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Titles

The titles for government officials in Canada is largely based on those of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Where George Washington simply chose "Mr. President" for the highest office in the United States, Canada has "Your Excellency", "The Right Honourable", "The Honourable", and "Your Honour". Note that in Canada, it is not appropriate protocol to use the title "Mr." or "Madam" in front of a person's job title as is done in the United States. In fact, the titles listed below replaces Mr. or Madam in normal conversation. Here is the table of titles to be used as revised on November 15, 2004 with the passing of The Right Honourable Ellen Fairclough.

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  1. The Governor General of Canada to be styled "The Right Honourable" for life and to be styled "His Excellency" and his wife "Her Excellency", or "Her Excellency" and her husband "His Excellency", as the case may be, while in office.

  2. The Lieutenant Governor of a Province to be styled "The Honourable" for life and to be styled "His Honour" and his wife "Her Honour", or "Her Honour" and her husband "His Honour", as the case may be, while in office.

  3. The Prime Minister of Canada to be styled "The Right Honourable" for life.*

  4. The Chief Justice of Canada to be styled "The Right Honourable" for life.

  5. Privy councillors of Canada to be styled "The Honourable" for life.

  6. Senators of Canada to be styled "The Honourable" for life.

  7. The Speaker of the House of Commons to be styled "The Honourable" while in office.

  8. The Commissioner of a Territory to be styled "The Honourable" while in office.

  9. Puisne judges of the Supreme Court of Canada and judges of the Federal Court and of the Tax Court of Canada as well as the judges of the undermentioned Courts in the Provinces and Territories:
    to be styled "The Honourable" while in office.

  10. Presidents and speakers of Legislative Assemblies of the Provinces and Territories to be styled "The Honourable" while in office.

  11. Members of the Executive Councils of the Provinces and Territories to be styled "The Honourable" while in office.

  12. Judges of Provincial and Territorial Courts (appointed by the provincial and territorial Governments) to be styled "The Honourable" while in office.

  13. The following are eligible to be granted permission by the Governor General, in the name of the Sovereign, to retain the title of "The Honourable" after they have ceased to hold office:
  14. The title "The Right Honourable" has been granted for life to the following eminent Canadians:
  15. Mayors of Area Municipalities to be styled "His Worship" or "Her Worship", as the case may be, while in office.

  16. Visiting Heads of State to be styled:

* - It has only been since 1968 that the Prime Minister has automatically been styled "The Right Honourable". Prior to that point, one must be sworn in as a member of the British Privy Council before using such a title. There are four Prime Ministers who were not sworn into the British Privy Council before or during their term as Prime Minister and therefore were styled "The Honourable" (Mackenzie, Abbott, Bowell, and Tupper). Tupper became a member of the British Privy Council after he left the Prime Minister's Office, and therefore is referred to as "The Honourable" when discussing his time as Prime Minister. Interestingly enough, Prime Minister Bennett also changed his title after leaving office, later becoming "Viscount Bennett of Mickleham, Calgary, and Hopewell".

SOURCE: Government of Canada.

See also
Government
Order of Precedence
Foreign Titles Debate

Copyright Craig I.W. Marlatt