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Order of Precedence


The order of precedence in Canada is a long established succession of power amongst virtually all of the government officials in Canada. Note that this is not an order of succession as does exist in the United States. If one or more of these officials becomes incapacitated or dies while in office, very little occurs in terms of the normal workings of the government.

The only government post that must be filled is the Governor General, who signs bills into law, appoints various officials, and dissolves Parliament. However, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is automatically the Deputy Governor General who can fill-in for the Governor General whenver necessary, and the Puisne Justices of the Supreme Court can fill-in for the Chief Justice in a similar manner. The order of titles are listed below along with as many of the names as our research staff could track down that correspond with the titles. The list was last updated on March 14, 2008. Please report any errors or omissions to this list.

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1. The Governor General of Canada

    Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean

2. The Prime Minister of Canada

    The Right Honourable Stephen Harper

3. The Chief Justice of Canada

    The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin

4. Former Governors General of Canada

    The Right Honourable Ed Schreyer
    The Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc
    The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson

5. Surviving Spouses of Deceased Governors General of Canada

    Gerda Hnatyshyn

6. Former Prime Ministers of Canada

    The Right Honourable Joe Clark
    The Right Honourable John Turner
    The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney
    The Right Honourable Kim Campbell
    The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien
    The Right Honourable Paul Martin

7. Former Chief Justices of Canada

    none currently living

8. The Speaker of the Senate

    The Honourable Noël Kinsella

9. The Speaker of the House of Commons

    The Honourable Peter Milliken
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10. Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Ministers Plenipotentiary

11. Members of the Canadian Ministry

12. The Leader of the Opposition

    The Honourable Stéphane Dion

13. The Lieutenant Governors of the Provinces of Canada

    The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
      His Honour The Honourable David Onley
    The Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
      His Honour The Honourable Pierre Duchesne
    The Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
      Her Honour The Honourable Mayann Francis
    The Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick
      His Honour The Honourable Herménégilde Chiasson
    The Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
      His Honour The Honourable John Harvard
    The Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
      His Honour The Honourable Steven Point
    The Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island
      His Honour The Honourable Barbara Oliver Hagerman
    The Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
      Her Honour The Honourable Gordon Barnhart
    The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
      His Honour The Honourable Norman Kwong
    The Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador
      His Honour The Honourable John Crosbie

14. Members of the Privy Council

15. Premiers of the Provinces of Canada

    The Premier of Ontario
      The Honourable Dalton McGuinty
    The Premier of Quebec
      The Honourable Jean Charest
    The Premier of Nova Scotia
      The Honourable Rodney MacDonald
    The Premier of New Brunswick
      The Honourable Shawn Graham
    The Premier of Manitoba
      The Honourable Gary Doer
    The Premier of British Columbia
      The Honourable Gordon Campbell
    The Premier of Prince Edward Island
      The Honourable Robert Ghiz
    The Premier of Saskatchewan
      The Honourable Brad Wall
    The Premier of Alberta
      The Honourable Ed Stelmach
    The Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
      The Honourable Danny Williams

16. The Commissioners of the Territories

    The Commissioner of the Northwest Territories
      The Honourable Tony Whitford
    The Commissioner of Yukon Territory
      The Honourable Geraldine Van Bibber
    The Commissioner of Nunavut
      The Honourable Ann Meekitjuk Hanson

17. The Government Leaders of the Territories

    The Government Leader of the Northwest Territories
      The Honourable Floyd Roland
    The Government Leader of Yukon Territory
      The Honourable Dennis Fentie
    The Government Leader of Nunavut
      The Honourable Paul Okalik

18. Representatives of faith communities

    Our researchers have been unable to confirm which faith leaders this item actually refers to!

19. Puisne Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada

    The Honourable Mr. Justice Michel Bastarache
    The Honourable Mr. Justice William Binnie
    The Honourable Mr. Justice Louis Le Bel
    The Honourable Madam Justice Marie Deschamps
    The Honourable Mr. Justice Morris Fish
    The Honourable Madam Justice Rosalie Abella
    The Honourable Madam Justice Louise Charron
    The Honourable Mr. Justice Marshall Rothstein

20. The Chief Justices of the Federal Court of Appeal and the Federal Court

    Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Appeal of Canada
      The Honourable John D. Richard
    Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada
      The Honourable Allan Lutfy

21. Chief Justices of the Provincial Courts

    a. Chief Justices of the highest court of each Province and Territory
      Ontario
      The Honourable Warren Winkler

      Quebec
      The Honourable Michel Robert

      Nova Scotia
      The Honourable Michael MacDonald

      New Brunswick
      The Honourable Ernest Drapeau

      Manitoba
      The Honourable Richard Scott

      British Columbia
      The Honourable Lance Finch

      Prince Edward Island
      The Honourable David Jenkins

      Saskatchewan
      The Honourable Edward Bayda

      Alberta
      The Honourable Catherine Fraser

      Newfoundland and Labrador
      The Honourable Clyde Wells

      The Northwest Territories
      The Honourable Edward Richard

      Yukon Territory
      The Honourable Ronald Veale

      Nunavut
      The Honourable Beverley Browne

    b. Chief Justices and Associate Chief Justices of the other superior courts of the Provinces and Territories
      Ontario
      The Honourable Dennis O'Connor - Associate Chief Justice of Ontario
      The Honourable Heather Smith- Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Justice
      The Honourable Douglas Cunningham - Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Justice
      The Honourable Brian Lennox - Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice
      The Honourable Marietta Roberts - Associate Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice
      The Honourable David Wake - Associate Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Justice

