David Johnston

His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada
Johnston in 2011
28th Governor General of Canada
Incumbent
Assumed office October 1, 2010
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Stephen Harper Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Michaëlle Jean
More...
Personal details
Born	David Lloyd Johnston June 28, 1941 Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Spouse(s)	Sharon Johnston
Children	5
Alma mater	Harvard University University of Cambridge Queen's University
Profession	Academic Lawyer
Religion	Anglicanism
Signature

David Lloyd Johnston CC CMM COM CD FRSC(hon) FRCPSC(hon) (born June 28, 1941) is a Canadian academic, author, and statesman who is the current Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation.

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 Queen Elizabeth II, on the recommendation of then Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper, to replace Michaëlle Jean as viceroy.^[1] At the time, Johnston was predominantly praised as a worthy choice for the Queen's representative, though his appointment was denounced by some Quebec sovereigntists.

As governor general, Johnston is entitled to be styled His Excellency while in office and The Right Honourable for the duration of his viceregal tenure and beyond. Given current practice, he will be sworn into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada when his term as the Queen's representative ends.

Early life and education

Johnston was born on June 28, 1941 in Sudbury, Ontario,^[2][3] to Lloyd Johnston, the owner of a hardware store,^[4] and Dorothy Stonehouse. He attended Sault Collegiate Institute in nearby Sault Ste. Marie, where he played under-17 hockey with future National Hockey League members Phil and Tony Esposito,^[5] before moving on to Harvard University in 1959,^[6][7] earning his Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in 1963.^[2] While at Harvard, under the coaching of Cooney Weiland, Johnston captained the varsity ice hockey team, was twice selected to the All-America team,^[8] and met and befriended Erich Segal,^[9] the two becoming jogging partners.^[6] 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.^[4][8] 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.^[10]

Johnston later attended the University of Cambridge, obtaining a Bachelor of Laws with honours in 1965, and another with first class honours from Queen's University in 1966.^[2] During that period, Johnston married his high school sweetheart,^[11] Sharon,^[4][12] with whom he has five daughters.^[2][4]

Academic career

Johnston has had a long academic career, during which he came to specialise in securities regulation, corporation law, public policy and information technology law.^[2] After 1966, he worked for two years as an assistant professor at the Queen's University Faculty of Law and then joined the University of Toronto's law faculty, where he taught until 1974, eventually being promoted to the rank of full professor. Johnston was then appointed as dean of the University of Western Ontario Law School, serving between 1974 and 1979, at which time he was elevated to become the fourteenth Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University. It was during his time in that role that he became acquainted with Pierre and Margaret Trudeau, as the Johnston children played with the Trudeau children when the families were at their adjacent cottages in the Laurentians.^[6]

Johnston, then President of the University of Waterloo, introducing Justin Trudeau as a speaker at the university, March 2006

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. At that time, the couple acquired a home in Heidelberg, Ontario,^[13] and began operating an adjacent horse training ranch, Chatterbox Farm.^[14]

Boards, commissions, and media

Johnston has moderated several televised leaders' debates,^[15] the first being between Pierre Trudeau, Joe Clark, and Ed Broadbent, prior to the 1979 federal election, and he returned five years later to play the same role before the election of 1984, in a debate featuring Brian Mulroney, John Turner, and Broadbent. He also moderated the provincial leaders' debate featuring David Peterson, Bob Rae, and Larry Grossman, in the run up to the Ontario general election in 1987.^[16] Johnston has also acted as moderator of two public affairs panel discussion programmes, The Editors and The World in Review, which aired in the 1990s on both CBC Newsworld in Canada and PBS in the United States.^[15]

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,^[17] 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.^[18] 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,^[18] and on March 22, 2010, was named to the Board of Governors of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.^[19] He is the only non-American citizen to chair the Harvard Board of Overseers.^[13]

On November 14, 2007, Johnston was appointed by Governor General Michaëlle 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.^[17] 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.^[20] Johnston completed his report on January 11, 2008, listing seventeen questions of interest for further investigation.^[21] 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.^[22] 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.^[23] Others, though, such as Peter George, then-president of McMaster University,^[24] and subsequently the editorial board of The Globe and Mail,^[25] as well as Andrew Coyne in Maclean's,^[26] 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.^[27]

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.^[28] Johnston also gained a reputation as a non-partisan individual,^[4][29] but has expressed explicit support for Canadian federalism, having written a book opposing Quebec separatism, If Quebec Goes: The Real Cost of Separation.^[30] He has also published numerous books on law, chapters in other volumes, magazine articles, and aided in writing legislation.^[31] and sat as the co-chair of the Montreal No Committee during the 1995 Quebec referendum on independence.^[29][30]

Governor General of Canada

Johnston at the University of Waterloo, 2010

Balmoral Castle, where Johnston met with Queen Elizabeth II prior to his installation as governor general

