Adrienne Louise Clarkson (; ; born February 10, 1939) is a
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
-born Canadian journalist who served from 1999 to 2005 as
Governor General of Canada
The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, t ...
, the
26th since
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation (french: Confédération canadienne, link=no) was the process by which three British North American provinces, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into one federation called the Canada, Dom ...
.
Clarkson arrived in Canada with her family in 1941, as a
refugee
A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution. from
Japanese-occupied Hong Kong, and was raised in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
. After receiving a number of university degrees, Clarkson worked as a producer and broadcaster for the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...
(CBC) and a journalist for various magazines. Her first diplomatic posting came in the early 1980s, when she promoted
Ontarian culture in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and other
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an countries. In 1999, she was appointed
Governor General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
by Queen
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
, on the recommendation of
Prime Minister of Canada
The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority the elected Hou ...
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (; born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003.
Born and raised in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Chrétien is a law graduate from Uni ...
, to replace
Roméo LeBlanc
Roméo-Adrien LeBlanc (December 18, 1927June 24, 2009) was a Canadian journalist, politician and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 25th since Canadian Confederation.
LeBlanc was born and educated in New Brunswick, and also ...
as
viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
, a post which she occupied until 2005, when she was succeeded by
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean (; born September 6, 1957) is a Canadian stateswoman and former journalist who served from 2005 to 2010 as governor general of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation. She is the first Haitian Canadian and black person ...
. While Clarkson's appointment as the Canadian vicereine was generally welcomed at first, she caused some controversy during her time serving as the Queen's representative, mostly due to costs incurred in the operation of her office, as well as a somewhat anti-monarchist attitude toward the position.
On October 3, 2005, Clarkson was sworn into the
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The 's Privy Council for Canada (french: Conseil privé du Roi pour le Canada),) during the reign of a queen. sometimes called Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council (PC), is the full group of personal consultants to the ...
. She subsequently published her memoirs, founded the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, and became Colonel-in-Chief of
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...
.
Early life and education
Clarkson is a
Chinese Canadian
, native_name =
, native_name_lang =
, image = Chinese Canadian population by province.svg
, image_caption = Chinese Canadians as percent of population by province / territory
, pop = 1,715,7704.63% of the ...
whose
ancestry
An ancestor, also known as a forefather, fore-elder or a forebear, is a parent or (recursively) the parent of an antecedent (i.e., a grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent and so forth). ''Ancestor'' is "any person from whom ...
lies from the
Taishanese
Taishanese (), alternatively romanized in Cantonese as Toishanese or Toisanese, in local dialect as Hoisanese or Hoisan-wa, is a dialect of Yue Chinese native to Taishan, Guangdong. Although it is related to Cantonese, Taishanese has little ...
(paternal line) and
Hakka
The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhej ...
(maternal line) peoples in
Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. Her paternal grandfather () immigrated in the late 19th century to
Chiltern,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. There, he operated a general store called ''Willie Ah Poy Fruitier and Confectioner'', ''Ah Poy'' being his name in the
vocative
In grammar, the vocative Grammatical case, case (list of glossing abbreviations, abbreviated ) is a grammatical case which is used for a noun that identifies a person (animal, object, etc.) being addressed, or occasionally for the noun modifiers ...
, based on the
Taishanese
Taishanese (), alternatively romanized in Cantonese as Toishanese or Toisanese, in local dialect as Hoisanese or Hoisan-wa, is a dialect of Yue Chinese native to Taishan, Guangdong. Although it is related to Cantonese, Taishanese has little ...
pronunciation, and what Australian immigration officials heard Poy enunciate in response to their request for his name. Poy's first son,
William
William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
, was born in
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
but was later sent back to Taishan, from where he made his way to
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
. There, he worked with his father for the
Canadian government
The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown-in-C ...
and met and married Ethel Poy, with whom he had two children:
Neville, born October 29, 1934, and Adrienne, born February 10, 1939. The elder went on to become a plastic surgeon in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
and married
Vivienne Lee, who herself became a
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
.
Clarkson describes one of her earliest memories as that of hiding in several Hong Kong basements during the
Japanese invasion of the territory in 1941. It was only through his Canadian government connections that her father gained his family the opportunity in 1942 to flee the occupation to
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, as part of the repatriating of Canadian government staff from the fallen city. Even so, the
Chinese Immigration Act, 1923
The Chinese Immigration Act, 1923, known today as the Chinese Exclusion Act (the duration of which has been dubbed the Exclusion Era), was an act passed by the government of Liberal Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, banning most forms o ...
, prevented the Poys' immediate entry into the country until the
Department of External Affairs In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...
intervened and cited an unfilled quota in the prisoner of war exchange programme with the
Japanese Imperial Forces
The Imperial Japanese Armed Forces (IJAF) were the combined military forces of the Japanese Empire. Formed during the Meiji Restoration in 1868,"One can date the 'restoration' of imperial rule from the edict of 3 January 1868." p. 334. they ...
that would permit the Poy family free passage into Canada. The family settled in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, though William had lost almost all of his substantial fortune, and the Poys lived in a cramped duplex.
Clarkson attended public school in the city and, in October 1951, was lined up with her class to see
Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during h ...
(later Queen Elizabeth II), as the royal motorcade passed through the city.
![St Hilda, UofT](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/St_Hilda%2C_UofT.jpg)
Clarkson graduated from
Lisgar Collegiate Institute
Lisgar Collegiate Institute is an Ottawa-Carleton District School Board secondary school in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The school is located in downtown Ottawa by the Rideau Canal.
History
In 1843, a grammar school with 40 paying students was ...
in 1956, afterwards enrolling at the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
's
Trinity College Trinity College may refer to:
Australia
* Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales
* Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...
. During her time there, Clarkson won a Governor General's Medal in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
before graduating in 1960 with a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
degree with honours in the subject, and then travelling with her parents to
East
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...
and
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
. Clarkson went on to obtain her master's degree in English literature, also at the University of Toronto. She began post-graduate work in 1962, at the
Sorbonne
Sorbonne may refer to:
* Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities.
