OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

OVERVIEW

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, is the Head of State, represented in Ontario by the Lieutenant Governor.  The Lieutenant Governor, the nominal Head of State at the provincial level, is empowered with the constitutional and representational responsibilities of the Crown in the Province.

The Governor General-in-Council appoints the Lieutenant Governors and their salaries are paid by the Federal Government.  The Provincial Government provides support to the Lieutenant Governor, with some limited financial resources for hospitality and travelling throughout Ontario also available from the federal government.

The role of the Lieutenant Governor consists of several key responsibilities including representing the Crown in Ontario, supporting community initiatives, recognizing excellence and demonstrating public leadership.

Description

The Queen of Canada, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State, represented in Ontario by the Lieutenant Governor.  The Lieutenant Governor, the nominal Head of State at the provincial level, is empowered with the constitutional and representational responsibilities of the Crown in the Province.

The program provides the services required by the Lieutenant Governor in performing his constitutional, representational and community duties. In his constitutional role, the Lieutenant Governor represents the Queen, appoints the Premier based on majority support, swears-in the Executive Council, outlines the Government's plans in the Speech from the Throne, provides the Royal Assent needed for bills to become law, approves orders-in-council and appointments recommended by Cabinet, and prorogues or dissolves each session of Parliament. In his community role, the Lieutenant Governor represents the people of Ontario and acts as the Province's official host, welcoming world leaders and diplomats. He annually hosts or attends hundreds of community events throughout Ontario. He promotes themes or issues associated with accessibility for people with visible and invisible disabilities, as well enhancing literacy opportunities for Aboriginal youth.  He presents honours and awards to outstanding Ontarians and, on request, sends messages for special celebrations and congratulations for birthdays of 90 years and over, and for wedding anniversaries of 50 years and over.

Major Functions

Representing the Crown in Ontario

• Ensures that the democratic will of Ontarians and their elected representatives are respected by performing various roles such as summoning the Legislative Assembly to meet, outlining the Government’s legislative plans in the Speech from the Throne, providing Royal Assent to Bills to signify that they have completed all the necessary parliamentary steps required to enable them to become law, proroguing (ending a sitting) of the Assembly, and dissolving the Legislative Assembly which results in a provincial election.
• Appoints the Premier by determining which party has the support of the Legislative Assembly and officiates at the swearing-in of Ministers who are nominated by the Premier.  The Lieutenant Governor also accepts the resignation of an outgoing Premier and ensures that the will of the elected Legislative Assembly is respected in the event when a Government has lost the support of the House or the electorate.  The Lieutenant Governor also has the responsibility to ensure there is a Premier and Government in the event of parliamentary stalemate and that the unwritten constitutional conventions of responsible parliamentary government are respected.
• Welcomes The Queen and members of Canada’s and other countries’ Royal Families, world leaders and their diplomatic representatives (High Commissioners, Ambassadors and Consuls-General), and acts as their official host, thereby providing opportunities for them to gain an appreciation of Canada, the province and its people.  This is done with the assistance of the Office of International Relations and Protocol in the Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs.
• Approves decisions of the Executive Council (i.e., the Cabinet) and appointments to give them the force of law, as well as approving other official documents, thus signifying the end of an approval process started in various Ministries.  In so doing, the Lieutenant Governor acts on the advice of elected officials but can exercise the right to be consulted, to encourage, to advise and caution.  In 2007, the Lieutenant Governor approved 2,145 Orders-In-Council, 745 Crown Land Registry documents and gave Royal Assent 5 times for a total of 16 Bills.

Supporting Community Initiatives

• Acts as a host for events in the life of the people of Ontario, which are held at Queen’s Park and attends events, which are organized by diverse community, educational, volunteer, business and other groups throughout the province.  The Lieutenant Governor annually undertakes a large number of events in order to fulfil his role as The Queen’s representative. 
• Represents the people of Ontario and the characteristics of the province, rather than the policies of the government of the day, and provides leadership by lending the dignity of the office to worthwhile causes. 

When the Lieutenant Governor was appointed The Queen’s representative in Ontario, his concern for people with disabilities became front-page news.  And when he was installed on September 5th, 2007, Ontario’s 28th Lieutenant Governor became a highly placed champion for accessibility.

In his installation speech he defined “accessibility as that which enables a person to achieve their full potential”.  As such, the Lieutenant Governor is promoting themes associated with visible/invisible, socio-economic and equity aspects of accessibility.

He will focus attention on accessibility for persons with visible and non-visible disabilities, as well socio-economic accessibility to employment opportunities so that all people will be able to fulfil their personal and professional aspirations.

The Lieutenant Governor is continuing the four Aboriginal Literacy Programs (the book drives, school twinning programs, summer reading camps and “Club Amick” book program) that were established by his predecessor for the fly-in First Nation communities of Ontario’s far north.  His Honour also announced that he will be building on these existing programs by initiating a computer literacy program for these same communities.

Since 1888, Ontario Lieutenant Governors have granted patronage to notable provincial organizations.  The current Lieutenant Governor is continuing this tradition by lending his support to a wide range of non-profit organizations as their Honorary Patron.  This broadly based patronage reflects his wish to celebrate the contributions of all Ontarians, including those with disabilities.

