-DT...
and conduct a 24 hour telethon with the Governor General bound in a chair as a prop on the stage. Ultimately, with the two officials missing, Michener, as Governor-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
, invoked the War Measures Act
War Measures Act
The War Measures Act was a Canadian statute that allowed the government to assume sweeping emergency powers in the event of "war, invasion or insurrection, real or apprehended"...
, and Quebec police
Sûreté du Québec
Sûreté du Québec or SQ is the provincial police force for the Canadian province of Québec...
, with the support of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, rounded up hundreds of individuals, leading to the detention of the kidnappers and their accomplices.
On July 1, 1967, the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
was created, with Michener becoming the order's first member, as well as the first chancellor and principal companion. As such, he presided over the first investiture ceremony, at Rideau Hall on July 9, investing 90 people into the order, and, on a later visit to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, he presented the sovereign of the order's insignia to Queen Elizabeth II. Similarly, on July 1, 1972, the Order of Military Merit
Order of Military Merit (Canada)
The Order of Military Merit is a military honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada...
was founded, and Michener was appointed the first chancellor and commander.
Another first was Michener's state visit
State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
in 1971 to Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
; while King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and Queen Elizabeth II had both carried out state visits on behalf of Canada, no Canadian governor general had ever previously undertaken such a trip. Then, in October of the same year, the Governor General was off to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
to attend the Iranian monarchy's 2,500 year anniversary. These voyages initially caused controversy among diplomatic insiders in Ottawa, who viewed it as inappropriate for someone who was not technically the country's head of state to undertake a state visit. However, the successes of the trip helped end the controversy, and established a precedent thereafter followed in Canada, and adopted by other Commonwealth realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s.
Legacy
Though he wore for state occasions the elaborate court dressCourt uniform and dress
- Court dress :On formal royal occasions in monarchies the dress worn by those present is prescribed by official regulations.Court dress is worn by all men not entitled to court uniform or military uniform on all occasions of state where such are customarily worn...
of the Windsor uniform, Michener discontinued the practice of women curtseying before the governor general, a move that was rumoured to have been inspired by the refusal of Maryon Pearson
Maryon Pearson
Maryon Elspeth Pearson, née Moody was the wife of Lester Bowles Pearson, the 14th Prime Minister of Canada.Maryon and Lester Pearson married on August 22, 1925. They met at the University of Toronto, where he was a teacher and she was a student.Maryon Pearson was also known for her sharp tongued wit...
, wife of Prime Minister Lester Pearson, to give such deference to her long-time friends. Further, he fostered links between his position and his provincial counterparts by initiating periodic meetings with the lieutenant governors of the provinces, starting in 1973. He was, however, criticized for not reacting to Pierre Trudeau's "contemptuous musings" about the Crown and the governor general.
Michener, as governor general, created two awards to be bestowed on Canadians: reflecting his interest in sport fishing, he formed the Michener Tuna Trophy, and, in demonstration of his strong relationship with many reporters and journalists, he founded in 1970 the Michener Award for Journalism. In return, besides being bestowed with a number of honours by both the Queen-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
and private organisations, Michener became the second of only two Canadians, after former governor general Vincent Massey
Vincent Massey
Charles Vincent Massey was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Canadian Confederation....
, to be presented with the Royal Victorian Chain
Royal Victorian Chain
The Royal Victorian Chain is an award, instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the Monarch...
, a personal gift of the monarch, awarded to him by Queen Elizabeth II for his service.
Retirement and death
After his term as governor general, Michener and his wife moved to Toronto. Michener remained active in business throughout the country, serving on boards of directors and promoting Canadian charities and cultural institutions, and, from 1973 to 1980, sat as Chancellor of Queen's UniversityQueen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
, while also promoting physical activity to school children and seniors alike. To provide an example to follow, at the age of 80 he climbed to the peak of Alberta's Mount Michener
Mount Michener
Mount Michener, with a peak, is a mountain on the eastern border of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada. It forms the northerly part of the Ram Range....