*the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970)
*one of its components or linked institution, ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, with a thesis on the poems of
George Meredith
George Meredith (12 February 1828 – 18 May 1909) was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. At first his focus was poetry, influenced by John Keats among others, but he gradually established a reputation as a novelist. ''The Ord ...
.
Journalism
After being introduced by a college friend in 1965 to the producers of ''
Take 30
''Take 30'' (also expressed as ''Take Thirty'') was a Canadian television newsmagazine series, which aired on CBC Television from 1962 to 1984 for 2,500 episodes. An afternoon series originally designed as a "women's show", the series gradually ev ...
''—an afternoon variety show run by the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...
(CBC)—Clarkson was hired by the
Crown corporation
A state-owned enterprise (SOE) is a government entity which is established or nationalised by the ''national government'' or ''provincial government'' by an executive order or an act of legislation in order to earn profit for the governmen ...
as a freelance book reviewer. This marked the start of her nearly 30-year career with the CBC, as, after less than a year in her initial position, Clarkson was promoted to co-host, thus becoming one of the first members of a
visible minority
A visible minority () is defined by the Government of Canada as "persons, other than aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour". The term is used primarily as a demographic category by Statistics Canada, in connect ...
to obtain a prominent position on Canadian television. She remained with ''Take 30'' for a decade, while also branching into print journalism by becoming a regular contributor to such publications as ''
Maclean's
''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian perspe ...
'' and ''
Chatelaine
Chatelaine may refer to:
* Chatelaine (chain), a set of short chains on a belt worn by women and men for carrying keys, thimble and/or sewing kit, etc.
*Chatelaine (horse), a racehorse
* ''Chatelaine'' (magazine), an English-language Canadian wom ...
''. Similarly, Clarkson wrote and published her own romantic fiction novels: ''A Lover More Condoling'' in 1968, and ''Hunger Trace'' in 1970.
Beyond these, her non-fiction book ''True to You in My Fashion: A Woman Talks to Men About Marriage''—a collection of interviews with men on the subject of divorce—was published in 1971, during which time her first marriage had hit a hard patch.
In 1974, Clarkson began her own public affairs television show ''Adrienne at Large'', though this was not particularly successful and lasted less than four months. The series did, however, allow her to travel extensively outside of Canada, as she recorded segments for the show in locations such as
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
(where she interviewed
Nadine Gordimer
Nadine Gordimer (20 November 192313 July 2014) was a South African writer and political activist. She received the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Prize in Literature in 1991, recognized as a writer "who through her magnificent epic writin ...
and
Helen Suzman
Helen Suzman, OMSG, DBE (née Gavronsky; 7 November 1917 – 1 January 2009) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician. She represented a series of liberal and centre-left opposition parties during her 36-year tenure in th ...
), and her native
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
. With the cancellation of the show, the CBC created in 1975 the hard journalism programme ''
The Fifth Estate'' as a means for meeting
Canadian content
Canadian content (abbreviated CanCon, cancon or can-con; ) refers to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requirements, derived from the Broadcasting Act of Canada, that radio and television broadcasters (inclu ...
requirements. Clarkson was brought on to co-host with
Warner Troyer
Warner Troyer (6 January 1932 – 15 September 1991) was a Canadian broadcast journalist and writer.
Troyer was born in Cochrane, Ontario, the son of Gordon Troyer, a Presbyterian circuit minister. He lost his leg at a young age, and later worke ...
for the first season, but, due to persistent problems between the two, Troyer left the series, leaving Clarkson to host with Peter Reilly and Eric Malling thereafter. She focused on
investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years rese ...
and gained prominence after an in-depth study of the
McCain family
McCain may refer to:
* McCain (surname), a surname (includes a list of persons and characters)
Companies
* McCain Foods Limited, a producer of frozen foods
* McCain, Inc., privately held American manufacturing company headquartered in Vista, C ...
's business practices led a Senator to publicly accuse her of being un-naturalised.
After winning several
ACTRA Award
The ACTRA Awards were first presented in 1972 to celebrate excellence in Canada's television and radio industries. s, Clarkson ended her job with ''The Fifth Estate'' in 1983 and was subsequently appointed by the
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The lieutenant governor of Ontario (, in French: ''Lieutenant-gouverneur'' (if male) or ''Lieutenante-gouverneure'' (if female) ''de l'Ontario'') is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the , who operates distinctly within the province bu ...
,
John Black Aird
John Black Aird (May 5, 1923 – May 6, 1995) was a Canadian lawyer, corporate director and political figure. He served in the Senate of Canada from 1964 to 1974, and he was Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1980 to 1985.
Life and career ...
, on the
advice
Advice (noun) or advise (verb) may refer to:
* Advice (opinion), an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action, conduct
* Advice (constitutional law) a frequently binding instruction issued to a constitutional office-holder
* Advice (p ...
of his
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier.
A premier will normally be a head of governm ...
,
William Davis, as the Agent General for
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, acting in this role as a cultural liaison between the province and the country, as well as promoting Ontario in several other
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an states. After five years at this post, she returned to private business, becoming president and publisher of
McClelland and Stewart
McClelland & Stewart Limited is a Canadian publishing company. It is owned by Random House of Canada, Penguin Random House of Canada, a branch of Penguin Random House, the international book publishing division of German media giant Bertelsmann.
...
, at a time when the publisher was in financial difficulty. Clarkson was not only unsuccessful at improving the company's fiscal problems, she was also highly unpopular with employees, and resigned herself after 18 months that saw several protest resignations; the
imprint
Imprint or imprinting may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Imprint'' (TV series), Canadian television series
* "Imprint" (''Masters of Horror''), episode of TV show ''Masters of Horror''
* ''Imprint'' (film), a 2007 independent drama/thriller film
...