In January 2008, His Honour issued an appeal for Ontarians to contribute new children’s books to refresh the First Nation libraries that his predecessor established in 2004.  Key partners in the initiative were the Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto Police Services and the Department of National Defence. Ontarians responded enthusiastically to the Lieutenant Governor’s 2008 Book Drive by donating 40,000 new books.

Recognizing Excellence

• Presents Orders, Decorations, Medals and Awards to outstanding Ontarians in cooperation with the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.  The Lieutenant Governor presents the Order of Ontario; the Ontario Medals for Good Citizenship, for Police Bravery, for Firefighter Bravery and for Young Volunteers; the Lincoln M. Alexander Award; the Senior Achievement Awards and Community Action Awards.
• Presents national honours on the request of the Governor General, as well as other awards on behalf of many organizations throughout the province. 
• Demonstrating Public Leadership
• Provides leadership in the community through lending the dignity and prestige of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office to worthwhile causes and through conferring vice-regal patronage to events, initiatives and more than 90 organizations.
• Congratulates Ontario residents and their organizations on important occasions, sends greetings to mark birthdays, anniversaries, conferences and special events as well as messages of sympathy on behalf of all citizens.
• Represents the people of Ontario and the characteristics of the province, rather than the policies of the government of the day.
• Under section 67 of the Constitution Act, 1867, if the Lieutenant Governor is absent from the province, is ill, or otherwise unable to perform his constitutional responsibilities, the Administrator of the Government executes his office and functions.  The Governor General-in-Council appoints the Administrator.  The Chief Justice of Ontario, by tradition, holds a standing appointment as the Administrator, assisted from time to time by the Chief and Associate Chief Justices of the Ontario Court.
• Staffing Summary
• The Office of the Lieutenant Governor is located at Queen’s Park and is resourced for ten (10) full time equivalents.  The Office coordinates, supports and promotes the activities of His Honour in undertaking his constitutional, ceremonial, social and community activities.  The Office also arranges for and supports the Administrator of the Government, when necessary.
• The Chief of Staff and Private Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor reports to the Lieutenant Governor.  The other nine staff members report to the Chief of Staff.  An organizational chart is included on the following page.
• More than 60 volunteers, including military, police and civilian Aides-de-Camp also assist the Lieutenant Governor.  Each year, volunteers contribute more than 4,000 hours (more than two full time equivalents) to a variety of functions including accompanying His Honour to community events throughout Ontario, assisting during events hosted by the Lieutenant Governor at Queen’s Park; programming the Internet site; and helping with correspondence and mailings and archiving official documents.
• In addition, the Office is supported with summer interns from various non-profit organizations to complement the resources provided by the Government.

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

Legislation

The Constitution Act, 1867, as well as Federal and Provincial legislation directly governs the operation of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.  The Ontario Provincial legislation applying to this office is the:  Lieutenant Governor Act

Lieutenant Governor Act

R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER L.13

Powers vested in Lieutenant Governor

1. In matters within the jurisdiction of the Legislature, all powers, authorities and functions that, in respect of like matters, were vested in or exercisable by the governors or lieutenant governors of the several provinces now forming part of Canada or any of the provinces, under commissions, instructions or otherwise, at or before the passing of the Constitution Act, 1867, are, so far as the Legislature has power thus to enact, vested in and exercisable by the Lieutenant Governor or Administrator for the time being of the Province of Ontario, in the name of Her Majesty or otherwise as the case requires, subject always to the Royal Prerogative as heretofore.  R.S.O. 1990, c. L.13, s. 1.

Power to remit sentences

2. Section 1 shall be deemed to include the power of commuting and remitting sentences for offences against the laws of Ontario or offences over which the legislative authority of the Province of Ontario extends.  R.S.O. 1990, c. L.13, s. 2.

Lieutenant Governor a corporation sole

3. The Lieutenant Governor for the time being is a corporation sole, and all bonds, recognizances and other instruments by law required to be taken to the Lieutenant Governor in his or her public capacity shall be taken to him or her by the name of the office of Lieutenant Governor, and may be sued for and recovered by him or her by the name of the office of Lieutenant Governor, and the same shall not in any case go to or vest in the personal representatives of the Lieutenant Governor during whose government the same were so taken.  R.S.O. 1990, c. L.13, s. 3.

Power to appoint deputies for certain purposes

4. .The Lieutenant Governor may, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, from time to time appoint any person or persons, jointly or severally, to be his or her deputy or deputies for Ontario or any part or parts thereof, for the purpose of executing marriage licences, money warrants and commissions under any Act of the Legislature.  R.S.O. 1990, c. L.13, s. 4.

 

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Planned Expenditures 2008-09

The Queen of Canada, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State, represented in Ontario by the Lieutenant Governor.

The Lieutenant Governor, the nominal Head of State at the provincial level, is empowered with the constitutional and representational responsibilities of the Crown in the Province.

Table 1: Planned Expenditures 2008-09

Financial Summary by Vote
 
Table 2: Operating Summary by Vote