Georges Vanier
Encyclopedia
Major-General Georges-Philéas Vanier (April 23, 1888 March 5, 1967) was a Canadian
soldier and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada
, the 19th since Canadian Confederation
.
Vanier was born and educated in Quebec
, and, after earning a university degree in law, served in the Canadian army during the First World War
; on the Europe
an battlefields he lost a limb, but was commended for his actions with a number of decorations from the King. Subsequently, Vanier returned to Canada and remained in the military until the early 1930s, when he was posted to diplomatic missions in Europe. With the outbreak of the Second World War
, Vanier once again became active in the military, commanding troops on the home front, until the cessation of hostilities in 1945, whereupon he returned to diplomatic circles. He was in 1959 appointed as governor general by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on the recommendation of Prime Minister of Canada
John Diefenbaker
, to replace Vincent Massey
as viceroy
, and he occupied the post until his death in 1967. Vanier proved to be a popular governor general, with his war record earning respect from the majority of Canadians; though, as a Quebecer, he was met with hostility by Quebec separatists
.
to an Irish
mother and a French
-Norman
father, who raised Vanier to be bilingual. After graduating from high school, he attended Loyola College
, receiving in 1906 a Bachelor of Arts
degree in church devotional fellowship, and then went on to earn in 1911 his Bachelor of Laws
degree from the Montreal campus of the Université Laval
. Vanier was called to the Quebec bar that year, and, though he took up the practice of law, he considered entering the Catholic priesthood
. But, with the outbreak of the First World War
, he decided that offering his service to king and country should take priority and thereafter enlisted in the Canadian army. Vanier took on a prominent role in recruiting others, eventually helping to organise in 1915 the French Canadian 22nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
, of which he was commissioned as an officer, and which later, in 1920, became the Royal 22e Régiment
.
After Vanier received in 1916, for his efforts, the Military Cross
, he continued fighting in the trenches. In late 1918, he led an attack at Chérisy
, and was shot in the chest and both legs, resulting in the loss of his right leg. His recovery was lengthy, though he spent it in France, refusing to be evacuated while his fellow soldiers remained fighting. With the cessations of hostilities, however, Vanier, for his bravery, was again awarded the Military Cross and given the 1914-15 Star
, along with being appointed to the Distinguished Service Order
. He thereafter returned to Montreal and once more found employment practicing law. On September 29, 1921, he married Pauline Archer
, and the couple had five children, one of whom was Jean Vanier
.
to Governor General The Viscount Byng of Vimy
, leaving this post when he was promoted to the rank of lieutant colonel
and took command of the Royal 22e Régiment at La Citadelle
. Vanier occupied that position for only one year, however, before again becoming aide-de-camp for Byng's viceregal successor, The Marquess of Willingdon
.
In 1928, Vanier was appointed to Canada's military delegation for disarmament to the League of Nations
, and in 1930 was named secretary to the High Commission of Canada in London
, remaining at that post for nearly a decade approximately half of which he spent serving the man who would eventually immediately precede him as governor general of Canada, Vincent Massey
. It was also during that period, in the tumultuous year of 1936, that King George V
died and his son, Prince Edward, Prince of Wales
, acceded and then abdicated in favour of his younger brother, Prince Albert, Duke of York
. On May 12, 1937, Vanier, along with his son, Jean, watched from the roof of Canada House
the coronation
parade of their new king, George VI. In the procession below, Vanier would have seen one of the future governors general of Canada, Harold Alexander
, who was then the personal aide-de-camp
to the King.
In 1939, Vanier was elevated to the position of the King's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
to France
. However, with the outbreak of Second World War
and the Nazi occupation of France
in 1940, Vanier and his wife fled to the United Kingdom
, and then back to Canada in 1941, where he was commissioned as commander of the military district of Quebec
, and began an early policy of bilingualism in the army. The next year Vanier was promoted to the rank of major general
, and then made the Canadian Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the governments of Belgium
, Czechoslovakia
, Greece
, the Netherlands
, Norway
, Poland
, and Yugoslavia
, as well as the representative of the Canadian government to the Free French
and later the Conseil National de la Résistance
, all of which were governments in exile
. Throughout this time, Vanier attempted to convey to officials in Canada the seriousness of the situation in Europe, especially regarding refugees from the Nazi regime. To the frustration of the Vaniers, these efforts were met predominantly with indifference and even anger, and Vanier's letters to the prime minister at the time, William Lyon Mackenzie King
, failed to induce a change in Canada's immigration policies.
Following the fall of Vichy France in 1944 to the Allied Forces, Vanier was posted as Canada's first ambassador to France. While serving in that role, as well as acting as Canada's representative to the United Nations
, he toured in 1945 the just liberated Buchenwald concentration camp
, and, on a return trip to Canada, delivered via the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
a speech expressing his shame over Canada's inaction, saying: "How deaf we were then, to cruelty and the cries of pain which came to our ears, grim forerunners of the mass torture and murders which were to follow." Back in Paris, he and his wife continued to help the refugees who arrived at the embassy
, arranging for them food and temporary shelter. The couple, with the assistance of numerous others, eventually pushed the government of Canada to revise the regulations of immigration, and more than 186,000 European refugees settled in Canada between 1947 and 1953.
