Johnston was born and raised in
Ontario, studying there before enrolling at
Harvard University and later
Cambridge and
Queen's universities. He went on to work as a professor at various post-secondary institutions in Canada, eventually serving administrative roles as dean of law at the
University of Western Ontario, principal of
McGill University, and president of the
University of Waterloo. At the same time, Johnston involved himself with politics and public service, moderating political debates and chairing commissions in both the federal and provincial spheres, his most renowned position in that field being the chairmanship of the inquiry into the
Airbus affair. He was in 2010 appointed as governor general by then monarch Queen
Elizabeth II, on the recommendation of then
Prime Minister of CanadaStephen Harper, to replace
Michaëlle Jean as viceroy[3] and he occupied the post until succeeded by
Julie Payette in 2017.
Johnston graduated high school and moved on to
Harvard University in 1959,[9][10] earning his Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in 1963.[4] While at Harvard, under the coaching of
Cooney Weiland, Johnston
captained the
varsityice hockey team, was twice selected to the
All-America team,[11] and met and befriended
Erich Segal,[12] the two becoming jogging partners.[9] In 1970, Segal wrote the best-selling novel Love Story, basing a character in the book—Davey, a captain of the hockey team—on Johnston.[6][11] Johnston suffered three concussions from playing football and hockey; he was told by his doctor to either wear a helmet (at a time when they were unpopular) or stop playing hockey.[13]
Upon completing his degree at Harvard, Johnston again looked at an NHL career, contemplating attending the
Boston Bruins training camp.[7][14] Instead, he attended
Trinity Hall, Cambridge, obtaining a
Bachelor of Laws with honours in 1965, and another with first class honours from
Queen's University in 1966.[4] During that period, Johnston married his high school sweetheart,
Sharon, with whom he has five daughters.[15][6] Johnston was hired by
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, but never worked for the firm, instead taking a one-year leave of absence, which continues to today.[7]
It was also during Johnston's time at McGill, in 1981, that he went on the first of what would be a dozen visits to China as a university president.[17][18][19][20] At an Innovation Forum held at Nanking University on 21 October, 2013, Johnston described "Nanjing University [as his] second home and [his] home away from home."[19]
Johnston stepped down in 1994 as principal of McGill to remain at the university only as a law professor until he was, in 1999, installed as the fifth President of the
University of Waterloo. During that period, the couple acquired a home in
Heidelberg, Ontario,[21] and began operating an adjacent horse training ranch, Chatterbox Farm.[22] Johnston, in 2006, along with
Jim Balsillie and the Mayor of Waterloo, established a Waterloo Steering Committee to "educate business leaders, academics, and citizens about the challenges Waterloo faces and engage them in setting goals for educational achievement, access to services, investment in infrastructure, and social inclusion."[23] At the university, Johnston forged academic exchanges with universities and technological institutes.[24][25] With his "strong support",[26][27] the University of Waterloo established a
Confucius Institute and Sino-Canadian College in partnership with Nanjing University in 2005.[28][29][30][31]
Investigations commissioned by both federal and provincial
Crowns-in-Council have been chaired by Johnston, starting with the
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy in the late 1980s,[34] followed by the National Task Force on High Speed Broadband Access, the Committee on Information Systems for the Environment, the Advisory Committee on Online Learning, Ontario's Infertility and Adoption Review Panel between 2008 and 2009, and other scientific or public policy panels.[35] He also sat on the Ontario government's Task Force on Management of Large Scale Information and Information Technology Projects and an Ontario Ministry of Health panel investigating "smart systems." Johnston further served on various corporate
boards of directors, including those of
Fairfax Financial Holdings,
CGI Group, Dominion Textiles,
Southam Incorporated,
SPAR Aerospace,
Seagram's, and
Canada Trust, among others,[35] and on March 22, 2010, was named to the Board of Governors of the
Stratford Shakespeare Festival.[36] He is the only non-American citizen to chair the
Harvard Board of Overseers.[21]
On November 14, 2007, Johnston was appointed by
Governor GeneralMichaëlle Jean, on the
advice of Prime Minister
Stephen Harper, as an independent adviser and charged with drafting for the
Cabinet the terms of reference for the
public inquiry, known as the Oliphant Commission, into the
Airbus affair.[34] This appointment itself, however, was criticized by the independent citizens' group
Democracy Watch as a conflict of interest, given that Johnston had once reported directly to Mulroney during the latter's time as prime minister.[37] Johnston completed his report on January 11, 2008, listing seventeen questions of interest for further investigation.[38] He did not, however, include as a subject the awarding of the