''Adrienne Clarkson Books'' does, however, remain with McClelland and Stewart.
Clarkson opted to return to television, hosting through mid-1988 ''Adrienne Clarkson Summer Festival'', which became popular enough to be picked up and repackaged as ''
Adrienne Clarkson Presents
''Adrienne Clarkson Presents'' is a Canadian cultural entertainment series broadcast on CBC Television beginning in 1988. The series ended in 1999, the year host Adrienne Clarkson was appointed Governor General of Canada.
Episodes featured artist ...
'', an arts show that was critically acclaimed, but which never received high ratings. After four years of hosting the show, Clarkson was appointed as an Officer of the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
for her long media career, which included hosting more than 3,500 television programmes, as well as assisting charitable organisations, such as the
Kidney Foundation of Canada, Horizons of Canada, and
International PEN
PEN International (known as International PEN until 2010) is a worldwide association of writers, founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. The association has autonomous Internationa ...
.
Further, as host and
executive producer
Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
of ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents'', she received numerous
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards were awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television between 1986–2011 to recognize the achievements of Canada's television industry. The Gemini Awards are analogous to the Emmy Awards given in the United States ...
nominations—winning in 1993 for best host in a light information, variety, or performing arts programme or series—and was the 1995 recipient of the
Donald Brittain
Donald Code Brittain, (June 10, 1928 – July 21, 1989) was a film director and producer with the National Film Board of Canada.
Career
''Fields of Sacrifice'' (1964) is considered Brittain's first major film as director.
His other notable ...
Award, a special honour given every year for the best social/political documentary programme. In the same year, she also won a
Gémeaux Award (the French language equivalent of a Gemini) for ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents''. Her precise diction and sometimes haughty demeanour did sometimes become the occasional subject of satire, however; most famously in the CBC Radio series ''
Double Exposure
In photography and cinematography, a multiple exposure is the superimposition of two or more exposures to create a single image, and double exposure has a corresponding meaning in respect of two images. The exposure values may or may not be ide ...
'', where co-creator Linda Cullen mimicked Clarkson with the line: "I'm Adrienne Clarkson, and you're not" (derived from
Chevy Chase
Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase (; born October 8, 1943) is an American comedian, actor and writer. He became a key cast member in the first season of ''Saturday Night Live'', where his recurring ''Weekend Update'' segment became a staple of the ...
's early ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
'' refrain).
Throughout the 1990s—during which time she also wrote and produced films, such as ''The Lust In His Eye: Visions of James Wilson Morrice'' and ''Borduas and Me and Artemisia''
—there was much speculation that Clarkson would soon be given a high level appointment by the
Queen-in-Council
The King-in-Council or the Queen-in-Council, depending on the gender of the reigning monarch, is a constitutional term in a number of states. In a general sense, it would mean the monarch exercising executive authority, usually in the form of ap ...
. This was finally realized in 1995 when
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (; born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003.
Born and raised in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Chrétien is a law graduate from Uni ...
and then
Minister of Canadian Heritage
The minister of Canadian heritage (french: ministre du patrimoine canadien) is the minister of the Crown who heads Canadian Heritage, the department of the Government of Canada responsible for culture, media, sports, and the arts.
History
The po ...
Michel Dupuy
Michel Dupuy, (born January 11, 1930) is a Canadian diplomat, journalist, academic and politician. Born in Paris, France, his father was Pierre Dupuy who was also a Canadian diplomat.
Dupuy was a long time diplomat in the Department of Exte ...
advised Governor General
Roméo LeBlanc
Roméo-Adrien LeBlanc (December 18, 1927June 24, 2009) was a Canadian journalist, politician and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 25th since Canadian Confederation.
LeBlanc was born and educated in New Brunswick, and also ...
to appoint Clarkson as chair of the board of the
Canadian Museum of Civilization
The Canadian Museum of History (french: Musée canadien de l’histoire) is a national museum on anthropology, Canadian history, cultural studies, and ethnology in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. The purpose of the museum is to promote the heritage of C ...
, and later, to the
Canadian War Museum
The Canadian War Museum (french: link=no, Musée canadien de la guerre; CWM) is a national museum on the country's military history in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The museum serves as both an educational facility on Canadian military history, in a ...
as well, all while she continued to host her show. It was during this time that the War Museum announced the decision to build the structure which now houses its collection, and which Clarkson opened as Governor General in May 2005.
Governor General of Canada
Clarkson was the first visible minority and
refugee
A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution. to be appointed
governor general
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
, and the second woman (after
Jeanne Sauvé
Jeanne Mathilde Sauvé (; April 26, 1922 – January 26, 1993) was a Canadian politician and journalist who served as Governor General of Canada, the 23rd since Canadian Confederation.
Sauvé was born in Prud'homme, Saskatchewan, and educate ...
), the first
Chinese Canadian
, native_name =
, native_name_lang =
, image = Chinese Canadian population by province.svg
, image_caption = Chinese Canadians as percent of population by province / territory
, pop = 1,715,7704.63% of the ...
, and the first without a military or political background. She was also the second person to have been appointed to the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
prior to nomination as governor general-designate, after
Jules Léger
Joseph Jules Léger (April 4, 1913November 22, 1980) was a Canadian diplomat and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 21st since Canadian Confederation.
Léger was born and educated in Quebec and France prior to starting a ca ...
. Clarkson brought with her a new approach to the governor generalcy, and dedicated much of her self-imposed mandate to drawing national attention to
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North or the Territories, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three Provinces_and_territories_of_Canada#Territories, territor ...
.
As governor general-designate
It was on September 8, 1999, announced from the
Office of the Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO; french: Cabinet du Premier minister; french: CPM, label=none) is the political arm of the staff housed in the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council building that supports the role of the Prime Minister o ...
that
Queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
had approved
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien (; born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003.
Born and raised in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Chrétien is a law graduate from Uni ...
