Johnston was born and raised inOntario, studying there before enrolling atHarvard University and laterCambridge andQueen'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 theUniversity of Western Ontario, principal ofMcGill University, and president of theUniversity 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 theAirbus affair. He was in 2010 appointed as governor general by then monarch QueenElizabeth II, on the recommendation of thenprime minister of CanadaStephen Harper, to replaceMichaëlle Jean as viceroy[3] and he occupied the post until succeeded byJulie Payette in 2017.
Johnston graduated from high school and moved on toHarvard University in 1959,[9][10] earning his Bachelor of Arts degree,magna cum laude, in 1963.[4] While at Harvard, under the coaching ofCooney Weiland, Johnstoncaptained thevarsityice hockey team, was twice selected to theAll-America team,[11] and met and befriendedErich Segal,[12] the two becoming jogging partners.[9] In 1970, Segal wrote the best-selling novelLove 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 theBoston Bruins training camp.[7][14] Instead, he attendedTrinity Hall, Cambridge, obtaining aBachelor of Laws with honours in 1965, and another with first class honours fromQueen'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 byOsler, 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 theUniversity of Waterloo. During that period, the couple acquired a home inHeidelberg, Ontario,[21] and began operating an adjacent horse training ranch,Chatterbox Farm.[22] Johnston, in 2006, along withJim 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 aConfucius Institute and Sino-Canadian College in partnership with Nanjing University in 2005.[28][29][30][31]
Investigations commissioned by both federal and provincialCrowns-in-Council have been chaired by Johnston, starting with theNational 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 corporateboards of directors, including those ofFairfax Financial Holdings,CGI Group, Dominion Textiles,Southam Incorporated,SPAR Aerospace,Seagram's, andCanada Trust, among others,[35] and on March 22, 2010, was named to the Board of Governors of theStratford Shakespeare Festival.[36] He is the only non-American citizen to chair theHarvard Board of Overseers.[21]
On November 14, 2007, Johnston was appointed byGovernor GeneralMichaëlle Jean, on theadvice of Prime MinisterStephen Harper, as an independent adviser and charged with drafting for theCabinet the terms of reference for thepublic inquiry, known as the Oliphant Commission, into theAirbus affair.[34] This appointment itself, however, was criticized by the independent citizens' groupDemocracy 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 theAirbus contract, on the basis that this aspect had already been investigated by theRoyal 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 fromKarlheinz 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 ofMcMaster University,[41] and subsequently the editorial board ofThe Globe and Mail,[42] as well asAndrew Coyne inMaclean's,[43] defended Johnston, detailing his integrity and independence. Johnston's role as special adviser was parodied byRoger Abbott on the January 11, 2008, airing ofAir Farce Live.[44]
For this corporate, government, charitable, and academic work, Johnston was in 1988 appointed to theOrder 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 forCanadian federalism, having written a book opposingQuebec 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 the1995 Quebec referendum on independence.[46][47]
The press in Quebec generally focused on Johnston's ties toMcGill University and his prominent role during the1995 Quebec referendum. The president ofQuebec'sConseil de la souveraineté, Gérald Larose, declared Johnston to be an "adversary" ofQuebec independence and Mario Beaulieu, head of theSaint-Jean-Baptiste Society, called the nomination of Johnston "partisan" and the governor general-designate himself a "federalist extremist",[47] statements that columnistRichard 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 theroyal sign-manual andGreat Seal of Canada, her commission naming Johnston as her next Canadian representative and,[57] three days later, Johnston attended anaudience with the queen during a two-day stay atBalmoral Castle. At that time he was invested by the monarch as a commander of both theOrder of Military Merit andOrder 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]
Johnston's swearing-in took place onParliament Hill, inOttawa, on October 1, 2010.[60] At his request, the ceremony included Johnston and his wife meeting 143 Canadians (one for each year passed sinceConfederation), especially from theCanadian 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 toRideau Hall, the viceregal couple stopped to lay the bouquet at theTomb of the Unknown Soldier.[62]
One of Johnston's first duties as governor general was to perform the rare task of revoking thecommissioning scrolls of an officer of Her Majesty's Canadian Forces,[63] on October 22, 2010, at the direction of thechief of the defence staff, stripping the recently convicted murderer and rapistRussell Williams of his rank ofcolonel and releasing him from duty under "service misconduct".[64] On November 4, the governor general made his first visit to Afghanistan to meet withCanadian troops serving there and theAfghan forces they were training;[65] similar visits to Afghanistan followed through Johnston's tenure, including aChristmas 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]