Airbus contract, on the basis that this aspect had already been investigated by the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police, prompting criticism from opposition members of parliament and accusations that Johnston had acted as the Prime Minister's man.[39] This intensified after it was later revealed that Mulroney had accepted $300,000 in cash from
Karlheinz Schreiber, but Oliphant could not examine any possible link between that payment and Airbus due to the narrow scope of the commission's mandate.[40] Others, though, such as Peter George, then-president of
McMaster University,[41] and subsequently the editorial board of The Globe and Mail,[42] as well as
Andrew Coyne in Maclean's,[43] defended Johnston, detailing his integrity and independence. Johnston's role as special adviser was parodied by
Roger Abbott on the January 11, 2008, airing of Air Farce Live.[44]
For this corporate, government, charitable, and academic work, Johnston was in 1988 appointed to the
Order of Canada as an Officer; he was promoted within the order to the rank of Companion in 1997.[45] Johnston also gained a reputation as a non-partisan individual,[6][46] but has expressed explicit support for
Canadian federalism, having written a book opposing
Quebec separatism, If Quebec Goes: The Real Cost of Separation.[47] He has also published numerous books on law, chapters in other volumes, magazine articles, and aided in writing legislation.[48] and sat as the co-chair of the Montreal No Committee during the
1995 Quebec referendum on independence.[46][47]
A special search committee convened by the Prime Minister recommended Johnston for the viceregal position; the group was headed by Sheila-Marie Cook,
secretary to the Governor General,[51] and further consisted of
Kevin MacLeod,[11] the
Canadian Secretary to the Queen,
Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada, and parliament's top protocol officer;
Christopher Manfredi, dean of the Faculty of Arts at McGill University;
Rainer Knopff, a political scientist at the University of Calgary; Father
Jacques Monet, of the Canadian Institute of Jesuit Studies; and Christopher McCreery, historian and private secretary to the
Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.[42][52] The committee conducted extensive national consultations with over 200 people including academics, sitting and retired political leaders of all political persuasions including provincial premiers, current and former political party leaders, former prime ministers and others in order to develop a short list of candidates for the position.[50][51][53] Also on the short list were other distinguished Canadians, including
John de Chastelain and
John Fraser.[53]
The press in Quebec generally focused on Johnston's ties to
McGill University and his prominent role during the
1995 Quebec referendum. The president of
Quebec's Conseil de la souveraineté, Gérald Larose, declared Johnston to be an "adversary" of
Quebec independence and Mario Beaulieu, head of the
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society, called the nomination of Johnston "partisan" and the governor general-designate himself a "federalist extremist",[47] statements that columnist
Richard Martineau criticized for creating a "fake scandal", since any Governor General of Canada would advocate for Canadian unity.[47] In addition, Johnston's low profile was expected to result in less criticism directed at the governor general's office, compared to his two predecessors.[56]
The Queen issued on September 3, 2010, under the
royal sign-manual and
Great Seal of Canada, her commission naming Johnston as her next Canadian representative and,[57] three days later, Johnston attended an
audience with the Queen during a two-day stay at
Balmoral Castle. At that time he was invested by the monarch as a Commander of both the
Order of Military Merit and
Order of Merit of the Police Forces.[58] Johnston then announced to the media that there would be a theme to his installation ceremony: A call to service; he elaborated: "This theme of service echoes that of Her Majesty the Queen's 2010 visit 'Honouring the Canadian Record of Service—Past, Present and Future,' and illustrates how the governor general exemplifies the Canadian value of service to community and country."[59]
Governor General of Canada
First months
Johnston's swearing-in took place on
Parliament Hill, in
Ottawa, on October 1, 2010.[60] At his request, the ceremony included Johnston and his wife meeting 143 Canadians (one for each year passed since
Confederation), especially from the
Canadian Forces and young people,[61] and collecting 26 red and white roses from 13 individuals, one from each of Canada's 10 provinces and 3 territories. On the return coach ride from Parliament Hill to
Rideau Hall, the viceregal couple stopped to lay the bouquet at the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.[62]
One of Johnston's first duties as governor general was to perform the rare task of revoking the
commissioning scrolls of an officer of Her Majesty's Canadian Forces,[63] on October 22, 2010, at the direction of the
Chief of the Defence Staff, stripping the recently convicted murderer and rapist
Russell Williams of his rank of
colonel and releasing him from duty under "service misconduct".[64] On November 4, the Governor General made his first visit to Afghanistan to meet with
Canadian troops serving there and the
Afghan forces they were training;[65] similar visits to Afghanistan followed through Johnston's tenure, including a