's choice of Clarkson to succeed
Roméo LeBlanc
Roméo-Adrien LeBlanc (December 18, 1927June 24, 2009) was a Canadian journalist, politician and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 25th since Canadian Confederation.
LeBlanc was born and educated in New Brunswick, and also ...
as the Queen's representative.
The commission appointing Clarkson was issued on September 28 under the
royal sign-manual
The royal sign-manual is the 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 act (for example, an appointmen ...
and
Great Seal of Canada
The Great Seal of Canada (french: Grand Sceau du Canada) is a governmental seal used for purposes of state in Canada, being set on letters patent, proclamations and commissions, both to representatives of the monarch and for the appointment of ...
. At the time of the announcement of her appointment, it was revealed that, with Clarkson being accompanied to
Rideau Hall
Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and their representative, the governor general of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main b ...
by her longtime partner,
John Ralston Saul
John Ralston Saul (born June 19, 1947) is a Canadian writer, political philosopher, and public intellectual. Saul is most widely known for his writings on the nature of individualism, citizenship and the public good; the failures of manager-l ...
, the official appointment would be bringing an unofficial pair to the viceregal post,
in that the governor general would not be the only person actively exploring Canadian theory and culture.
In office
Bond with the military
On October 8, 1999, Clarkson was sworn in as the 26th Governor General of Canada, and was soon actively participating in her role, becoming immediately instrumental in the final stages of the repatriation of
Canada's unknown soldier from
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. Her eulogy read at
the tomb's dedication ceremony on May 28, 2000, was described by the
Royal Canadian Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization (veterans' organization) founded in 1925. Membership includes people who have served as military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, Royal ...
as "powerful", and led journalist
John Fraser John Fraser may refer to:
Politics
*John Simon Frederick Fraser (1765–1803), commanded the Fraser Fencibles in Ireland and was (M.P.) for Inverness-shire
*John James Fraser (1829–1896), 5th Premier of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, 18 ...
to state: "You have to go back pretty far to find anyone who stirred national emotions the way Clarkson did with her magnificent speech..."
In the same vein, after a decade of inaction on the part of the
Cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filing ...
, Clarkson moved to have
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...
honoured with the Commander-in-Chief's Unit Commendation, on behalf of the Queen,
beginning a long relationship between Clarkson and the regiment.
Following the
terrorist attacks United States on September 11, 2001, Clarkson praised
Operation Yellow Ribbon
Operation Yellow Ribbon (french: Opération ruban jaune) was commenced by Canada to handle the diversion of civilian airline flights in response to the September 11 attacks in 2001 on the United States. Canada's goal was to ensure that potential ...
, saying "communities across the country selflessly opened their homes and hearts to stranded air travellers", and, on September 14, 2001, presided over a memorial service on
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill (french: Colline du Parlement, colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Its Gothic revival suite of buildings, and their architectu ...
for the victims of the attacks, which was attended by over 100,000 people—the largest single
vigil
A vigil, from the Latin ''vigilia'' meaning ''wakefulness'' (Greek: ''pannychis'', or ''agrypnia'' ), is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance. The Italian word ''vigilia'' has become genera ...
ever seen in Canada's capital. On her cabinet's advice, Clarkson subsequently dispatched
Canadian soldiers
}
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.
...
to assist in the
invasion of Afghanistan
In late 2001, the United States and its close allies invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban government. The invasion's aims were to dismantle al-Qaeda, which had executed the September 11 attacks, and to deny it a safe base of operations ...
, and, in her role of representing the Queen as
commander-in-chief of the Canadian Forces
The commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces (french: Commandant en chef des Forces armées canadiennes) exercises supreme command and control over Canada's military, the Canadian Armed Forces. Constitutionally, the command-in-chief is ves ...
, visited in 2002 the Canadian troops serving in the Afghan
theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...
. This trip, plus similar ones she undertook during her tenure—such as those to
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
to meet with Canadian troops, to the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
to spend
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
with members of the Armed Forces on a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
destroyer, and again to Afghanistan to spend New Year's with Canadian soldiers—won her acclaim for being the first governor general since at least 1945 to take seriously the duties associated with the commander-in-chief title, which was credited for helping to boost pride in the Canadian Forces.
More robust viceregal office
Clarkson took a proactive role in increasing the stature of the Canadian viceregal office, travelling widely, hosting lavish state events, and hosting conferences and forums. However, criticism soon ensued over the way her office was spending Crown funds, as, during her tenure, expenditures at Rideau Hall increased 200%; the budget for 2003 was estimated at
CAD
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve co ...
$41 million. Part of this increase was due to accounting reasons; some costs that had previously been worked into the budgets of ministries were transferred to the governor general's office. But, the event that the media mostly focused on was Clarkson's 2003, 19-day circumpolar "northern identity" tour, which included
state visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a head of state to a foreign country, at the invitation of the head of state of that foreign country, with the latter also acting as the official host for the duration of the state visit. Speaking for the host ...
s to
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
,
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, and
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
, and the attendance of 50 other Canadians prominent in the fields of arts, culture, and science. In an atmosphere tainted by several spending scandals in the government, the trip's estimated CAD$1 million cost was attacked as a waste of money.
All together, this resulted in some politicians calling for the role of the governor general to be reduced or even for the position to be eliminated, and a poll taken late in 2003 found a majority of respondents thought Clarkson was "too grand" for the office. In an unprecedented move for a vicereine, Clarkson, and not her ministers, personally addressed the controversy, explaining that she had been asked to undertake the state visits by her prime minister.
Still, though the Office of the Governor General defended the tour as successful, particularly with regard to the warm reception Clarkson received in Russia and during her meeting with
Russian president
The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federal ...
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
, and it was the
Department of Foreign Affairs that commissioned and paid for the trip with funds approved by
parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
. When the end cost for the trips came in at CAD$5 million, a scheduled continuation of the tour that would have included visits to
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
,
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, and
Greenland
Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...
was scrapped by the federal government in early 2004.
