Lieutenant Governor

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The Honourable J. Léonce Bernard
Lieutenant Governor from 28 May 2001 to 2006

The Honourable J. Léonce Bernard is the thirty-ninth Lieutenant Governor of the Province since the creation of the colony in 1769 and the twenty-sixth since Confederation. He was installed as Lieutenant Governor on May 28, 2001.

Mr. Bernard was born May 23, 1943, in Abram-Village, Prince Edward Island. He received his early education and graduated from Evangeline School and later completed bookkeeping and accounting courses while a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Mr. Bernard is married to Florence Gallant of Cape Egmont. They have four children - Michel, Pierre, Francine and Charles and two grandsons.

Before entering politics, Mr. Bernard was employed as office manager with McGowan Motors in Montague, PEI, and as General Manager of the Evangeline Credit Union in Wellington, PEI. Since leaving politics, he served as General Manager and Accountant with the Coopérative Le Village Pionnier Acadien ltée and once again as Manager of the Evangeline Credit Union.

Mr. Bernard is a strong supporter of the co-operative movement both provincially and nationally having served as President of the Conseil de la coopération de l'Î.-P.-É., as well as a member, vice president and treasurer of the Conseil canadien de la coopération, served on Advisory Committee for the Federal Minister responsible for co-operatives, member of the Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation, and member of the Regional Community Development Cooperative Board.

He was active in community affairs serving in executive positions of many organizations: Village of Wellington, Federation of P.E.I. Municipalities, United Way, French Language School Board, Wellington Fire Department and Firemen's Club, Wellington Boys and Girls Club, Wellington and Area Minor Hockey and Evangeline Tourism Association. He is a member of the Wellington Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 17), the Club Richelieu Évangéline and the Immaculate Conception Church.

First elected to the Legislative Assembly as Member for Third Prince in a by-election in 1975, Mr. Bernard was re-elected in five subsequent general elections in 1978, 1979, 1982, 1986, and 1989.

He was in Opposition from 1979 to 1986. In the government of Premier Joseph Ghiz, he served as Minister of Industry and Chairman of the P.E.I. Development Agency from 1986 to 1989, and from 1989-1991 was Minister of Fisheries and Community Affairs.

Mr. Bernard serves as Chancellor of the Order of Prince Edward Island and was invested as a member of the Order of Prince Edward Island (insignia of the Order - O.P.E.I.) on 28th May 2001.