Christmas spent with Canadian Forces personnel stationed at Camp Alamo and Camp Black Horse,[66] as did meetings with members of the military in other locations overseas.[67]
The speech Johnston delivered on August 14, 2011, to the
Canadian Bar Association's annual meeting in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, attracted media attention[70] for its criticism of the legal profession: the Governor General lamented unnecessary and deliberate legal delays across Canada, the role of unscrupulous American lawyers in the unfolding of the
global financial crisis, and said the profession was losing the public's trust.[70][71] These comments were noted for being unusually controversial for a viceroy, but Johnston's colleagues and the editorial board of The Globe and Mail found the Governor General's words to be both unsurprising and welcome.[71][72]
In keeping with his focus on education, the Governor General, beginning in his early months in office and continuing throughout his time there, visited a number of universities across Canada, attending conferences, delivering lectures, and speaking at
convocations.[73][74][75] He also carried this theme on during his state and official visits to foreign countries, including in his itinerary, among other events, tours of early education facilities, delivering addresses at universities and colleges, and meetings with economic and social development groups, as well as education ministers.[13][76][77] He was also sometimes accompanied by Canadian university and college presidents.[13]
Queen's Diamond Jubilee, First Nations issues, and the War of 1812
On
Accession Day, February 6, 2012, Johnston took part in events launching Diamond Jubilee Week, marking the
60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the Canadian throne.[78][79] He thereafter participated in related commemorations, parties, and unveilings of monuments all across the country, throughout the year, as well as during a working visit to the Commonwealth realm Barbados between a visit to Brazil and a state visit to Trinidad and Tobago.[76][80] Johnston later hosted Prince
Charles, Prince of Wales, and
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, on their tour of parts of Canada for the jubilee celebration and, in June, travelled to London, UK, to take part in various events held there for the jubilee.[81][82] He then returned to London between July 25 and 30, to attend the
Summer Olympics.[83]
In January 2012, the Governor General opened the
Crown-First Nations summit in Ottawa and at Rideau Hall hosted a meeting with First Nations youth leaders.[84][85][86] By the end of the year, in the midst of the First Nations'
Idle No More movement, national focus was turned partly on Johnston after Chief of the
Attawapiskat First NationTheresa Spence began a protest, deemed a "
hunger strike", against certain First Nations-related actions by the federal government and parliament and vowed publicly to continue until both Prime Minister Harper and the Governor General together met with her.[87] The
Assembly of First Nations also on December 16 issued an
open letter the Governor General calling for a meeting to discuss Spence's demands.[88] A meeting between the Prime Minister, other Cabinet ministers, First Nations chiefs, and representatives of the Assembly of First Nations took place on January 11, 2013, but Johnston declined to attend, as "it was not appropriate" for the representative of a
constitutional monarch to publicly participate in discussions on government policy.[89] This, along with other factors, led Spence and other chiefs to boycott the Prime Minister's conference, though she did attend the meeting and ceremony for First Nations chiefs that Johnston hosted at Rideau Hall the same evening.[90][91] Spence declared after that she was not satisfied with the content of that gathering, vowed to continue her protest,[90] and she and the Governor General communicated directly via letter.[92] Spence ended her protest on January 24, 2013, though the demand for a meeting of First Nations chiefs, Cabinet ministers, and the Governor General together remained in a declaration signed by Spence and two leaders in
Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.[93]
The bicentennial of the commencement of the
War of 1812 was also marked by various official events attended by the Governor General. During the royal tour, Johnston and Prince Charles were on May 22 at a military event at
Fort York in Toronto and Johnston was also in the region of
Niagara-on-the-Lake on June 16,[94][95] for various events at
Queenston Heights, the
Laura Secord homestead, and
Fort George, to "launch 1,000 days of commemorations".[96] A War of 1812 National Recognition Ceremony was also conducted at Rideau Hall on October 25, 2012, at which the Governor General presented special medals and a banner to leaders of First Nations and
Métis communities with historical ties to the War of 1812.[97]
The Governor General served as an honorary witness in the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission.[98] When the commission's work was completed in December 2015, Johnston presided over a closing ceremony at Rideau Hall,[99] which book-ended the commission along with the opening ceremony hosted by Johnston's viceregal predecessor.[98] He called for expanded education about the