John Fraser John Fraser may refer to:
Politics
*John Simon Frederick Fraser (1765–1803), commanded the Fraser Fencibles in Ireland and was (M.P.) for Inverness-shire
*John James Fraser (1829–1896), 5th Premier of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, 18 ...
later stated Prime Minister
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin (born August 28, 1938), also known as Paul Martin Jr., is a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 21st prime minister of Canada and the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2003 to 2006.
The son o ...
left Clarkson to defend herself because he "clearly didn't like her very much" and "even if it was Madam Clarkson's (and John Ralston Saul's) own imaginative idea, it had been officially supported by the government, and no appointed high official should ever be abandoned like that. Not only should she have been defended publicly, we were made to look foolish in the eyes of the countries who had to be informed that the trip to such great allies as Sweden, Norway and Denmark (plus its province of Greenland) was called off".
![Vladimir Putin in Canada 18-19 December 2000-1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Vladimir_Putin_in_Canada_18-19_December_2000-1.jpg)
From that time on, Clarkson and her office faced intense scrutiny. By November 2004, it was announced that Clarkson's budget would be cut by ten percent, despite the fact that parliament itself had approved her budget each year. Then, in March 2005, she again faced questions about spending after it was reported that she had been advised by Martin to make official visits to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, and Russia in order to attend the
state funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of Etiquette, protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive ...
of the victims of the
Madrid terrorist bombings, the 60th anniversary of the
liberation of the Netherlands
Despite Dutch neutrality, Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940 as part of Fall Gelb (Case Yellow). On 15 May 1940, one day after the bombing of Rotterdam, the Dutch forces surrendered. The Dutch government and the royal family re ...
, and participate in
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easter ...
celebrations in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
, respectively. Clarkson waited until less than two weeks after the end of her time serving as governor general before she publicly criticised Jean Chrétien and the Cabinet under his chairmanship for not defending the viceregal office, and reaffirmed that she had been asked by the Department of Foreign Affairs to take each of her state trips in the first place.
At the same time, Clarkson's unorthodox mode of exercising the Office of the Governor General led to negative critiques of how she carried out a number of ceremonial duties. In June 2004, the Governor General and her office were targeted by
Canadian monarchists
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
, who noted that, prior to the ceremony to recognize Canada's involvement at
Juno Beach
Juno or Juno Beach was one of five beaches of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944 during the Second World War. The beach spanned from Courseulles, a village just east of the British beach Gold ...
in the
D-Day landings
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...
of 1944, Government House claimed that Clarkson would be attending as Canada's
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
and, at the event, the Queen, who also attended the ceremony, was relegated to third place in precedence behind Clarkson and Saul.
Jack Granatstein
Jack Lawrence Granatstein (May 21, 1939) is a Canadian historian who specializes in Canadian political and military history.SeJack Granatsteinfrom The Canadian Encyclopedia
Education
Born on May 21, 1939, in Toronto, Ontario, into a Jewish fam ...
alleged that this arrangement had displeased the Queen and "there was fury." Government House later retracted its head of state statement, saying that it was the error of a junior official, but why the protocol was altered was never explained. At
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...
ceremonies, the Governor General also caused a stir when she eschewed the tradition of placing the first wreath at the
cenotaph
A cenotaph is an empty tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been reinterred elsewhere. Although the vast majority of cenot ...
in favour of doing so simultaneously with her husband; a practice that was discontinued by Clarkson's viceregal successor. Then, during a visit to
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
in September of the same year, Clarkson was booed and hissed at by a small but vocal group of protesters. She was on a goodwill tour of a poor area of the city; however, the protesters argued that her visit was nothing more than a publicity stunt to try to gain some of her lost popular support to get her time in office extended.
In January 2005, disappointment was further expressed over Clarkson's failure to attend a memorial service for
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
's late
lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
,
Lois Hole
Lois Elsa Hole, CM, AOE DStJ (née Veregin; 30 January 1929 – 6 January 2005) was a Canadian politician, businesswoman, academician, professional gardener and best-selling author. She was the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta from 10 Fe ...
.
Rideau Hall issued a statement saying the Governor General was, at the time, abroad representing Canada at the inauguration of the
President of Ukraine
The president of Ukraine ( uk, Президент України, Prezydent Ukrainy) is the head of state of Ukraine. The president represents the nation in international relations, administers the foreign political activity of the state, condu ...
,
Victor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko ( uk, Віктор Андрійович Ющенко, ; born 23 February 1954) is a Ukrainian politician who was the third president of Ukraine from 23 January 2005 to 25 February 2010.
As an informal leader of th ...
. However, the inauguration was postponed, and it was felt that Clarkson could have returned to Canada for the service. When it was later reported by the ''
Toronto Sun
The ''Toronto Sun'' is an English-language tabloid format, tabloid newspaper published daily in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The newspaper is one of several ''Sun'' tabloids published by Postmedia Network. The newspaper's offices is located at Pos ...
'' and ''The Globe and Mail'' that Clarkson would wait in Paris, France, for the rescheduled presidential investiture, more outrage was expressed in the press, which was only compounded when Rideau Hall informed the public that the Governor General would also attend a "long-standing engagement" with the Queen at
Sandringham House
Sandringham House is a country house in the parish of Sandringham, Norfolk, England. It is one of the royal residences of Charles III, whose grandfather, George VI, and great-grandfather, George V, both died there. The house stands in a estate ...
, contradicting reports that
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
had said the dinner was actually booked at the last minute. In response, some monarchists began lobbying Clarkson to resign, had she willingly used the Queen for publicity and damage control purposes.
Extended tenure
Regardless of the controversies, Clarkson was asked, and agreed, to remain in the Queen's service for an additional year beyond the traditional, but not official, five-year period. Though the decision was met with mixed feelings from across the country, Prime Minister Martin had advised the Queen to retain Clarkson as her vicereine in order to provide stability while the country faced potential constitutional difficulties arising from a
minority government
A minority government, minority cabinet, minority administration, or a minority parliament is a government and Cabinet (government), cabinet formed in a parliamentary system when a political party or Coalition government, coalition of parties do ...