, to participate in the ceremony marking the Alberta Crown
Monarchy in Alberta
By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, Canada's monarchy operates in Alberta as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. As such, the Crown within Alberta's jurisdiction is referred to as the Crown in Right of Alberta, Her Majesty in Right of Alberta, or The...
-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
's naming of the mountain after Michener. In 1990, he also agreed to allow his name to be used by The Michener Institute
The Michener Institute
The Michener Institute, more formally The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, is a post-secondary institution in Toronto, Ontario, that educates applied health science professionals.-History:...
.
In the mid-1980s, Michener became a caretaker for his wife after she was afflicted with Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. She died in Toronto on January 12, 1987, and Michener followed on August 6, 1991. St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church
St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church (Ottawa)
St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church is an Anglican Church in Ottawa, Canada. The parish was founded in 1866 and the building completed in 1868. Its architect is uncertain but believed to have been Thomas Seaton Scott who designed a number of other prominent Ottawa structures...
in Ottawa, directly across Sussex Drive from Rideau Hall, is the repository of the couple's ashes.
Titles
- April 19, 1900 October 15, 1962: Mister Roland Michener
- October 15, 1962 July 9, 1964: The Honourable Roland Michener
- July 9, 1964 December 23, 1964: His Excellency the Honourable Roland Michener, High Commissioner to India for Her Majesty's Government in Canada
- December 23, 1964 April 9, 1967: His Excellency the Honourable Roland Michener, High Commissioner to India and Nepal for Her Majesty's Government in Canada
- April 9, 1967 April 13, 1967: His Excellency the Honourable Roland Michener, High Commissioner to Nepal for Her Majesty's Government in Canada
- April 13, 1967 April 17, 1967: The Honourable Roland Michener
- April 17, 1967 January 14, 1974: His Excellency the Right Honourable Roland Michener, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada
- January 14, 1974 August 6, 1991: The Right Honourable Roland Michener
Michener's style and title as governor general was, in full, and in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: His Excellency the Right Honourable Daniel Roland Michener, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada, and in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Son Excellence le très honorable Daniel Roland Michener, chancelier et compagnon principal de l'ordre du Canada, chancelier et commandant de l'ordre du mérite militaire, gouverneur général et commandant en chef du Canada.
In his post-viceregal life, Michener's style and title was, in English: The Right Honourable Daniel Roland Michener, Companion of the Order of Canada, Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Member of the Order of Ontario, and in French: le très honorable Daniel Roland Michener, compagnon de l'ordre du Canada, commandant de l'ordre du mérite militaire.
Michener's post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
are, in order according to the Oxford University Calendar Notes on Style: PC, CC, CMM, OOnt, CD, QC, BA LLD(hc) Alb, MA BCL Oxon, LLD(hc) Queens, FRHSC(hon)
Honours
| Ribbon bars of Roland Michener | ||||
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Appointments June 4, 1945 June 7, 1948: Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) August 10, 1953 June 18, 1962: Member of Parliament (MP) October 15, 1962 August 6, 1991: Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(PC) April 17, 1967 January 14, 1974: Knight of Justice, Prior, and Chief Officer in Canada of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
(KStJ)
-
- January 14, 1974 August 6, 1991: Knight of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (KStJ) April 17, 1967 January 14, 1974: Chief Scout of Canada 1967 August 6, 1991: Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada ClubRoyal Military College of CanadaThe Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
July 1, 1967 January 14, 1974: Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(CC) - January 14, 1974 August 6, 1991: Companion of the Order of Canada July 1, 1972 January 14, 1974: Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military MeritOrder of Military Merit (Canada)The Order of Military Merit is a military honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest order administered by the Governor General-in-Council, on behalf of the Queen of Canada...