It was in 1953 that Vanier retired from diplomatic service and returned to Montreal, though he and his wife continued social work there. Vanier simultaneously sat as a director of the Bank of Montreal
, the Credit Foncier Franco-Canadien, and the Standard Life Assurance Company, and served on the Canada Council for the Arts
.
governor general of Canada. Following on that of Vincent Massey
, an Anglophone
, the appointment of Vanier established the tradition of rotating between French
and English
speaking persons, and Vanier's bilingualism was an asset in his mandate of fostering Canadian unity. Vanier's tenure was marked by economic problems plaguing the country, and a succession of minority governments, but the greatest threats to Confederation came from the rise of the Quiet Revolution
, Quebec nationalism
, and the Quebec sovereignty movement
, including the terrorist actions of the Front de libération du Québec
; indeed, as a Québécois representing the Canadian monarch, and someone who promoted federalism, he was perceived by many Quebec separatists to be a traitor to his people. Amongst most other circles in the country, however, he was lauded as a distinguished viceroy.
, Nova Scotia
, during a meeting of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
at which Queen Elizabeth II was present and, by commission under the royal sign-manual
and Great Seal of Canada
, approved of Vanier as her representative. In spite of the challenges of poor health and political unrest in Canada, the Major-General said of his commission to represent the Queen: "If God wants me to do this job, He will give me the strength to do it."
As Vanier was a staunch Liberal Party
supporter and the ministers of the Crown
were at that time Progressive Conservatives
, the announcement of the Major-General's appointment received surprised reaction from Ottawa insiders and the media. The Prime Minister
, then John Diefenbaker
, however, felt that more Francophone representation was needed in Canada's government; in his memoirs, Diefenbaker said he had considered a non-Canadian for the post, and attributed his decision to put forward Vanier for appointment to a chance meeting with the Major-General.
, Vanier asked that a bilingual sign
be placed at the main gates to the royal and viceroyal residence, and that a chapel for offering Mass
be constructed somewhere on the property, two requests that reflected two dominant forces in Vanier's life: religion and unity. When he was in residence, Vanier would pray twice daily in the chapel that was eventually fit into the palace's second floor, and, at a time when the Canadian federation was under threat from separatists factions in Quebec, Vanier delivered numerous speeches, in both French and English, and infused with words praising the co-habitation of Anglophone and Francophone Canadians; in one of the last orations he gave, he said: "The road of unity is the road of love: love of one's country and faith in its future will give new direction and purpose to our lives, lift us above our domestic quarrels, and unite us in dedication to the common good... I pray God that we may all go forward hand in hand. We can't run the risk of this great country falling into pieces." Words like these, though, earned Vanier the ire of Quebec nationalists, as demonstrated when, on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day in 1964, he found himself the target of such people in Montreal, who held placards reading "Vanier vendu" ("Vanier traitor") and "Vanier fou de la Reine" ("Vanier Queen's jester").
Despite his poor health, and his doctor's warnings about strain, Vanier travelled across Canada, gaining the affection of Canadians. As part of his official duties, Vanier, along with the Queen, attended the inauguration of the Saint Lawrence Seaway
on June 26, 1959, and in June 1965 was made Chief Big Eagle of the Blackfoot
tribe in Calgary
. He was also active in encouraging children to achieve, using his role as Chief Scout of Canada to this end, and his and his wife's concern for family life drew them to founding in 1964 the Canadian Conference of the Family, which eventually became the Vanier Institute of the Family
. As the representative of the head of state, Vanier hosted a list of official guests, including United States president
John Kennedy
and Jacqueline Kennedy; the Emperor of Ethiopia
, Haile Selassie; David Ben-Gurion
, Prime Minister of Israel
; the Shah of Iran; and General Charles de Gaulle
, President of France.
, and had expressed to him that he was willing to continue on as governor general until the end of the centennial year. Given Vanier's physical state, Pearson was hesitant to advise the Queen to act along those lines, but his worry was short lived, as the following day, after hearing the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receiving Holy Communion
in the chapel, the Governor General died. With Robert Taschereau
, Chief Justice of Canada
, acting as Administrator of the Government, more than 15,000 messages of sympathy were received at Rideau Hall.
Following a state funeral
at the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica on March 8, 1967, the Major-General was buried at La Citadelle' s commemorative chapel on May 5 of the same year. Though Vanier had earlier hosted the French president at Government House, neither de Gaulle nor any representative was sent to attend the funeral, which was read by Canadian diplomatic officials as a hint that there had been a change in Canada–France relations, and instigated the chain of events that would culminate in de Gaulle's "Vive le Québec libre" speech in Montreal later that year.
compiled a list of the 100 most influential Canadians of all time, Vanier was placed by the editors at position number one. His time in the Office of the Governor General saw the creation of a number of awards that reflected the Major-General's interests. He was an avid fan of sport, and, though his favourite was hockey
, and specifically the Montreal Canadiens
, Vanier instigated in 1965 the Governor General's Fencing Award, and the Vanier Cup
for the university football championship in the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union
. To recognise excellence in more bureaucratic endeavours, Vanier initiated in 1962 the Vanier Medal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, and in 1967 the Vanier Awards for Outstanding Young Canadians, awarded to deserving individuals in the Canadian Junior Chamber of Commerce.
Vanier's style and title as governor general was, in full, and in English
: His Excellency Major-General the Right Honourable Georges-Philéas Vanier, Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada, and in French
: Son Excellence général de division le très honorable Georges-Philéas Vanier, compagnon de l'ordre du service distingué, gouverneur général et commandant en chef du Canada.