Johnston withMarina Kaljurand, Ambassador to Canada for Estonia, at Rideau Hall, December 1, 2011
The speech Johnston delivered on August 14, 2011, to theCanadian Bar Association's annual meeting inHalifax, 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 the2008 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 ofThe 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 atconvocations.[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
OnAccession Day, February 6, 2012, Johnston took part in events launching Diamond Jubilee Week, marking the60th 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 PrinceCharles, Prince of Wales, andCamilla, 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 theSummer Olympics.[83]
In January 2012, the governor general opened theCrown-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 theAttawapiskat 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] TheAssembly of First Nations also on December 16 issued anopen 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 aconstitutional 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 inHer Majesty's Loyal Opposition.[93]
The bicentennial of the commencement of theWar 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 atFort York in Toronto and Johnston was also in the region ofNiagara-on-the-Lake on June 16,[94][95] for various events atQueenston Heights, theLaura Secord homestead, andFort 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 andMétis communities with historical ties to the War of 1812.[97]
The Governor General served as an honorary witness in theTruth 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 theresidential 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 onsocial media as a consequence of his saying, in an interview on theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation's radio showThe 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 themigration 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]
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 theKilliam 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 byGeorge Stroumboulopoulos, who interviewed the governor general on his showGeorge 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 theCanadian 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 withNHL 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 theAmateur 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 the2015 Canadian federal election result in aminority government or otherwise be inconclusive.[111][112] By the end of his tenure, Johnston became the longest-serving governor general sinceGeorges Vanier.[113] It was also thought worthwhile for Johnston to remain in office for theCanada 150 celebrations.[7]
As part of his viceregal duties, Johnston undertook two state visits toChina, where he met withGeneral Secretary of the Chinese Communist PartyXi Jinping. The first, in October 2013, came shortly after Xi had become the CCP General Secretary as well as theparamount leader, 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 PremierLi 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 dissidentLiu Xiaobo died in custody.[119][120] Johnston stated toCTV 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]
On September 27, 2017, in the week of his departure, Johnston presided over a military farewell ceremony andmilitary parade by a 100-manguard of honour from theCanadian Armed Forces at theAviation 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 theRideau 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 firmDeloitte as an executive advisor.[127] Johnston also holds a volunteer position as chair of theRideau Hall Foundation, the charity he established in 2012.[127] Johnston has been a member of thePierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation since 2018.[128] Johnston was appointed colonel of theRoyal 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 theLeaders' Debates Commission by theCabinet headed byJustin 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 asspecial rapporteur investigatingChinese government interference in the2019 and2021 Canadian federal elections.[134][135] Politicians and journalists voiced both disapproval—concerns mainly focusing on Johnston's relationship with theTrudeau 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]
Just prior to his installation as governor general, Johnston was granted a personalcoat 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 (Latin for 'To envisage better things')
Orders
The ribbon and insignia of a Companion of theOrder 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 toJacques Cartier. Their winged feet are traditionally attributed toHermes. In addition to alluding to communication (also referred to in thezeros 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.[207]
The Motto is an allusion to a line in George Bernard Shaw'sBack 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 fromthe original(PDF) on September 23, 2010, retrievedJanuary 9, 2015
^General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor (September 27, 2017)."Farewell Military Parade".The Governor General of Canada. Archived fromthe original on December 7, 2019. RetrievedDecember 7, 2019.
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