residential school system and said "this is a moment for national reflection and introspection... to think about the depth of our commitment to tolerance, respect and inclusiveness, and whether we can do better. This is a moment to think about those people – those children, those mothers and fathers, those families and those elders, past and present. And it's also a moment to ask: where do we go from here?"[100]
Columnist John Robson said Johnston displayed a "manifest sympathy for aboriginal causes".[101] However, the Governor General drew criticism on
social media as a consequence of his saying, in an interview on the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's radio show The House, on June 17, 2017, that "we're a country based on immigration, going right back to our, quote, Indigenous people, unquote, who were immigrants as well, 10, 12, 14,000 years ago",[102] referring to the
migration of humans acrossBeringia.[103] Johnston explained he misspoke and apologized for his statement during a ceremony at Rideau Hall to honour leadership on Indigenous issues.[102]
Education promotion and charitable foundations
Johnston was credited with encouraging his Prime Minister to reinvigorate the federal government's promotion of international educational cooperation. Johnston was advised by Harper to lead an Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada to Brazil in 2012 to participate in a hemispheric conference on international education, hoping it would "lead to more Brazilians choosing Canada as their preferred place to conduct research and study."[104]
As part of his efforts to promote education and research, Johnston, beginning in 2012, annually hosted the
Killiam Award Symposium at Rideau Hall.[105] In regard to philanthropy, the Governor General established in late 2013 the Rideau Hall Foundation, a charitable group meant to aid the viceroy in connecting and honouring Canadians, enhancing Canadian identity, and increasing potential for excellence with the aid of certain partners. Johnston then launched, via the foundation, the My Giving Moment campaign, encouraging Canadians to donate their time and/or money.[106] He was aided in the launch by
George Stroumboulopoulos, who interviewed the Governor General on his show George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight.[107] Johnston stated near the end of his tenure that he would remain as chairman of the Rideau Hall Foundation after his successor took office.[7]
In late 2016, the Governor General hosted a conference on concussions, declaring head injuries in sports to be a "public health issue",[7] and criticized the NHL's position on fighting in hockey.[108] This followed on his remark made in early 2012 to the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that hockey should be made safer by redesigning hard-plastic equipment, eliminating head shots and high-sticking, and eliminating fighting,[8] which he said in a later interview was "eroding the game".[13] He called on the NHL to hold a summit on fighting and concussions. While Johnston did speak with
NHL CommissionerGary Bettman and the deputy commissioners about a two-day conference that would, with the involvement of medical experts and individuals associated with hockey, decide on new game rules, the group of people involved became too large to manage. Johnston instead turned his attention to the
Amateur Hockey Association of Canada and raising awareness among parents.[108]
Johnston accepted an invitation, offered in March 2015, to stay in the viceregal office until September 2017.[110] This was considered desirable in order to ensure that an experienced viceroy was in-place should the
2015 Canadian federal election result in a
minority government or otherwise be inconclusive.[111][112] By the end of his tenure, Johnston became the longest-serving governor general since
Georges Vanier.[113] It was also thought worthwhile for Johnston to remain in office for the
Canada 150 celebrations.[7]
As part of his viceregal duties, Johnston undertook two state visits to
China, where he met with
Chinese PresidentXi Jinping. The first, in October 2013, came shortly after Xi had become president, and overlapped with visits by cabinet ministers, and was aimed at smoothing relations and promoting the government's economic agenda.[114][115] During the trip, Johnston also met with several Chinese officials, including Premier Li Keqiang, to discuss ways to deepen educational and cultural ties between Canada and China.[116][117]
The second, in July 2017, was part of a goodwill mission ahead of exploratory trade talks.[115][118][119] His second trip received criticism from journalists, as it happened while Chinese dissident
Liu Xiaobo died in custody.[119][120] Johnston stated to
CTV News after the 2017 visit that he had discussed the matter of Liu and human rights with Xi.[115]
As governor general, Johnston hosted over 600 events at either Rideau Hall or La Citadelle and, as commander-in-chief, attended 330 military events. Within Canada, Johnston visited more than 130 communities and, as part of the country's international relations, he led more than 50 international visits, making him the most travelled governor general in Canadian history. Conversely, he hosted approximately five dozen foreign dignitaries on state and working visits to Canada. The Governor General delivered over 1,400 speeches and awarded tens of thousands of honours, medals, and special commemorations and welcomed 1.5 million Canadians to Rideau Hall and the Citadel.[7]
Legacy as Governor General