; there had been speculation at the end of 2004 over whether or not Clarkson would have to become directly involved in politics should the Cabinet led by Paul Martin lose the
confidence
Confidence is a state of being clear-headed either that a hypothesis or prediction is correct or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective. Confidence comes from a Latin word 'fidere' which means "to trust"; therefore, having ...
of the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
, leaving the Governor General to decide whether or not to ask the leader of
Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, then
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Harper is the first and only prime minister to come from the modern-day Conservative Party of Canada, ...
, to form a government, or to call a general election. Ultimately, circumstances played out so that Clarkson's personal involvement was rendered unnecessary.
Soon after, however, on July 8, 2005, Clarkson was admitted to hospital in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
in order to have a
pacemaker
An artificial cardiac pacemaker (or artificial pacemaker, so as not to be confused with the natural cardiac pacemaker) or pacemaker is a medical device that generates electrical impulses delivered by electrodes to the chambers of the heart eith ...
implanted. She recovered quickly,
and returned to her viceregal duties in the same month. To coincide with that year's 50th anniversary of the appointment of the first Canadian-born governor general, Clarkson moved Order of Canada investitures from their typical location in Rideau Hall to various places around the country.
Also, on July 23, 2005, Clarkson was inducted as an honorary member of the Kainai, Kainai Chieftainship, during a traditional ceremony held at Red Crow Park, near Standoff,
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
, after which she was adopted into the Blood Tribe with the name ''Grandmother of Many Nations''; this made Clarkson the first governor general since Edward Schreyer in 1984 to be made an honorary chief, and only the third woman to be inducted since the creation of the chieftainship. Then, on September 15, 2005, Clarkson announced the creation of the Governor General's Northern Medal, to be awarded annually to a citizen whose actions and achievements had contributed to the evolution and constant reaffirmation of the Canadian North as part of the national identity.
During her last days in office, Clarkson's popularity with the Armed Forces was expressed in a large farewell ceremony mounted by the military; the first ever such send-off for a governor general. Similarly, on the morning of September 26, 2005, Clarkson attended a celebration on Parliament Hill in which Member of Parliament (Canada), Member of Parliament thanked her for her work and presented her with the Flag of the Governor General of Canada, viceregal flag that flew atop the Peace Tower when Clarkson was present in parliament.
Then, following tradition, Clarkson and Saul planted on Rideau Hall's grounds, two ceremonial trees (Quercus bicolor, swamp white oaks) to mark the end of the former's time in office, and the next day, Clarkson's time as vicereine ended when her successor,
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean (; born September 6, 1957) is a Canadian stateswoman and former journalist who served from 2005 to 2010 as governor general of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation. She is the first Haitian Canadian and black person ...
, was sworn in as Governor General of Canada. However, Clarkson caused yet another controversy when she decided, with Jean's consent, to attend Jean's investiture, marking the first time in more than a century that a governor general had attended the swearing-in of his or her successor.
Legacy
Clarkson was seen as having brought new life to the post of governor general, receiving praise through her first years in office for being a more modern governor general who brought increased public attention to the position;
Michaëlle Jean recognised Clarkson as having "infused the office with a new energy", for "promot[ing] artists and their achievements from across Canada", and for her "close work with aboriginal communities". Clarkson was further praised for her devotion to the armed forces and remembrance,
and was credited for breathing new life into the Canadian monarchy as a whole; Ken Wiwa, Mailo' Ken Wiwa stated in ''The Globe and Mail'': "that Adrienne Clarkson, once a refugee, represents the Queen here in Canada is, for me, the singular most important reason for believing that the monarchy is relevant to Canada's emerging identity. Her role may only be ceremonial and symbolic, but as the enduring quality of the Royal Family attests, you can never underestimate the power of myth. Even or rather, especially in this iconoclastic age." Clarkson and her husband also travelled across Canada and met more Canadians than any other governor general in Canadian history and, unlike many other state figures, Clarkson also wrote most of her own speeches, which were noted for being simultaneously intellectual and approachable.
Clarkson's tenure was also notable for her patronage of all the arts making such efforts as ensuring the governor general's study at Rideau Hall had copies of every book that had won the Governor General's Awards for literature and for sports, as demonstrated in her creation on September 14, 2005, of the Clarkson Cup for women's ice hockey, hockey in Canada. John Fraser in 2012 stated of Clarkson: "[N]o one, in the whole history of Rideau Hall, ever evoked the country quite as effectively".
Other summaries of Clarkson's time as governor general, however, found that the increased travel abroad attracted negative attention to the viceregal post over costs and caused conflict between domestic duties and foreign obligations. Also, it was observed that Clarkson had succumbed too easily to the desires of her advisors both in the prime minister's and Privy Council Office (Canada), Privy Council offices, as well as amongst the staff of Government House to turn the viceregal post into something it was not: Canada's head of state. Clarkson had expressed admiration for the Queen, was said to understand "the lustre the Crown affords," and to have "shudder[ed] a little in sympathy with members of the Royal Family at the degree of intrusion into their lives they must bear."
But the systematic downplaying of the monarch led to confusion over who was head of state and there was a sense that,
by taking this view, Clarkson and her office were overturning the long-standing theory that all the viceroys and their respective jurisdictions are equal under a sovereign who reigns consistently over the whole country. When Clarkson attended a provincial occasion, her protocol officers insisted that she take precedence over the pertinent lieutenant governor and denied knowledge of the established order in which the lieutenant governor, as a direct representative of the Queen in a province, takes precedence at a provincial function over all other attendees, save for the monarch. These situations would result in "precedence battles", in which the provincial authorities would frequently acquiesce to pressure and ultimatums from Rideau Hall. Clarkson also took the place of the monarch in presenting to the next vicereine the Chancellor's insignia of the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
, thereby breaking the order's "first and oldest tradition"; a move Canada's expert on honours, Christopher McCreery, called "a rather bizarre turn of events". The Monarchist League of Canada even reported that a member of parliament had telephoned to ask if they had ever before heard of the eruption of booing at the mention of the governor general's name, as had apparently happened in the MP's riding when Clarkson was spoken about.
