Arbour appointed Canada's 31st governor-general

By Your Southwest Media Group

Canada's new governor-general has served as a judge in positions "that no Canadian had held before," a federal statement said.

Louise Arbour worked as a judge on the Ontario and Canadian supreme courts, served as chief prosecutor for international criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda and, more recently, in two United Nations positions.

King Charles has approved Arbour's appointment as this country's 31st governor-general, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday.

"Across more than five decades, the Honourable Louise Arbour gave voice to those whose dignity was denied, held institutions to account and changed lives through her service," Carney said in the statement.

"Ms. Arbour is a world-renowned legal scholar, judge and leader in human rights and justice," the statement said. "With a career of service spanning more than five decades, she has held nearly every office a Canadian jurist can hold, and several that no Canadian had held before."

She is a Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honour and one of almost 100 honours and awards she has received. Those include 42 honorary doctorates from universities around the world.

"Ms. Arbour's experience, judgement, moral clarity and conviction will serve Canada exceedingly well," Carney added, expressing "his deepest thanks" to outgoing Gov.-Gen. Mary Simon "for her exemplary tenure ... and for her lifetime of advocacy for Inuit rights, Indigenous self-determination and the preservation of Indigenous language, culture and identity."