Vanier's post-nominal letters
are, in order according to the Oxford University Calendar Notes on Style: PC, DSO, MC*, CD, BA Loy, LLB Lav, LLD(hc) Tor
Appointments 1919 March 5, 1967: Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO) September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: Knight of Justice, Prior, and Chief Officer in Canada of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
(KStJ) September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: Chief Scout of Canada 1959 March 5, 1967: Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club
1963 March 5, 1967: Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (PC) 1965 March 5, 1967: Chief of the Blackfoot Tribe
Decorations 1916: Military Cross
(MC) 1919: Military Cross (MC & Bar) September 15, 1959: Canadian Forces Decoration
(CD)
Medals 1919: 1914-15 Star
1919: British War Medal
1919: Victory Medal
1935: King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
1937: King George VI Coronation Medal
: 1939–45 Star : Africa Star
: France and Germany Star
: Defence Medal 1953: Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Foreign honours 1917: Chevalier du Légion d'honneur
1946: Commander of the Legion of Merit
(AdC) 1926 1928: Personal Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency the Governor General
(AdC) September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Horse Guards
September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Foot Guards
September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: Colonel of the Regiment of the Canadian Grenadier Guards
, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
Organisations: Governor General Georges-P. Vanier Royal Canadian Air Cadet
Squadron: Royal Canadian Legion
Branch 472 Georges Vanier: Vanier Institute of the Family
Geographic locations: Vanier Drive, Prince George
: Place Vanier, Vancouver
: Vanier Park
, Vancouver
: Vanier Highway, Fredericton: Rideau-Vanier Ward
, Ottawa
: Vanier Parkway
, Ottawa
: Vanier
(merged with Ottawa in 2001): Vanier Road, Aylmer
: Georges-Vanier Métro station
, Montreal
: Chemin Vanier, Gatineau
: Rue Georges-Vanier, Chicoutimi: Rue Georges-Vanier, Shawinigan: Vanier (merged with Quebec City
in 2002): Vanier Crescent, Saskatoon
Buildings: Vanier Hall, Prince George
: Place Vanier, University of British Columbia
, Vancouver
: Place Vanier
, Ottawa
: Vanier Pavilion, Royal Military College Saint-Jean, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu: Vanier Hall, St. Thomas University
, Fredericton
Schools: Georges P.Vanier Junior High School, Calgary
: Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, Donnelly: Vanier Community Catholic School Edson
: Georges Vanier Elementary School, Surrey
: Georges P. Vanier Secondary School
, Courtenay
: General Vanier Elementary School, Winnipeg
: General Vanier School, Winnipeg
: Vanier Elementary School, St. John's
: Vanier Middle School
, Moncton (closed in 2005): Georges P. Vanier Junior High School, Fall River
: Georges Vanier Catholic School, Belleville
: Vanier Public School, Brockville: Georges P. Vanier Catholic School, Chatham
: General Vanier Intermediate School
, Cornwall
: École Georges Vanier, Elliot Lake: General Vanier Public School, Fort Erie
: École secondaire Georges-P.-Vanier
, Hamilton
: Georges Vanier Catholic School
, Kanata
: George Vanier Public School, Lively: General Vanier Public School, Ottawa
: Vanier School of Nursing, Algonquin College
, Ottawa
: L'École catholique Georges-Vanier, Smooth Rock Falls
: Georges Vanier Secondary School
, Toronto
: Vanier College, York University
, Toronto
: Ecole Primaire Georges-P.-Vanier, Brossard
: École secondaire Georges-Vanier
, Laval
: General Vanier Elementary School, St. Leonard: Georges-Vanier High School, Montreal
: Massey-Vanier High School, Cowansville
: Vanier College
, Montreal
: Vanier Collegiate Institute, Moose Jaw
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
soldier and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, the 19th since Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
.
Vanier was born and educated in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and, after earning a university degree in law, served in the Canadian army during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
; on the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an battlefields he lost a limb, but was commended for his actions with a number of decorations from the King. Subsequently, Vanier returned to Canada and remained in the military until the early 1930s, when he was posted to diplomatic missions in Europe. With the outbreak of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Vanier once again became active in the military, commanding troops on the home front, until the cessation of hostilities in 1945, whereupon he returned to diplomatic circles. He was in 1959 appointed as governor general by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on the recommendation of Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
, to replace Vincent Massey
Vincent Massey
Charles Vincent Massey was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Canadian Confederation....
as viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, and he occupied the post until his death in 1967. Vanier proved to be a popular governor general, with his war record earning respect from the majority of Canadians; though, as a Quebecer, he was met with hostility by Quebec separatists
Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
.
Early life and youth
Vanier was born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
to an Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
mother and a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-Norman
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
father, who raised Vanier to be bilingual. After graduating from high school, he attended Loyola College
Loyola College (Montreal)
Loyola College was a Jesuit college in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It ceased to exist when it was incorporated into Concordia University in 1974. A portion of the original College remains as a separate entity called Loyola High School....
, receiving in 1906 a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in church devotional fellowship, and then went on to earn in 1911 his Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree from the Montreal campus of the Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
. Vanier was called to the Quebec bar that year, and, though he took up the practice of law, he considered entering the Catholic priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
. But, with the outbreak of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he decided that offering his service to king and country should take priority and thereafter enlisted in the Canadian army. Vanier took on a prominent role in recruiting others, eventually helping to organise in 1915 the French Canadian 22nd Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
, of which he was commissioned as an officer, and which later, in 1920, became the Royal 22e Régiment
Royal 22e Régiment
The Royal 22nd Regiment is an infantry regiment and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the Canadian Army...
.
After Vanier received in 1916, for his efforts, the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, he continued fighting in the trenches. In late 1918, he led an attack at Chérisy
Chérisy
Chérisy is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A small farming village located 9 miles southeast of Arras on the D9 junction with the D38 road.-Population:-Places of interest:...
