Prime Minister Mark Carney appoints Louise Arbour as Canada’s next governor general, according to multiple Canadian and international outlets. Arbour, 79, is a retired justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, having served from 1999 to 2004. She is also described across sources as a decorated jurist with senior roles at the United Nations, including work connected to international justice. The Guardian and other outlets note that Arbour served as a prosecutor for war crimes in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and that her appointment is intended to reflect the importance of global institutions.
Carney’s appointment also replaces Mary Simon, who became Canada’s first Indigenous governor general in 2021. Global News reports that Arbour will be sworn in in June. CBC News specifies an installation date of June 8, while other coverage says June is the timeframe for the swearing-in ceremony.
Arbour will represent King Charles III in the governor general’s constitutional and ceremonial roles, which include duties within Canada’s parliamentary system.
