The Canadian order of precedence is a ceremonial hierarchy of important positions within the governing institutions of Canada. It has no legal standing, but is used to dictate protocol.
The Department of Canadian Heritage issues the Table of Precedence for Canada. The Department of National Defence reproduces this Table, with the additional note that members of the royal family (other than the monarch) 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.
List
- Monarch of CanadaâÂÂKing Charles III
- Governor General of CanadaâÂÂ
- Prime Minister of CanadaâÂÂ
- Chief Justice of CanadaâÂÂ
- Former Governors General of Canada in order of their departure from office:
- Ed Schreyer (1979âÂÂ1984)
- Adrienne Clarkson (1999âÂÂ2005)
- Michaëlle Jean (2005âÂÂ2010)
- David Johnston (2010âÂÂ2017)
- Julie Payette (2017âÂÂ2021)
- Widows of Governors General of Canada (as former viceregal consort of Canada):
- Diana Fowler LeBlanc, widow of Roméo LeBlanc
- Former Prime Ministers of Canada in order of their first assumption of office:
- Joe Clark (1979âÂÂ1980)
- Kim Campbell (1993)
- Jean Chrétien (1993âÂÂ2003)
- Paul Martin (2003âÂÂ2006)
- Stephen Harper (2006âÂÂ2015)
- Justin Trudeau (2015âÂÂ2025)
- Former Chief Justices of Canada, in order of their appointment
- Beverly McLachlin (2000âÂÂ2017)
- Speaker of the Senate of CanadaâÂÂ
- Speaker of the House of Commons of CanadaâÂÂ
- Representatives to Canada of foreign governments
- Ambassadors and High Commissioners, in order of the presentation of their credentials
- Ministers Plenipotentiary
- Chargés d'affaires.
- Members of the Canadian Ministry
- 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. However, the current Canadian Ministry opted to use an alternative order that is determined by the Prime Minister.
- 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.
- Leader of His Majesty's Loyal OppositionâÂÂ
- Lieutenant Governors of the provinces, in the order their province joined Confederation and by population at joining to break ties
- Lieutenant Governor of OntarioâÂÂ
- Lieutenant Governor of QuebecâÂÂ
- Lieutenant Governor of Nova ScotiaâÂÂ
- Lieutenant Governor of New BrunswickâÂÂ
- Lieutenant Governor of ManitobaâÂÂ
- Lieutenant Governor of British ColumbiaâÂÂ
- Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward IslandâÂÂ
- Lieutenant Governor of SaskatchewanâÂÂ
- Lieutenant Governor of AlbertaâÂÂ
- Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and LabradorâÂÂ
- 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.
- List of current members of the King's Privy Council for Canada
- Premiers of the provinces, in the order their province joined confederation and by population at joining to break ties
- Premier of OntarioâÂÂ
- Premier of QuebecâÂÂ
- Premier of Nova ScotiaâÂÂ
- Premier of New BrunswickâÂÂ
- Premier of ManitobaâÂÂ
- Premier of British ColumbiaâÂÂ
- Premier of Prince Edward IslandâÂÂ
- Premier of SaskatchewanâÂÂ
- Premier of AlbertaâÂÂ
- Premier of Newfoundland and LabradorâÂÂ
- Commissioners of the Territories
- Commissioner of the Northwest TerritoriesâÂÂ
- Commissioner of YukonâÂÂ
- Commissioner of NunavutâÂÂ
- Premiers of the Territories
- Premier of the Northwest TerritoriesâÂÂ
- Premier of YukonâÂÂCurrie Dixon
- Premier of NunavutâÂÂ
- Religious leaders, equally, by seniority
- :Limited to "senior Canadian representatives of faith communities having a significant presence in a relevant jurisdiction".
- Puisne Judges of the Supreme Court
- Superior court justices
- Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Appeal
- Chief Justice of the Federal Court
- Associate Chief Justice of the Federal Court
- Chief Justice of the Tax Court of Canada
- Associate Chief Justice of the Tax Court of Canada
- Chief Justices of the highest court of each province and territory in order of date of appointment as chief justice
- * Chief Justice of OntarioâÂÂ
- * Chief Justice of QuebecâÂÂ
- * Chief Justice of Nova Scotia
- * Chief Justice of New BrunswickâÂÂ
- * Chief Justice of ManitobaâÂÂ
- * Chief Justice of British Columbia and YukonâÂÂ
- * Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island
- * Chief Justice of SaskatchewanâÂÂRobert W Leurer
- * Chief Justice of Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut
- * Chief Justice of Newfoundland and LabradorâÂÂ
- Associate Chief Justices of the highest court of each province and territory in order of date of appointment as associate chief justice
- * Associate Chief Justice of Ontario
- * Associate Chief Justice of Quebec
- * Associate Chief Justice of Nova Scotia
- * Associate Chief Justice of New Brunswick
- * Associate Chief Justice of Manitoba
- * Associate Chief Justice of British Columbia and Yukon
- * Associate Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island
- * Associate Chief Justice of Saskatchewan
- * Associate Chief Justice of Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut
- * Associate Chief Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Chief Justices of other superior courts in order of appointment as chief justice
- * Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice
- * Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
- * Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
- * Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of New Brunswick
- * Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Manitoba
- * 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
- * Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador
- * Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
- * Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Yukon
- * Chief Justice of the Nunavut Court of Justice
- Associate Chief Justices of other superior courts in order of appointment as associate chief justice
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice
- * Senior Family Judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice
- * Senior Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (Family Division)
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of New Brunswick
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench (General Division) of Manitoba
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench (Family Division) of Manitoba
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench for Saskatchewan
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta (Edmonton)
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta (Calgary)
- * Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Federal and provincial superior court puisne justices
- Senators
- : See List of current Canadian senators
- Members of the House of Commons
- : See List of House members of the 45th Parliament of Canada
- Consuls General of Countries Without Diplomatic Representation
- Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to CabinetâÂÂ
- Chief of the Defence StaffâÂÂ
- Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceâÂÂMichael Duheme
- Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies of the Provinces and Territories
- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of OntarioâÂÂ
- President of the National Assembly of QuebecâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of AssemblyâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New BrunswickâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of ManitobaâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British ColumbiaâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward IslandâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of SaskatchewanâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of AlbertaâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of AssemblyâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest TerritoriesâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Yukon Legislative AssemblyâÂÂ
- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of NunavutâÂÂ
- Members of the Executive Councils of the Provinces and Territories
- * Members of the Executive Council of Ontario
- * Members of the Executive Council of Quebec
- * Members of the Executive Council of Nova Scotia
- * Members of the Executive Council of New Brunswick
- * Members of the Executive Council of Manitoba
- * Members of the Executive Council of British Columbia
- * Members of the Executive Council of Prince Edward Island
- * Members of the Executive Council of Saskatchewan
- * Members of the Executive Council of Alberta
- * Members of the Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
- * Members of the Executive Council of the Northwest Territories
- * Members of the Executive Council of Yukon
- * Members of the Executive Council of Nunavut
- Judges of Provincial and Territorial Courts
- Members of the Legislative Assemblies of the Provinces and Territories
- Chairperson of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians
See also
Footnotes
External links