As governor general-designate

On July 8, 2010, the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada announced that Queen Elizabeth II had approved Prime Minister Stephen Harper's recommendation of Johnston to succeed Michaëlle Jean as the Queen's representative. At the time, Harper said of Johnston that he represents "the best of Canada, he represents hard work, dedication, public service and humility. I am confident he will continue to embody these traits in his new role as the Crown representative in Canada."^[32][33] Johnston himself said in a press conference that he and his wife had always been dedicated to service and vowed to, while in office, defend Canadian heritage and institutions.^[8][34]

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,^[35] and further consisted of Kevin MacLeod,^[8] 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.^[25][36] 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.^[33][35][37] Also on the short list were other distinguished Canadians, including John de Chastelain and John Fraser.^[37]

The appointment was widely praised, its announcement garnering positive words from individuals like former University of Toronto president Robert Prichard and columnist Andrew Coyne.^[26][38] Opposition Leader Michael Ignatieff stated, "David Johnston’s dedication to learning and innovation... combined with his legal expertise and constitutional knowledge makes him an ideal choice for Governor General."^[39] Johnston's university colleagues also noted his conciliatory abilities.^[40] Columnists stated that Johnston would be suited to face difficult constitutional choices, given the probability that the Canadian parliament's minority status would continue well after the start of his tenure as viceroy.^[41]

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",^[30] statements that columnist Richard Martineau, a declared supporter of the Quebec independence movement, criticized for creating a "fake scandal", since any Governor General of Canada would be expected to oppose Quebec independence.^[30] 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.^[42]

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,^[43] 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.^[44] 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."^[41]

In office

First months

Johnston's swearing-in took place on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, on October 1, 2010.^[45] 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,^[46] 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.^[47]

Johnston (third from right) with (from left to right) United States Deputy Secretary of State Thomas R. Nides, United States Ambassador to Canada David Jacobson, Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear, Canada 2020 Chair Don Newman, and Governor of Michigan Rick Snyder at the US-Canada Partnership: Enhancing the Innovation Ecosystem conference at the Château Laurier in Ottawa, November 2, 2011

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,^[48] 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".^[49] 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;^[50] 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,^[51] as did meetings with members of the military in other locations overseas.^[52]

Johnston with Marina Kaljurand, Ambassador to Canada for Estonia, at Rideau Hall, December 1, 2011

Johnston undertook his first state visits in February and March 2011, journeying to Kuwait (to attend its 50th Independence Day and take part in the celebrations of the fifth anniversary of the accession of Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah) and Qatar.^[53] He then, in April of the same year, attended the wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton and the reception at Buckingham Palace that followed.^[54] In late June, he hosted the couple at various events during their tour of Canada.

The speech Johnston delivered on August 14, 2011, to the Canadian Bar Association's annual meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, attracted media attention^[55] 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.^[55][56] 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.^[56][57] Johnston also in early 2012 expressed his opinion 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,^[5] which he said in a later interview was "eroding the game".^[10]

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.^[58][59][60] 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.^[10][61][62] He was also sometimes accompanied by Canadian university and college presidents.^[10]

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.^[63][64] 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 his aforementioned visit to Brazil and a state visit to Trinidad and Tobago.^[61][65] 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.^[66][67] He then returned to London between July 25 and 30, to attend the Summer Olympics.^[68]

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.^[69][70][71] 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 Nation Theresa 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.^[72] 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.^[73] 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.^[74] 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.^[75][76] Spence declared after that she was not satisfied with the content of that gathering, vowed to continue her protest,^[75] and she and the Governor General communicated directly via letter.^[77] 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.^[78]

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,^[79][80] for various events at Queenston Heights, the Laura Secord homestead, and Fort George, to "launch 1,000 days of commemorations".^[81] 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.^[82]

Education promotion and charitable foundations

Johnston with Cardinal Marc Ouellet and Jason Kenney the evening preceding the Papal inauguration of Pope Francis

As part of his efforts to promote education and research, Johnston, beginning in 2012, annually hosted the Killiam Award Symposium at Rideau Hall.^[83] 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.^[84] He was aided in the launch by George Stroumboulopoulos, who interviewed the Governor General on his show George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight.^[85]

On March 19, 2013, Johnston headed the official Canadian delegation for the Papal inauguration of Pope Francis. On November 1, 2013, he hosted Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, at the 50th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award royal gala, held at Rideau Hall.^[86]

Extension of term

In March 2015, Johnston accepted an invitation to stay in the viceregal office until September 2017.^[87] This was considered desirable in order to ensure that an experienced viceroy was in place should the 42nd Canadian federal election result in a hung parliament or otherwise be inconclusive.^[88][89] If Johnston remains in office until September 2017, he will be the longest-serving governor general since Georges Vanier.