Post-viceregal life
After leaving Rideau Hall, Clarkson and Saul purchased a new home in Toronto's the Annex district, taking possession at the end of September 2005. She also signed a deal with Penguin Books, Penguin Canada to publish her memoirs in two books. The first, ''Heart Matters'', was published in September 2006, making Clarkson the third former governor general to release an autobiography. In the first half of the book, Clarkson outlined her childhood in Ottawa and her career in the CBC, while the second half covered her time as governor general, and contained her own positive views of Jean Chrétien and negative views of Paul Martin. The book was met with mixed reviews, however, and her expressed opinion that future nominees for appointment as governor general should be voted on in the House of Commons was condemned by monarchists, though supported by ''Macleans''.
During an October 2006 interview on CBC Newsworld with Don Newman (broadcaster), Don Newman, Clarkson spoke her views on the nature of the position of Governor General of Canada, stating that while the Queen remained popular with Canadians, the governor general was now the direct representative of "the Crown", and not of the monarch, therefore making the viceroy Canada's actual head of state. This was a theory contrary to those of Eugene Forsey, the government of Canada itself, and numerous others, but was in line with Edward McWhinney. Into 2009, Clarkson continued to promote this notion, stating at a constitutional law conference that the governor general embodied the nation and the prime minister's nominee for the viceregal role should thus be vetted by a parliamentary committee, in a similar format to Congressional hearing#Confirmation hearings, Congressional Confirmation Hearings in the United States. She then went further to say that the candidate should also submit to a televised quiz on Canadiana. Though a University of Toronto political scientist stated this would "strengthen the legitimacy of the governor-general as a non-partisan umpire," the editorial board of the Montreal ''The Gazette (Montreal), Gazette'' said that the position being "not elected is an asset, not a handicap" and Clarkson's process would undermine the impartiality of the viceroy.
Clarkson was on February 7, 2007, appointed by the Queen as Colonel-in-Chief of
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...
, replacing Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma, the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and commented that she was "deeply honoured" and proud to accept the role. The ceremony to mark her appointment took place on March 17 at the regimental headquarters in Edmonton. Clarkson is also vice-chair of the board of directors of the dance company La La La Human Steps and, in 2014, was announced as the presenter of that year's Massey Lectures.
Her lectures, which were also published in book form, were on the theme of "Belonging: The Paradox of Citizenship".
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Personal life
Since the 1980s, Clarkson has been in a relationship with Canadian writer and philosopher John Ralston Saul
John Ralston Saul (born June 19, 1947) is a Canadian writer, political philosopher, and public intellectual. Saul is most widely known for his writings on the nature of individualism, citizenship and the public good; the failures of manager-l ...
. In 1963, Clarkson married Stephen Clarkson, a University of Toronto political science professor. Together, the couple had three daughters: Kyra, born in 1969, and twins Blaise and Chloe, born in 1971; at the age of nine months, however, Chloe died of sudden infant death syndrome. Adrienne and Stephen divorced four years later.
A member of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Toronto), Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Clarkson is a devout Anglican, as is her entire family going back five generations, with her uncle being a priest in the Sheng Kung Hui, Anglican Church in Hong Kong. Clarkson chose to attend Trinity College at the University of Toronto because of its Anglican associations, and, while there, she casually dated divinity student Michael Peers, who would later become an archbishop and primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. This friendship was maintained over the years, and Peers presided over Clarkson's marriage to Saul, officiated at her installation as governor general, and presided over the funerals of both her parents. Clarkson is also credited for returning prayer to the viceregal installation ceremony, which had been removed when Roméo LeBlanc was installed in 1995.
Clarkson was admired by the faithful for being open about her religious beliefs during her time in Rideau Hall. In a December 2005 interview with the ''Anglican Journal'', she was quoted as saying about the Anglican elements of her heraldic arms that "I am an Anglican and that is part of my life; that I really feel at home in the Anglican Communion." In this same interview, she criticized conservatives for creating what she called the "deep divide" in the Anglican church regarding homosexuality. Clarkson was also noted for visiting Anglican churches around Canada on her many tours, saying that she enjoyed seeing how the church fit in communities in all parts of Canada. Her public faith, however, was also the cause of controversy: She received particular criticism when she was seen taking communion in a Catholic church since that denomination does not permit open communion.
Honours
;Appointments
* April 30, 1992October 8, 1999: Order of Canada, Officer of the Order of Canada (OC)
** October 8, 2000September 27, 2005: Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada (CC)
** September 27, 2005 – May 8, 2013: Companion of the Order of Canada (CC)
** May 8, 2013 –: Extraordinary Companion of the Order of Canada (CC)
* 1999: Lay Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada
* October 8, 2000September 27, 2005: Order of Military Merit (Canada), Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM)
** September 27, 2005 – May 8, 2013: Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM)
** May 8, 2013 –: Extraordinary Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM)
* October 8, 2000September 27, 2005: Venerable Order of Saint John, Dame of Justice, Prior, and Chief Officer in Canada of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (DStJ)
** September 27, 2005: Dame of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (DStJ)
* October 8, 2000September 27, 2005: Scouts Canada#Organizational structure, Chief Scout of Canada
* 1999: Royal Military College of Canada, Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club
* October 3, 2000September 27, 2005: Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (COM)
** September 27, 2005: Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (COM)
* 2001: ''Grand croix du Order of La Pléiade, l'Ordre de la Pléiade de l'Association des parlementaires de langue française''
* July 23, 2005: Kainai Nation, Honorary Chief of the Kainai Chieftainship
* October 3, 2005: Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada (PC)
* Massey College, Senior Fellow of Massey College
* Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (FRAIC (''hon''))
* Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCPSC (''hon''))
* Royal Society of Canada, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (FRSC (''hon''))
* University of Trinity College, Honorary Fellow of the University of Trinity College
* Honorary Director North American Native Plant Society
;Medals
* 1960: Governor General's Academic Medal
* 1967: Canadian Centennial Medal
* 1992: Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada
* October 8, 1999: Canadian Forces Decoration (CD) with 1 Medal bar, Clasp
* 2002: Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.