(CMM) - January 14, 1974 August 6, 1991: Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM) 1975 August 6, 1991: Honorary Fellow of the Royal Heraldry Society of CanadaRoyal Heraldry Society of CanadaThe Royal Heraldry Society of Canada is a Canadian organization that promotes the art of Canadian Heraldry. Founded as the Heraldry Society of Canada, the mission of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada and its branches is to promote the art of heraldry, particularly Canadian heraldry, and to...
(FRHSC) 1990 1991: Member of the Order of OntarioOrder of OntarioThe Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
(OOnt)
- January 14, 1974 August 6, 1991: Knight of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (KStJ) April 17, 1967 January 14, 1974: Chief Scout of Canada 1967 August 6, 1991: Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club
Medals 1937: King George VI Coronation Medal
King George VI Coronation Medal
The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of King George VI.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to each of...
1953: Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to...
April 17, 1967: Canadian Forces Decoration
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
(CD) 1967: Canadian Centennial Medal
Canadian Centennial Medal
The Canadian Centennial Medal is a commemorative medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and was awarded to Canadians who were recommended by governments and professional, educational and cultural associations, as well as...
1977: Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II...
Awards 1973: Royal Victorian Chain
Royal Victorian Chain
The Royal Victorian Chain is an award, instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the Monarch...
Honorary military appointments
April 17, 1967 January 14, 1974: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Horse GuardsThe Governor General's Horse Guards
The Governor General's Horse Guards is an armoured reconnaissance regiment in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. Based in Toronto, it is the most senior reserve regiment in Canada, and the only Household Cavalry regiment of...
April 17, 1967 January 14, 1974: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Foot Guards
Governor General's Foot Guards
The Governor General's Foot Guards is one of three Household regiments in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, along with The Governor General's Horse Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards. The GGFG is the most senior militia infantry regiment in Canada."Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra" is...
April 17, 1967 January 14, 1974: Colonel of the Regiment of the Canadian Grenadier Guards
The Canadian Grenadier Guards
The Canadian Grenadier Guards is the second most senior and oldest infantry regiment in the Reserve Force of the Canadian Forces. Located in Montreal, its primary role is the provision of combat-ready troops in support of Canadian regular infantry...
Honorary degrees
1958: Queen's UniversityQueen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
, Doctor of Laws (LLD) 1967: University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
Honorific eponyms
Michener Award
The Michener Award is one of the highest distinctions in Canadian journalism. The award was founded in 1970 by Roland Michener, who was Governor General of Canada at the time, and his wife Norah...
: Michener Fellowships (later Michener/Deacon Fellowships): Roland Michener Trophy
Organisations: Michener Awards Foundation: The Michener Institute
The Michener Institute
The Michener Institute, more formally The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, is a post-secondary institution in Toronto, Ontario, that educates applied health science professionals.-History:...
Geographic locations: Mount Michener
Mount Michener
Mount Michener, with a peak, is a mountain on the eastern border of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada. It forms the northerly part of the Ram Range....
: Michener Crescent, Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
Buildings: Roland Michener Arena, Transcona
Schools: Roland Michener Elementary, Calgary: Roland Michener Secondary School, Slave Lake
Slave Lake, Alberta
Slave Lake is a town in northern Alberta, Canada, in the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124. It is located on the southeast shore of Lesser Slave Lake at the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 88....
: Roland Michener Public School, Ajax
Ajax, Ontario
Ajax is a town in the Durham Region in the Greater Toronto Area.The town is named for the HMS Ajax a Royal Navy cruiser that served in World War II. Ajax is a part of the Greater Toronto Area and the...
: Roland Michener Public School, Kanata
Kanata, Ontario
Situated in the Ottawa Valley, Kanata is located about west-southwest of Downtown Ottawa along Highway 417 at a latitude of 45°18' North and a longitude of 75°55' West, with an area of . Its northern end is just to the west of the Ottawa River....
: Roland Michener Secondary School
Roland Michener Secondary School
Roland Michener Secondary School is an English and French Immersion public high school in South Porcupine, Ontario. It is a small school with an average enrollment of 350-500, and is part of the District School Board Ontario North East...
, Timmins: Roland Michener School, Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....