, and was shot in the chest and both legs, resulting in the loss of his right leg. His recovery was lengthy, though he spent it in France, refusing to be evacuated while his fellow soldiers remained fighting. With the cessations of hostilities, however, Vanier, for his bravery, was again awarded the Military Cross and given the 1914-15 Star
1914-15 Star
The 1914-15 Star was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The 1914-15 Star was approved in 1918, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the War between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 .Recipients of this medal also...
, along with being appointed to the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. He thereafter returned to Montreal and once more found employment practicing law. On September 29, 1921, he married Pauline Archer
Pauline Vanier
The Honourable Pauline Vanier, PC, CC, DStJ , born Pauline Archer in Montreal, married Georges Vanier on September 29, 1921. Georges would become one of Canada's first professional diplomats, Canada's first ambassador to France and Canada's first Canadian-born French-speaking Governor General of...
, and the couple had five children, one of whom was Jean Vanier
Jean Vanier
Jean Vanier, CC GOQ is a Canadian Catholic philosopher, humanitarian and the founder of L'Arche, an international organization which creates communities where people with developmental disabilities and those who assist them share life together...
.
Diplomatic career
For four years beginning in 1921, Vanier acted as aide-de-campAide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Governor General The Viscount Byng of Vimy
Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy
Field Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy was a British Army officer who served as Governor General of Canada, the 12th since Canadian Confederation....
, leaving this post when he was promoted to the rank of lieutant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and took command of the Royal 22e Régiment at La Citadelle
Citadelle of Quebec
The Citadelle — the French name is used both in English and French — is a military installation and official residence located atop Cap Diamant, adjoining the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada...
. Vanier occupied that position for only one year, however, before again becoming aide-de-camp for Byng's viceregal successor, The Marquess of Willingdon
Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon
Major Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon was a British Liberal politician and administrator who served as Governor General of Canada, the 13th since Canadian Confederation, and as Viceroy and Governor-General of India, the country's 22nd.Freeman-Thomas was born in England and...
.
In 1928, Vanier was appointed to Canada's military delegation for disarmament to the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
, and in 1930 was named secretary to the High Commission of Canada in London
High Commission of Canada in London
The High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom in London is the diplomatic mission from Canada to the United Kingdom. It is housed in two buildings in London.-History:...
, remaining at that post for nearly a decade approximately half of which he spent serving the man who would eventually immediately precede him as governor general of Canada, Vincent Massey
Vincent Massey
Charles Vincent Massey was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Canadian Confederation....
. It was also during that period, in the tumultuous year of 1936, that King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
died and his son, Prince Edward, Prince of Wales
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
, acceded and then abdicated in favour of his younger brother, Prince Albert, Duke of York
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
. On May 12, 1937, Vanier, along with his son, Jean, watched from the roof of Canada House
Canada House
The High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom in London is the diplomatic mission from Canada to the United Kingdom. It is housed in two buildings in London.-History:...
the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
parade of their new king, George VI. In the procession below, Vanier would have seen one of the future governors general of Canada, Harold Alexander
Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis
Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis was a British military commander and field marshal of Anglo-Irish descent who served with distinction in both world wars and, afterwards, as Governor General of Canada, the 17th since Canadian...
, who was then the personal aide-de-camp
Personal Aide-de-Camp
A Personal Aide-de-Camp is a senior officer of the military of any Commonwealth realm who is appointed to act as the honorary military attendant to the monarch or any of his or her viceroys...
to the King.
In 1939, Vanier was elevated to the position of the King's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Envoy (title)
In diplomacy, an Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary is, under the terms of the Congress of Vienna of 1815, a diplomat of the second class, ranking between an Ambassador and a Minister Resident....
to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. However, with the outbreak of Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Nazi occupation of France
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
in 1940, Vanier and his wife fled to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and then back to Canada in 1941, where he was commissioned as commander of the military district of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and began an early policy of bilingualism in the army. The next year Vanier was promoted to the rank of major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
, and then made the Canadian Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the governments of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, as well as the representative of the Canadian government to the Free French
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
and later the Conseil National de la Résistance
Conseil National de la Résistance
The Conseil National de la Résistance or the National Council of the Resistance is the body that directed and coordinated the different movements of the French Resistance - the press, trade unions, and members of political parties hostile to the Vichy regime, starting from...
, all of which were governments in exile
Government in exile
A government in exile is a political group that claims to be a country's legitimate government, but for various reasons is unable to exercise its legal power, and instead resides in a foreign country. Governments in exile usually operate under the assumption that they will one day return to their...
. Throughout this time, Vanier attempted to convey to officials in Canada the seriousness of the situation in Europe, especially regarding refugees from the Nazi regime. To the frustration of the Vaniers, these efforts were met predominantly with indifference and even anger, and Vanier's letters to the prime minister at the time, William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
, failed to induce a change in Canada's immigration policies.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, he toured in 1945 the just liberated Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp
Buchenwald concentration camp was a German Nazi concentration camp established on the Ettersberg near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937, one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil.Camp prisoners from all over Europe and Russia—Jews, non-Jewish Poles and Slovenes,...
, and, on a return trip to Canada, delivered via the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
a speech expressing his shame over Canada's inaction, saying: "How deaf we were then, to cruelty and the cries of pain which came to our ears, grim forerunners of the mass torture and murders which were to follow." Back in Paris, he and his wife continued to help the refugees who arrived at the embassy
Embassy of Canada in Paris
The Canadian Embassy in France is the main diplomatic mission of Canada to France. It is located at 35 avenue Montaigne, in the 8th arrondissement. The ambassador resides at 135 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré...