* 4 September 2005: Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan
* 2012: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
* March 26, 2019: Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.
;Awards
* 1973: ACTRA, Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists ACTRA Award
The ACTRA Awards were first presented in 1972 to celebrate excellence in Canada's television and radio industries. for Best Documentary: ''The Desert is Dying''
* 1974: Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists ACTRA Award for Best Public Affairs Broadcaster
* 1976: Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists Gordon Sinclair Award for Integrity in Broadcasting
* 1982: Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists ACTRA Award for Best Host-Interviewer
* 1993: Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards were awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television between 1986–2011 to recognize the achievements of Canada's television industry. The Gemini Awards are analogous to the Emmy Awards given in the United States ...
for Best Host in Performing Arts Series
* 1993: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...
Prix Anik for Best Entertainment Series: ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents''
* 1995: ''Gemeaux Award Meilleur'' pour Meilleur Spécial pour les Arts de la Scène: ''Peau, Chair et Os''
*2009: Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards, Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award Winner
* November 19, 2010: Vimy Award
;Award nominations
*1992: Gemini Award: Best Host in a Light Information, Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series for ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents''
*1993: Gemini Award: Best Performing Arts Program for ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents'' – shared with Gordon Stewart
*1994: Gemini Award: Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program for ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents''
*1994: Gemini Award: Best Host in a Lifestyle Information, Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series for ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents''
*1995: Gemini Award: Best Performing Arts Program for ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents''
*1998: Gemini Award: Best Performing Arts Program or Series, or Arts Documentary Program for ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents: Black and White to Colour: The Making of "The English Patient"''
*1998: Gemini Award: Best Performing Arts Program or Series, or Arts Documentary Program for ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents''
;Foreign honours
* 1993: Gabriel Award: ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents: For the Beauty of the Earth''
* 1994: New York Television Festival Best International TV Award: ''Adrienne Clarkson Presents: Skin Flesh and Bone''
* 1995: Christopher Columbus International Film and Video Festival The Chris: ''The Lust of His Eye''
* 1997: Christopher Columbus International Film and Video Festival The Chris: ''Black and White to Colour: The Making of "The English Patient"''
* June 30, 2006March 3, 2022: Order of Friendship, Member of the Order of Friendship
* March 1, 2022: Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Honorary military appointments
* October 8, 2000September 27, 2005: Colonel of the Governor General's Horse Guards
* October 8, 2000September 27, 2005: Colonel of the Governor General's Foot Guards
* October 8, 2000September 27, 2005: Colonel of the Canadian Grenadier Guards
* February 7, 2007: Colonel-in-Chief of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...
Honorary degrees
* 1996: University of Prince Edward Island, Doctorate.
* April 7, 2000: University of Victoria, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
* 2001: McGill University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
* May 18, 2001: Royal Military College of Canada, Doctor of Laws (LL.D).
* June 19, 2001: University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
, Doctor of Laws (LL.D)
* February 27, 2003: Law Society of Upper Canada at Osgoode Hall, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
* 2003: University of Ottawa, Doctor of the University (DUniv)
* 2003: Queen's University at Kingston, Queen's University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
* June 10, 2004: Concordia University (Montreal), Concordia University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
* November 2006: McMaster University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
* 2006: Toronto Metropolitan University, Ryerson University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
* May 16, 2008: Mount Saint Vincent University, Doctor of Humane Letters (DHL)
* October 23, 2003: University of Western Ontario, Doctor of Laws (LLD)[
]
Memberships and Fellowships
* 1993: The Royal Conservatory of Music Honorary title (academic), Honorary Fellowship.
Honorific eponyms
;Awards
* Clarkson Cup
* Adrienne Clarkson Laureateship for Public Service, Massey College, Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
;Schools
* Adrienne Clarkson Elementary School, Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
* Adrienne Clarkson Public School, Richmond Hill, Ontario
Arms
See also
* Chinese Canadian
, native_name =
, native_name_lang =
, image = Chinese Canadian population by province.svg
, image_caption = Chinese Canadians as percent of population by province / territory
, pop = 1,715,7704.63% of the ...
* Immigration to Canada
* Refugee#World War II and UNHCR, Refugee > World War II and UNHCR
* List of elected or appointed female heads of state
Notes
Footnotes
External links
*
The Governor General of Canada – Former Governors General
*
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarkson, Adrienne
1939 births
Living people
Canadian Anglo-Catholics
Canadian writers of Asian descent
Canadian autobiographers
20th-century Canadian novelists
Canadian television hosts
Canadian women television journalists
Canadian women novelists
Governors General of Canada
Journalists from Toronto
Massey College, Toronto
Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada
Naturalized citizens of Canada
Fellows of the Royal Conservatory of Music
Canadian Screen Award winning journalists
Companions of the Order of Canada
Commanders of the Order of Military Merit (Canada)
Dames of Justice of the Order of St John
Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Royal Military College of Canada people
Trinity College (Canada) alumni
University of Paris alumni
University of Toronto alumni
Writers from Ottawa
Writers from Toronto
Canadian women viceroys
Women autobiographers
Chief Scouts of Canada
20th-century Canadian women writers
Canadian journalists of Chinese descent
Hakka writers
Applicants for refugee status in Canada
Hong Kong emigrants to Canada
Canadian politicians of Hong Kong descent
Lisgar Collegiate Institute
Canadian women television hosts
Canadian expatriates in France