Titles, styles, honours, and arms

Titles

Viceregal styles of David Lloyd Johnston (2010–present)
Reference style	His Excellency the Right Honourable Son Excellence le très honorable
Spoken style	Your Excellency Votre Excellence
Alternative style	Sir Monsieur

• June 28, 1941 – October 1, 2010: Mister David Lloyd Johnston
• October 1, 2010 – : His Excellency The Right Honourable David Lloyd Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada

Honours

Ribbon bars of David Lloyd Johnston

Appointments

• July 11, 1988 – October 23, 1997: Officer of the Order of Canada (OC)
  • October 23, 1997 – October 1, 2010: Companion of the Order of Canada (CC)^[28]
  • October 1, 2010 – May 8, 2013: Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada (CC)
  • May 8, 2013 –: Chancellor and Principal and extraordinary Companion of the Order of Canada (CC)^[90]
• September 5, 2010 – October 1, 2010: Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM)^[44]
  • October 1, 2010 – May 8, 2013: Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM)
  • May 8, 2013 –: Chancellor and extraordinary Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM)^[91]
• September 5, 2010 – October 1, 2010: Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (COM)^[44]
  • October 1, 2010 – : Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (COM)
• October 1, 2010 – : Knight of Justice, Prior, and Chief Officer in Canada of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (KStJ)^[92]
• October 1, 2010 – : Patron of the Royal Military Colleges Club of Canada ^[93]
• October 1, 2010 – April 19, 2013: Chief Scout of Canada
• October 23, 2010 – : President Emeritus of the University of Waterloo^[94]
• November 25, 2010 – : Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (FRSC (hon))^[95]
• December 30, 2010 – : Patron of SOS Children's Villages Canada^[96]
• July 19, 2012 – : Honorary Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard^[97]
• October 19, 2012 – : Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCPSC (hon))^[98]

Medals

• 1992: 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal
• 2002: Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
• October 1, 2010: Canadian Forces Decoration (CD)^[99]
• February 6, 2012: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal^[100]

Awards

• November 8, 2010: Confederation Centre of the Arts Symons Medal^[101]

Foreign honours

• 1988: Member of the Harvard Sports Hall of Fame^[102]
• 2013: Honorary Member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, Harvard University chapter^[103]
• May 28, 2013: Fulbright Canada Award^[104]

Honorary military appointments

• October 1, 2010 – : Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Horse Guards
• October 1, 2010 – : Colonel of the Regiment of the Governor General's Foot Guards
• October 1, 2010 – : Colonel of the Regiment of the Canadian Grenadier Guards

Honorary degrees

• 1980: Law Society of Upper Canada, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[105]
• 1985: University of Toronto, Doctor of Laws (LLD) ^[106]
• 1986: Bishop's University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
• 1986: Memorial University of Newfoundland, Doctor of Laws (LLD) ^[107]
• 1987: Montreal Diocesan Theological College, Doctor of Divinity (DD)
• 1989: University of British Columbia, Doctor of Laws (LLD) ^[108]
• 1991: Queen's University, Doctor of Laws (LLD) ^[109]
• 1991: University of Western Ontario, Doctor of Laws (LLD) ^[110]
• 1992: Université de Montréal, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
• 1993: Algoma University, Doctor of Laws (LLD) ^[111]
• 1994: University of Victoria, Doctor of Laws (LLD) ^[112]
• 2000: McGill University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[113]
• 2008: McMaster University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[11][102]
• October 23, 2010: University of Waterloo, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[114]
• June 12, 2011: University of Ottawa, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[115]
• September 1, 2011: Mount Allison University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[116]
• October 18, 2011: University of Manitoba, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[117]
• April 11, 2012: Nanjing University, doctorate^[118]
• June 18, 2012: Algonquin College, degree (Bachelor of Applied Studies)^[119]
• November 13, 2012: University of Calgary, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[120]
• May 9, 2013: Huron University College, Doctor of Divinity (DD) ^[121]
• February 24, 2014: National Law University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[122]
• May 15, 2014: University of King's College, Doctor of Civil Law (DCL)^[123]
• January 29, 2015: Vancouver Island University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[124]
• May 14, 2015: Royal Military College of Canada, Doctor of Laws (LLD)^[125]
• Nov 3, 2016: Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) ^[126]

Honorific eponyms

Awards

• David Johnston International Experience Awards^[127]

Geographic locations

• David Johnston Research and Technology Park, Waterloo^[127]

Arms

Arms of David Johnston

Notes Just prior to his installation as governor general, Johnston was granted a personal coat of arms. Adopted September 24, 2010[128] 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.[129] 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?'").

List of principal works

• Cases and Materials on Corporate Finance and Securities Law (1967).
• Computers and Law (1968).
• Cases and Materials on Company Law (1969).
• Cases and Materials on Securities Law (1971).
• Business Associations (1979).
• Canadian Companies and the Stock Exchange (1980).
• Canadian Securities Regulation (1982, 2003, 2006).
• Partnerships and Canadian Business Corporations, Vols. 1 and 2 (1983, 1989, 1992).
• If Quebec Goes ... The Real Cost of Separation (1995).
• Getting Canada On-line: Understanding the Information Highway (1995).
• Cyberlaw (1997).
• Communications in Law in Canada (2000).
• Halsbury's Law of Canada (2007).

References

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External links

• Website of the Governor General of Canada
• The Canadian Encyclopedia: David Lloyd Johnston
• Cable Public Affairs Channel interview with David and Sharon Johnston on YouTube
• DVIDS: Governor General of Canada Visits the USS Essex