On September 27, 2017, in the week of his departure, Johnston presided over a military farewell ceremony and
military parade by a 100-man
guard of honour from the
Canadian Armed Forces at the
Aviation and Space Museum.[121] There, he stated, "serving as governor general is a responsibility I have cherished for the past seven years. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to give back to this country I love so much."[122] A few days before Johnston completed his service, Trudeau described him as a family friend, "a man of strength, intelligence and compassion."[123][124] The Government of Canada will donate $3 million, and up to $7 million in matching funds over 10 years, to the
Rideau Hall Foundation, a charity founded by Johnston.[122] Its goal, he said, "is to gather, align and mobilize ideas, people and resources to move the Canadian spirit and our shared aspirations forward".[125]
Shortly after the end of his viceregal tenure, Johnston joined the consulting firm
Deloitte as an executive advisor.[127] Johnston also holds a volunteer position as chair of the
Rideau Hall Foundation, the charity he established in 2012.[127] Johnston has been a member of the
Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation since 2018.[128] Johnston was appointed colonel of the
Royal Canadian Regiment on August 4, 2018, succeeding Major-General (Retired) J. Ivan Fenton.[129]
In October 2018, Johnston was nominated to be the first commissioner of the
Leaders' Debates Commission by the
Cabinet headed by
Justin Trudeau.[130] Johnston was subsequently confirmed to the position.[131][132] However, he resigned the post after Trudeau,[133] on March 15, 2023, chose Johnston to act as
special rapporteur investigating
Chinese government interference in the
2019 and
2021 Canadian federal elections.[134][135] Politicians and journalists voiced both disapproval—concerns mainly focusing on Johnston's relationship with the
Trudeau family, membership in the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, and state visits to China he made as governor general[143]—and approval—citing his experience as a legal scholar and dean of law and the trust placed on him by Harper to act as an impartial referee while serving as governor general during a period of parliamentary instability.[147] Johnston said that he felt "privileged" to have been appointed and described attempts to undermine the country’s democracy as "serious matters".[148] In a report published in May 2023, Johnston argued that a public inquiry would be of little use in a case involving so much confidential information, an opinion for which he was sharply criticised.[149] Following a parliamentary motion calling for Johnston to step down from his role, which passed 174–150 on May 29,[150] he tendered his resignation on June 9, 2023.[1][2]
Honours and arms
Viceregal styles of David Lloyd Johnston (2010–2017)
Just prior to his installation as governor general, Johnston was granted a personal
coat of arms.
Adopted
September 24, 2010
Crest
A candle Argent enflamed and within a stand Or flanked by four closed books their spines palewise, two Gules and two Or, all set on a closed book bound Or its edge fesswise Argent.
Escutcheon
Argent fretty Sable, on a chief Gules the Royal Crown between two open books Or
Supporters
Two unicorns Gules, armed, maned, tufted, unguled, each charged on the shoulder with an astrolabe Or
Compartment
a grassy mount Or set with two feet Gules winged Sable and in base a bar wavy Sable inscribed with zeros and ones Or
Motto
Contemplare Meliora (lit. To envisage better things)
Orders
The ribbon and insignia of a Companion of the
Order of Canada. Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam (They desire a better country)
Symbolism
The interlaced pattern symbolizes the central role of family and other relationships in his life, as well as his interest in communication networks and his belief in the interconnectedness of knowledge; it also touches on the importance he puts on order and organization. The crown is the traditional symbol of the Governor general. The books refer to knowledge and education, but also to the law. The five books of the crest stand for Johnston's five daughters while the candle refers to enlightenment and the transmission of knowledge. The shield's general design and colours are inspired from various Scottish Johnston arms.
The unicorns symbolize dreams, imagination, purity and faithfulness, and their colour stands for Canada. The astrolabe is a reference to intellectual exploration and the rich background of Canadian explorers going back to
Jacques Cartier. Their winged feet are traditionally attributed to
Hermes. In addition to alluding to communication (also referred to in the
zeros and ones, more specifically referring to digital media), they also evoke fitness and sports. The binary code reflects the flow of information in modern society.[204]
The Motto is an allusion to a line in George Bernard Shaw's Back to Methuselah ("You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'").
^
abcdJohnston, David (December 2008),
Curriculum Vitae(PDF), University of Waterloo, p. 1, archived from
the original(PDF) on September 23, 2010, retrieved January 9, 2015
^General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor (September 27, 2017).
"Farewell Military Parade". The Governor General of Canada. Archived from
the original on December 7, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2019.