, arranging for them food and temporary shelter. The couple, with the assistance of numerous others, eventually pushed the government of Canada to revise the regulations of immigration, and more than 186,000 European refugees settled in Canada between 1947 and 1953.
It was in 1953 that Vanier retired from diplomatic service and returned to Montreal, though he and his wife continued social work there. Vanier simultaneously sat as a director of the Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
, the Credit Foncier Franco-Canadien, and the Standard Life Assurance Company, and served on the Canada Council for the Arts
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
.
Governorship general
Vanier was the first French CanadianFrench Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
governor general of Canada. Following on that of Vincent Massey
Vincent Massey
Charles Vincent Massey was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Canadian Confederation....
, an Anglophone
English Canadian
An English Canadian is a Canadian of English ancestry; it is used primarily in contrast with French Canadian. Canada is an officially bilingual state, with English and French official language communities. Immigrant cultural groups ostensibly integrate into one or both of these communities, but...
, the appointment of Vanier established the tradition of rotating between French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
speaking persons, and Vanier's bilingualism was an asset in his mandate of fostering Canadian unity. Vanier's tenure was marked by economic problems plaguing the country, and a succession of minority governments, but the greatest threats to Confederation came from the rise of the Quiet Revolution
Quiet Revolution
The Quiet Revolution was the 1960s period of intense change in Quebec, Canada, characterized by the rapid and effective secularization of society, the creation of a welfare state and a re-alignment of politics into federalist and separatist factions...
, Quebec nationalism
Quebec nationalism
Quebec nationalism is a nationalist movement in the Canadian province of Quebec .-1534–1774:Canada was first a french colony. Jacques Cartier claimed it for France in 1534, and permanent French settlement began in 1608. It was part of New France, which constituted all French colonies in North America...
, and the Quebec sovereignty movement
Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
, including the terrorist actions of the Front de libération du Québec
Front de libération du Québec
The Front de libération du Québec was a left-wing Quebecois nationalist and Marxist-Leninist paramilitary group in Quebec, Canada. It was active between 1963 and 1970, and was regarded as a terrorist organization for its violent methods of action...
; indeed, as a Québécois representing the Canadian monarch, and someone who promoted federalism, he was perceived by many Quebec separatists to be a traitor to his people. Amongst most other circles in the country, however, he was lauded as a distinguished viceroy.
As governor general-designate
The appointment of Vanier as governor general was announced on August 1, 1959 at HalifaxCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, during a meeting of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
at which Queen Elizabeth II was present and, by commission under the royal sign-manual
Royal sign-manual
The royal sign manual is the formal name given in the Commonwealth realms to the autograph signature of the sovereign, by the affixing of which the monarch expresses his or her pleasure either by order, commission, or warrant. A sign-manual warrant may be either an executive actfor example, an...
and Great Seal of Canada
Great Seal of Canada
The Great Seal of Canada is a seal used for official purposes of state in Canada such as the certification of Acts of Parliament that have been granted Royal Assent....
, approved of Vanier as her representative. In spite of the challenges of poor health and political unrest in Canada, the Major-General said of his commission to represent the Queen: "If God wants me to do this job, He will give me the strength to do it."
As Vanier was a staunch Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
supporter and the ministers of the Crown
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
were at that time Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
, the announcement of the Major-General's appointment received surprised reaction from Ottawa insiders and the media. The Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
, then John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
, however, felt that more Francophone representation was needed in Canada's government; in his memoirs, Diefenbaker said he had considered a non-Canadian for the post, and attributed his decision to put forward Vanier for appointment to a chance meeting with the Major-General.
As governor general
Upon taking up residence at Rideau HallRideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
, Vanier asked that a bilingual sign
Bilingual sign
A bilingual sign is the representation on a panel of texts in more than one language...
be placed at the main gates to the royal and viceroyal residence, and that a chapel for offering Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
be constructed somewhere on the property, two requests that reflected two dominant forces in Vanier's life: religion and unity. When he was in residence, Vanier would pray twice daily in the chapel that was eventually fit into the palace's second floor, and, at a time when the Canadian federation was under threat from separatists factions in Quebec, Vanier delivered numerous speeches, in both French and English, and infused with words praising the co-habitation of Anglophone and Francophone Canadians; in one of the last orations he gave, he said: "The road of unity is the road of love: love of one's country and faith in its future will give new direction and purpose to our lives, lift us above our domestic quarrels, and unite us in dedication to the common good... I pray God that we may all go forward hand in hand. We can't run the risk of this great country falling into pieces." Words like these, though, earned Vanier the ire of Quebec nationalists, as demonstrated when, on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day in 1964, he found himself the target of such people in Montreal, who held placards reading "Vanier vendu" ("Vanier traitor") and "Vanier fou de la Reine" ("Vanier Queen's jester").
Despite his poor health, and his doctor's warnings about strain, Vanier travelled across Canada, gaining the affection of Canadians. As part of his official duties, Vanier, along with the Queen, attended the inauguration of the Saint Lawrence Seaway
Saint Lawrence Seaway
The Saint Lawrence Seaway , , is the common name for a system of locks, canals and channels that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North American Great Lakes, as far as Lake Superior. Legally it extends from Montreal to Lake Erie, including the Welland Canal...
on June 26, 1959, and in June 1965 was made Chief Big Eagle of the Blackfoot
Blackfeet
The Piegan Blackfeet are a tribe of Native Americans of the Algonquian language family based in Montana, having lived in this area since around 6,500 BC. Many members of the tribe live as part of the Blackfeet Nation in northwestern Montana, with population centered in Browning...
tribe in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
. He was also active in encouraging children to achieve, using his role as Chief Scout of Canada to this end, and his and his wife's concern for family life drew them to founding in 1964 the Canadian Conference of the Family, which eventually became the Vanier Institute of the Family
Vanier Institute of the Family
The Vanier Institute of the Family is an independent national research and educational nonprofit organization committed to the well-being of Canadian families....
