Canadian order of precedence explained

The Canadian order of precedence is a nominal and symbolic hierarchy of important positions within the governing institutions of Canada. It has no legal standing, but is used to dictate ceremonial protocol.

The Department of Canadian Heritage issues a Table of Precedence for Canada,^[1] which does not include members of the royal family, save for the sovereign, mentioned in a note as preceding the governor general. The Department of National Defence issues near-identical guidelines, with the primary difference being the inclusion of members of the Canadian Royal Family,^[2] specifying that they take precedence after the governor-general. The provinces and territories of Canada also have their own orders of precedence for events of a provincial or territorial nature. They serve the same purpose and are structured similarly, but place an emphasis on provincial or territorial offices.

All units of the Canadian Armed Forces also have an order of precedence that determines seniority; it often decides such matters as which unit forms up to the right (senior side) of other units on a ceremonial parade, or the order in which marches or calls are played at a mess dinner.

1. King of Canada (King Charles III)^[3]
2. Governor General of Canada
3. Prime Minister of Canada
4. Chief Justice of Canada
5. Former Governors General of Canada in order of their departure from office:
   1. Ed Schreyer (1979–1984)
   2. Adrienne Clarkson (1999–2005)
   3. Michaëlle Jean (2005–2010)
   4. David Johnston (2010–2017)
   5. Julie Payette (2017–2021)
6. Widows of Governors General of Canada (as former viceregal consort of Canada):
   1. Diana Fowler LeBlanc, widow of Roméo LeBlanc
7. Former Prime Ministers of Canada in order of their first assumption of office:
   1. Joe Clark (1979–1980)
   2. Kim Campbell (1993)
   3. Jean Chrétien (1993–2003)
   4. Paul Martin (2003–2006)
   5. Stephen Harper (2006–2015)
8. Former Chief Justices of Canada, in order of their appointment
   1. Beverly McLachlin (2000–2017)
9. Speaker of the Senate of Canada
10. Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada
11. Representatives to Canada of foreign governments

Ambassadors and High Commissioners come first, in order of the presentation of their credentials; then come Ministers Plenipotentiary, and then Chargés d'affaires.

1. Members of the Canadian Ministry
   1. Members of the Cabinet:

The Table of Precedence for Canada prescribes that order of precedence within this group be determined in order of appointment to the King's Privy Council for Canada with ties broken by order of election to the House or appointment to the Senate.^[1] However, the current Canadian Ministry opted to use an alternative order that is determined by the Prime Minister.^[4]

1. 1. Ministers of State

In order of appointment to the King's Privy Council for Canada with ties broken by order of election to the House or appointment to the Senate.^[5]

1. Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition (Pierre Poilievre)
2. Lieutenant Governors of the provinces, in the order their province joined Confederation and by population at joining to break ties
   1. Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
   2. Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
   3. Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
   4. Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick
   5. Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
   6. Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
   7. Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island
   8. Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
   9. Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
   10. Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador
3. All other Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada in order with the date of their appointment to the Privy Council, but with precedence given to those who bear the title "Right Honourable" in accordance with the date of receiving the honorary title.^[6]
   1. List of current members of the King's Privy Council for Canada
4. Premiers of the provinces, in the order their province joined confederation and by population at joining to break ties
   1. Premier of Ontario
   2. Premier of Quebec
   3. Premier of Nova Scotia
   4. Premier of New Brunswick
   5. Premier of Manitoba
   6. Premier of British Columbia
   7. Premier of Prince Edward Island
   8. Premier of Saskatchewan
   9. Premier of Alberta
   10. Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
5. Commissioners of the Territories
   1. Commissioner of the Northwest Territories
   2. Commissioner of Yukon
   3. Commissioner of Nunavut
6. Premiers of the Territories
   1. Premier of the Northwest Territories
   2. Premier of Yukon
   3. Premier of Nunavut
7. Religious leaders, equally, by seniority

Limited to "senior Canadian representatives of faith communities having a significant presence in a relevant jurisdiction".

1. Puisne Judges of the Supreme Court
2. Superior court justices
   1. Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada
   2. Associate Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada
   3. Chief Justices of the highest court of each province and territory in order of date of appointment as chief justice
      • Chief Justice of Ontario
      • Chief Justice of Quebec
      • Chief Justice of Nova Scotia
      • Chief Justice of New Brunswick
      • Chief Justice of Manitoba
      • Chief Justice of British Columbia and Yukon
      • Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island
      • Chief Justice of Saskatchewan
      • Chief Justice of Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut
      • Chief Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador
   4. Chief Justices and Associate Chief Justices of other superior courts, in order of appointment as chief justice
      • Associate Chief Justice of Ontario
      • Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice
      • Associate Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice
      • Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
      • Senior Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
      • Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
      • Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
      • Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
      • Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, Family Division
      • Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of New Brunswick
      • Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Manitoba
      • Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Manitoba
      • Associate Chief Justice, Family Division, of the Court of King's Bench of Manitoba
      • Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
      • Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
      • Chief Justice of the Trial Division, Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island
      • Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench for Saskatchewan
      • Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta
      • Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta
      • Chief Justice of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland
      • Senior Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
      • Senior Judge of the Supreme Court of Yukon
      • Senior Judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice
   5. Federal and provincial superior court puisne justices
3. Senators

See List of current Canadian senators

1. Members of the House of Commons

See List of House members of the 44rd Parliament of Canada

1. Consuls General of Countries Without Diplomatic Representation
2. Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to Cabinet
3. Chief of the Defence Staff
4. Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Michael Duheme)
5. Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies of the Provinces and Territories
   1. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
   2. President of the National Assembly of Quebec
   3. Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
   4. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
   5. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
   6. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
   7. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
   8. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
   9. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
   10. Speaker of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
   11. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
   12. Speaker of the Yukon Legislative Assembly
   13. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut
6. Members of the Executive Councils of the Provinces and Territories
7. Judges of Provincial and Territorial Courts
8. Members of the Legislative Assemblies of the Provinces and Territories
9. Chairperson of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians

See also

• Canadian order of precedence (decorations and medals)
• Canadian Forces order of precedence
• Politics of Canada
• Removal from the Order of Canada

External links

• Department of Canadian Heritage: Table of Precedence for Canada
• The Honours, Flags and Heritage Structure of the Canadian Forces

Notes and References

1. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/protocol-guidelines-special-event/table-precedence-canada.html Department of Canadian Heritage: Table of Precedence for Canada
2. http://www.saskd.ca/heritage.pdf The Honours, Flags and Heritage Structure of the Canadian Forces
3. Footnote 1 of the Table of Precedence for Canada issued by the Department of Canadian Heritage states that the King is to be afforded precedence immediately before the Governor General. No other members of the Royal Family are listed in the table or mentioned in the footnotes. The Canadian Armed Forces protocol places members of the royal family immediately after the Governor General when they are in Canada. That protocol does not list a precedence within the royal family.
4. Web site: Cabinet .
5. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/federalgovernment/theministry.aspx?sortcolumn=precedence&sortdirection=asc The Ministry in order of precedence
6. Web site: Members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada . 2020-07-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160215221747/http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/index.asp?lang=eng&page=information&sub=council-conseil&doc=members-membres%2Fchronolog-eng.htm . 2016-02-15 . dead .