Roméo LeBlanc
Roméo LeBlanc (born 1927 in Memramcook, New Brunswick) is a former Governor General of Canada. His official title is The Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc, CC, CMM, CD.
LeBlanc was made Governor General on February 8. 1995, the first Acadian and the first from the Maritimes to hold that post. He resigned from that position in 1999.
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.
First elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal in 1972, he was minister of fisheries through most of the 1970s under Pierre Trudeau. Appointed to the Senate in 1984, he was appointed as its Speaker in 1993.
His appointment as Governor General by Prime Minister Jean Chretien was criticized as being little more than a patronage gift. The office of Governor General is supposed to be above politics, but critics alleged LeBlanc only got the job for being a good Liberal and serving Chretien's party for so many years.
His son, Dominic LeBlanc became a Liberal MP in 2000.
| Preceded by: Ramon John Hnatyshyn | List of Canadian Governors General | Succeeded by: Adrienne Clarkson |