. As the representative of the head of state, Vanier hosted a list of official guests, including United States president
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
John Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Jacqueline Kennedy; the Emperor of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, Haile Selassie; David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
, Prime Minister of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
; the Shah of Iran; and General Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
, President of France.
Death
By 1966, though his itinerary remained unreduced, Vanier's strength was failing. On March 4, 1967, before watching a Canadiens game on television at Rideau Hall, Vanier had conversed with his prime minister at the time, Lester B. PearsonLester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
, and had expressed to him that he was willing to continue on as governor general until the end of the centennial year. Given Vanier's physical state, Pearson was hesitant to advise the Queen to act along those lines, but his worry was short lived, as the following day, after hearing the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receiving Holy Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
in the chapel, the Governor General died. With Robert Taschereau
Robert Taschereau
Robert Taschereau, CC, PC was a lawyer who became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and who briefly served as acting Governor General of Canada following the death of Georges Vanier in 1967.-Biography:...
, Chief Justice of Canada
Chief Justice of Canada
The Chief Justice of Canada, like the eight puisne Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, is appointed by the Governor-in-Council . All nine are chosen from either sitting judges or barristers who have at least ten years' standing at the bar of a province or territory...
, acting as Administrator of the Government, more than 15,000 messages of sympathy were received at Rideau Hall.
Following a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
at the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica on March 8, 1967, the Major-General was buried at La Citadelle
Legacy
When, in 1999, Maclean'sMaclean's
Maclean's is a Canadian weekly news magazine, reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events.-History:Founded in 1905 by Toronto journalist/entrepreneur Lt.-Col. John Bayne Maclean, a 43-year-old trade magazine publisher who purchased an advertising agency's in-house...
compiled a list of the 100 most influential Canadians of all time, Vanier was placed by the editors at position number one. His time in the Office of the Governor General saw the creation of a number of awards that reflected the Major-General's interests. He was an avid fan of sport, and, though his favourite was hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, and specifically the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, Vanier instigated in 1965 the Governor General's Fencing Award, and the Vanier Cup
Vanier Cup
The Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
for the university football championship in the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
. To recognise excellence in more bureaucratic endeavours, Vanier initiated in 1962 the Vanier Medal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, and in 1967 the Vanier Awards for Outstanding Young Canadians, awarded to deserving individuals in the Canadian Junior Chamber of Commerce.
Titles
- April 23, 1888 1915: Mister Georges Vanier
- 1915 1924: Commander Georges Vanier
- 1924 1942: Lieutenant-Colonel Georges Vanier
- 1942 November 22, 1944: Major-General Georges Vanier
- November 22, 1944 December 31, 1953: His Excellency Major-General Georges Vanier, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France
- December 31, 1953 September 15, 1959: Major-General Georges Vanier
- September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: His Excellency Major-General the Right Honourable Georges Vanier, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada
Vanier's style and title as governor general was, in full, and in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: His Excellency Major-General the Right Honourable Georges-Philéas Vanier, Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada, and in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Son Excellence général de division le très honorable Georges-Philéas Vanier, compagnon de l'ordre du service distingué, gouverneur général et commandant en chef du Canada.
Vanier's post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
are, in order according to the Oxford University Calendar Notes on Style: PC, DSO, MC*, CD, BA Loy, LLB Lav, LLD(hc) Tor
Military ranks
- 1914 1915: Private, Canadian ArmyCanadian Forces Land Force CommandThe Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
- 1915 1924: CommanderCommander (Canada)In the Royal Canadian Navy, the rank of Commander is a Naval rank equal to a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Army or Air Force. A Commander is senior to aLieutenantCommander or an Army or Air Force Major, and junior to a Captain or Colonel....
, Canadian Army - 1924 1942: Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant-Colonel (Canada)In the Canadian Forces, the rank of lieutenant-colonel is an Army or Air Force rank equal to a commander of the Navy. A lieutenant-colonel is the second-highest rank of senior officer...
, Canadian Army - 1942 1967: Major General, Canadian Army
Honours
| Ribbon bars of Georges Vanier | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Appointments 1919 March 5, 1967: Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: Knight of Justice, Prior, and Chief Officer in Canada of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
(KStJ) September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: Chief Scout of Canada 1959 March 5, 1967: Honorary Member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
1963 March 5, 1967: Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (PC) 1965 March 5, 1967: Chief of the Blackfoot Tribe
Blackfeet
The Piegan Blackfeet are a tribe of Native Americans of the Algonquian language family based in Montana, having lived in this area since around 6,500 BC. Many members of the tribe live as part of the Blackfeet Nation in northwestern Montana, with population centered in Browning...
Decorations 1916: Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(MC) 1919: Military Cross (MC & Bar) September 15, 1959: Canadian Forces Decoration
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
(CD)
Medals 1919: 1914-15 Star
1914-15 Star
The 1914-15 Star was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The 1914-15 Star was approved in 1918, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the War between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 .Recipients of this medal also...
1919: British War Medal
British War Medal
The British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918...
1919: Victory Medal
Victory Medal (United Kingdom)
The Victory Medal is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA in accordance with decisions as taken at the Inter-Allied Peace Conference at...
1935: King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the coronation of King George V.-Issue:...
1937: King George VI Coronation Medal
King George VI Coronation Medal
The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of King George VI.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to each of...