      Quebec
      The Honourable François Rolland - Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
      The Honourable René Dionne - Senior Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
      The Honourable André Deslongchamps - Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec

      Nova Scotia
      The Honourable Joseph Kennedy - Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
      The Honourable Michael MacDonald - Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
      The Honourable Robert Ferguson - Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, Family Division

      New Brunswick
      The Honourable David Smith - Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick

      Manitoba
      The Honourable Benjamin Hewak - Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba
      The Honourable Jeffrey Oliphant - Associate Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba
      The Honourable Gerald Mercier - Associate Chief Justice, Family Division, of the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba

      British Columbia
      The Honourable Donald Brenner - Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
      The Honourable Patrick Dohm - Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
      The Honourable Lance Finch - Chief Justice of the British Columbia Court of Appeal

      Prince Edward Island
      The Honourable Armand DesRoches - Chief Justice of the Trial Division, Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island

      Saskatchewan
      The Honourable Frank Gerein - Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan

      Alberta
      The Honourable Allan Wachowich - Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
      The Honourable Allen Sulatycky - Associate Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta

      Newfoundland and Labrador
      The Honourable Derek Green - Chief Justice of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland

      The Northwest Territories
      The Honourable C.A. Fraser - Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal for the Northwest Territories

      Yukon Territory
      The Honourable ____ Finch - Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal for the Yukon Territory

      Nunavut
      Nunavut has a single tier court system and therefore has no "other" superior courts.

22. Other Federal and Provincial Judges

23. Senators of Canada (excluding the Speaker and Members of the Ministry)

24. Members of the House of Commons (excluding the Speaker and Members of the Ministry)

25. Consuls General of countries without diplomatic representation

    To the best of our knowledge, there are no Consuls General in Canada without diplomatic representation at this time.

26. Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to Cabinet

    Dr. Kevin Lynch

27. Military Leaders

    The Chief of the Defence Staff
      General Rick Hillier
    Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
      Commissioner William Elliott

28. Speakers of Legislative Assemblies, within their Province and Territory

    The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
      The Honourable Steve Peters
    The President of the National Assembly of Quebec
      The Honourable Michel Bissonnet
    The Speaker of the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia
      The Honourable Alfie MacLeod
    The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
      The Honourable Roy Boudreau
    The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
      The Honourable George Hickes
    The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
      The Honourable Bill Barisoff
    The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
      The Honourable Kathleen Casey
    The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
      The Honourable Don Toth
    The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
      The Honourable Kenneth Kowalski
    The Speaker of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador
      The Honourable Roger Fitzgerald
    The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
      The Honourable Paul Delorey
    The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Yukon Territory
      The Honourable Ted Staffen
    The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
      The Honourable Peter Kilabuk

29. Members of Executive Councils, within their Province and Territory (excluding the Premiers)

30. Judges of Provincial and Territorial Courts, within their Province and Territory

31. Members of Legislative Assemblies, within their Province and Territory (excluding Premiers, Speakers, and Members of the Cabinet)


32. Chairperson of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians

    Mr. Doug Rowland



Notes

1. The presence of the Sovereign in Canada does not impair or supersede the authority of the Governor General to perform the functions delegated to him under the Letters Patent constituting the office of the Governor General. The Governor General, under all circumstances, should be accorded precedence immediately after the Sovereign.

2. Precedence to be given immediately after the Chief Justice of Canada to former Governors General, with relative precedence among them governed by the date of their leaving office.

2.1 Precedence to be given immediately after the former Governors General to surviving spouses of deceased former Governors General (applicable only where the spouse was married to the Governor General during the latter's term of office), with relative precedence among them governed by the dates on which the deceased former Governors General left office.

3. Precedence to be given immediately after the surviving spouses of deceased former Governors General referred to in Note 2.1 to former Prime Ministers, with relative precedence among them governed by the dates of their first assumption of office.

4. Precedence to be given immediately after former Prime Ministers to former Chief Justices of Canada, with relative precedence among them governed by the dates of their appointment as Chief Justice of Canada.

5. Precedence among Ambassadors and High Commissioners, who rank equally, to be determined by the date of the presentation of their credentials. Precedence to be given to Chargés d'Affaires immediately after Ministers Plenipotentiary.

6. This provision does not apply to such ceremonies and occasions which are of a provincial nature.

7. The religious dignitaries will be senior Canadian representatives of faith communities having a significant presence in a relevant jurisdiction. The relative precedence of the representatives of faith communities is to be governed by the date of their assumption in their present office, their representatives being given the same relative precedence.

8. This precedence to be given to the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on occasions when they have official functions to perform, otherwise they are to have equal precedence with Deputy Ministers, with their relative position to be determined according to the respective dates of their appointments to office. The relative precedence of Deputy Ministers and other high officials of the public service of Canada is to be determined from time to time by the Minister of Canadian Heritage in consultation with the Prime Minister.


See also
Governor General
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Prime Minister
Speaker of the Senate
Speaker of the House of Commons
Cabinet
Leader of the Official Opposition
Lieutenant Governors
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Premiers
Chief Justice of the Federal Court
Clerk of the Privy Council
Chief of the Defence Staff
Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Official Residences


Copyright Craig I.W. Marlatt