Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed Louise Arbour, a bilingual lawyer and former United Nations high commissioner for human rights, as Canada’s new governor general. Arbour, 79, will succeed Mary Simon, the first Indigenous person to hold the role. The governor general acts as the representative of the Canadian Crown, currently King Charles III, and typically serves a five-year term. Arbour’s appointment addresses previous criticism regarding Simon’s lack of French proficiency, as Arbour is fluent in both of Canada’s official languages, English and French. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Arbour has an extensive legal background, having served as a justice on the Supreme Court of Canada and as chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. She made history by indicting former Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milošević and securing the first genocide conviction since the 1948 Genocide Convention. Arbour also served as the United Nations human rights commissioner from 2004 to 2008 and received the Order of Canada in 2007. She believes Canada’s constitutional monarchy has provided stability and continuity throughout its history. Simon’s term was historic, as she was the first Indigenous person to serve as governor general, though she faced criticism for not speaking French.
QUESTION: How might Louise Arbour’s extensive legal and international experience influence her role as Canada’s governor general?
What to know about Louise Arbour, Canada’s next governor general