: 1939–45 Star : Africa Star
Africa Star
The Africa Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in the Second World War.The Star was awarded for a minimum of one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943...
: France and Germany Star
France and Germany Star
The France and Germany Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II.The medal was awarded for operational service in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Germany from 6 June 1944 to 8 May 1945...
: Defence Medal 1953: Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to...
Foreign honours 1917: Chevalier du Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
1946: Commander of the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
-
1959: Knight Grand Cross of Magistral Grace of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta
Honorary military appointments
1921 1925: Personal Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency the Governor GeneralPersonal Aide-de-Camp
A Personal Aide-de-Camp is a senior officer of the military of any Commonwealth realm who is appointed to act as the honorary military attendant to the monarch or any of his or her viceroys...
(AdC) 1926 1928: Personal Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency the Governor General
Personal Aide-de-Camp
A Personal Aide-de-Camp is a senior officer of the military of any Commonwealth realm who is appointed to act as the honorary military attendant to the monarch or any of his or her viceroys...
(AdC) September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Horse Guards
The Governor General's Horse Guards
The Governor General's Horse Guards is an armoured reconnaissance regiment in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. Based in Toronto, it is the most senior reserve regiment in Canada, and the only Household Cavalry regiment of...
September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Foot Guards
Governor General's Foot Guards
The Governor General's Foot Guards is one of three Household regiments in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, along with The Governor General's Horse Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards. The GGFG is the most senior militia infantry regiment in Canada."Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra" is...
September 15, 1959 March 5, 1967: Colonel of the Regiment of the Canadian Grenadier Guards
The Canadian Grenadier Guards
The Canadian Grenadier Guards is the second most senior and oldest infantry regiment in the Reserve Force of the Canadian Forces. Located in Montreal, its primary role is the provision of combat-ready troops in support of Canadian regular infantry...
Honorary degrees
: University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
Honorific eponyms
Awards: Georges Vanier Scholarship: Vanier Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Canadian under 40: Vanier Medal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada: Vanier CupVanier Cup
The Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
- Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
Organisations: Governor General Georges-P. Vanier Royal Canadian Air Cadet
Royal Canadian Air Cadets
Royal Canadian Air Cadets is a Canadian national youth program for persons aged 12 to 18. It is administered by the Canadian Forces and funded through the Department of National Defence with additional support from the civilian Air Cadet League of Canada...
Squadron: Royal Canadian Legion
Royal Canadian Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization founded in 1925, with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Membership includes people who have served as current and former military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, direct relatives of...
Branch 472 Georges Vanier: Vanier Institute of the Family
Vanier Institute of the Family
The Vanier Institute of the Family is an independent national research and educational nonprofit organization committed to the well-being of Canadian families....
Geographic locations: Vanier Drive, Prince George
Prince George, British Columbia
Prince George, with a population of 71,030 , is the largest city in northern British Columbia, Canada, and is known as "BC's Northern Capital"...
: Place Vanier, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
: Vanier Park
Vanier Park
Vanier Park is a municipal park located in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is home to the Vancouver Museum, the Vancouver Maritime Museum, the City of Vancouver Archives, and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre.-History:...
, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
: Vanier Highway, Fredericton: Rideau-Vanier Ward
Rideau-Vanier Ward
Rideau-Vanier Ward is a ward in the city of Ottawa, Canada, designated as Ward 12 and represented on Ottawa City Council. It was originally created in 1994 as a Ward on Regional Council....
, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
: Vanier Parkway
Riverside Drive (Ottawa)
Riverside Drive is a major road in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that follows along the eastern bank of the Rideau River. From its northern terminus at the Transitway/Via Rail underpass just south of the Queensway, the road proceeds south to Limebank Road where it continues as River Road until the city...
, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
: Vanier
Vanier, Ontario
-External links:**...
(merged with Ottawa in 2001): Vanier Road, Aylmer
Aylmer, Quebec
Aylmer is a former city in Quebec, Canada. It became a sector of the City of Gatineau on January 1, 2002. Located on the Ottawa River and Route 148 it is a part of the National Capital Region. The population in 2006 was 41 882 — approx. 16% of Gatineau...
: Georges-Vanier Métro station
Georges-Vanier (Montreal Metro)
Georges-Vanier is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the Little Burgundy area of the borough of Le Sud-Ouest in Montreal, Quebec, Canada....
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
: Chemin Vanier, Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
: Rue Georges-Vanier, Chicoutimi: Rue Georges-Vanier, Shawinigan: Vanier (merged with Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
in 2002): Vanier Crescent, Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
Buildings: Vanier Hall, Prince George
Prince George, British Columbia
Prince George, with a population of 71,030 , is the largest city in northern British Columbia, Canada, and is known as "BC's Northern Capital"...
: Place Vanier, University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
: Place Vanier
Place Vanier
Place Vanier is an office building complex on North River Road in the Vanier section of Ottawa. The Building has three towers, and the major tenant in two of them is the Federal Human Resources and Social Development Canada department.-External links:**...
, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
: Vanier Pavilion, Royal Military College Saint-Jean, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu: Vanier Hall, St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)
St. Thomas University is jointly a public and Roman Catholic liberal arts university located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It offers degrees exclusively at the undergraduate level for approximately 3,000 students in the liberal arts, humanities, journalism, education, and social work....
, Fredericton
Schools: Georges P.Vanier Junior High School, Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
: Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, Donnelly: Vanier Community Catholic School Edson
Edson, Alberta
Edson is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Yellowhead County, west of Edmonton along the Yellowhead Highway and east of the intersection with Highway 47.- History :left|thumb|200px|Welcome Sign...
