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The Right Honourable Senator Roméo LeBlanc PC, CC, CMM, CD (born December 18, 1927 in Memramcook, New Brunswick) is a former Governor General of Canada.
LeBlanc was apppointed Governor General on February 8, 1995, the first Acadian and the first person from the Maritimes to hold that post. He resigned from the position in 1999, citing health reasons.
Earlier career
LeBlanc was a teacher, before becoming a journalist. After working for Radio-Canada, he served as press secretary for two Prime Ministers: Lester B. Pearson and Pierre Trudeau.
He was first elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal Member of Parliament in 1972. He served as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans through most of the 1970s under Prime Minster Pierre Trudeau. He was appointed to the Senate in 1984, and became its Speaker in 1993.
As Governor-General
His appointment as Governor General on the recommendation of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was criticized by some as being little more than a patronage gift. In the 1993 federal election, LeBlanc had been one of the chief architects of the Liberal Party's election strategy, and was one of the most fierce partisans. In 1995, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. Others approved of the appointment as Governor-general of a francophone from outside of Quebec.
His term as Canada's vice-roy is considered to have been "low key", especially in comparison to that of his successor, Adrienne Clarkson.
His son, Dominic LeBlanc became a Liberal Member of Parliament in 2000.
| Preceded by: Ramon John Hnatyshyn | Governor General of Canada 1995–1999 | Succeeded by: Adrienne Clarkson External links
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