: Georges Vanier Elementary School, Surrey
Surrey, British Columbia
Surrey is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of Metro Vancouver, the governing body of the Greater Vancouver Regional District...
: Georges P. Vanier Secondary School
Georges P. Vanier Secondary School
Georges P. Vanier Secondary School is a high school in Courtenay, British Columbia, CanadaIts doors opened in January 1968 completing a move of students from the old Courtenay Sr. high school. The school was named after one of Canada's most popular Governors-General. Vanier was built to house a...
, Courtenay
Courtenay, British Columbia
Courtenay is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the largest city in the area commonly known as the Comox Valley, and it is the seat of the Comox Valley Regional District which replaced the Comox-Strathcona Regional District...
: General Vanier Elementary School, Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
: General Vanier School, Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
: Vanier Elementary School, St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
: Vanier Middle School
École Le Mascaret
École Le Mascaret is a middle school located in Eastern Moncton. Le Mascaret shares the same building as École L'Odyssée, a public francophone high school.Le Mascaret accommodates 575 students from grades 6 to 8...
, Moncton (closed in 2005): Georges P. Vanier Junior High School, Fall River
Fall River, Nova Scotia
Fall River is a Canadian suburban community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.It is located north of the Bedford Basin, northwest of Bedford, east of Lower Sackville and north and west of Waverley....
: Georges Vanier Catholic School, Belleville
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
: Vanier Public School, Brockville: Georges P. Vanier Catholic School, Chatham
Chatham–Kent
Chatham–Kent is a unitary authority in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Mostly rural, its centres of population are Blenheim, Chatham, Dresden, Ridgetown, Tilbury and Wallaceburg. Modern Chatham–Kent was created in 1998 by the merger of Kent County and its municipalities.- History :The former city of...
: General Vanier Intermediate School
General Vanier Intermediate School
General Vanier Intermediate School is a public intermediate school located in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. It shares a building with the catholic high school St. Joe's. After the 2010-2011 school year General Vanier I.S. will be closing...
, Cornwall
Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada and the seat of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario. Cornwall is Ontario's easternmost city, located on the St...
: École Georges Vanier, Elliot Lake: General Vanier Public School, Fort Erie
Fort Erie, Ontario
Fort Erie is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly across the river from Buffalo, New York....
: École secondaire Georges-P.-Vanier
École secondaire Georges-P.-Vanier
École secondaire Georges-P.-Vanier is a French first language high school located in the Westdale Village district in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It serves the french language population of...
, Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
: Georges Vanier Catholic School
Georges Vanier Catholic School
Georges Vanier Catholic School is a Canadian elementary school in the community of Beaverbrook, in Ottawa, Ontario, on 40 Varley Drive. It has classes from junior kindergarten to grade 6. The school is in the Zone 2 school board district of the Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board...
, Kanata
Kanata, Ontario
Situated in the Ottawa Valley, Kanata is located about west-southwest of Downtown Ottawa along Highway 417 at a latitude of 45°18' North and a longitude of 75°55' West, with an area of . Its northern end is just to the west of the Ottawa River....
: George Vanier Public School, Lively: General Vanier Public School, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
: Vanier School of Nursing, Algonquin College
Algonquin College
Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is a publicly funded English-language college and member of Polytechnics Canada located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The college serves the National Capital Region and the outlying areas of Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec...
, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
: L'École catholique Georges-Vanier, Smooth Rock Falls
Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario
Smooth Rock Falls is an incorporated town in the Cochrane District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Part of the James Bay Frontier, it calls itself "The North's Biggest Little Town."-Geography and transportation:...
: Georges Vanier Secondary School
Georges Vanier Secondary School
Georges Vanier Secondary School is a public high school located in Toronto, Ontario.The school was selected by the Canadian Education Association as one of 21 exemplary schools across Canada. There are many specialized courses offered in the school...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
: Vanier College, York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
: Ecole Primaire Georges-P.-Vanier, Brossard
Brossard
Brossard is a suburban area, located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River, opposite the island and city of Montreal.Brossard is subdivided into many smaller sections. These sections are characterized by having street names that all begin with the same letter of the alphabet...
: École secondaire Georges-Vanier
École secondaire Georges-Vanier
École Secondaire Georges-Vanier is a public high school located in Laval, Quebec. It is named for Governor General of Canada Georges Vanier.-Special programs:...
, Laval
Laval, Quebec
Laval is a Canadian city and a region in southwestern Quebec. It is the largest suburb of Montreal, the third largest municipality in the province of Quebec, and the 14th largest city in Canada with a population of 368,709 in 2006...
: General Vanier Elementary School, St. Leonard: Georges-Vanier High School, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
: Massey-Vanier High School, Cowansville
Cowansville, Quebec
Cowansville is a town in south-central Quebec, Canada, located on Lac Davignon north of the U.S. border. It is the seat of Brome-Missisquoi, a regional county municipality...
: Vanier College
Vanier College
Vanier College is an English-language public college located in the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1970 as the second English-language public college of Quebec's public college system...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
: Vanier Collegiate Institute, Moose Jaw
- Georges Vanier School, SaskatoonAvalon, SaskatoonAvalon is a mostly residential neighbourhood located in south-central Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. It is a suburban subdivision, consisting mostly of low-density, single detached dwellings. As of 2007, the area is home to 3,214 residents...
: Vanier Catholic Secondary School, WhitehorseWhitehorse, YukonWhitehorse is Yukon's capital and largest city . It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1476 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in British Columbia and meets the Bering Sea in...