Precedence

Table of Precedence for Canada (As revised on July 15, 2002)

1. The Governor General of Canada or the Administrator of the Government of Canada (Notes 1, 2 and 2.1)
   
   
2. The Prime Minister of Canada (Note 3)
   
   
3. The Chief Justice of Canada (Note 4)
   
   
4. The Speaker of the Senate
   
   
5. The Speaker of the House of Commons
   
   
6. Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Ministers Plenipotentiary (Note 5)
   
   
7. Members of the Canadian Ministry:
   1. Members of the Cabinet; and
   2. Secretaries of State;
   with relative precedence within sub-categories (a) and (b) governed by the date of their appointment to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
   
   
8. The Leader of the Opposition (Subject to Note 3)
   
   
9. The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
   The Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
   The Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
   The Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick
   The Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
   The Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
   The Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island
   The Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
   The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
   The Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador (Note 6)
   
   
10. Members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, not of the Canadian Ministry, in accordance with the date of their appointment to the Privy Council but with precedence given to those who bear the honorary title "Right Honourable" in accordance with the date of receiving the honorary title
    
    
11. Premiers of the Provinces of Canada in the same order as Lieutenant Governors (Note 6)
    
    
12. The Commissioner of the Northwest Territories
    The Commissioner of the Yukon Territory
    The Commissioner of Nunavut
    
    
13. The Government Leader of the Northwest Territories
    The Government Leader of the Yukon Territory
    The Government Leader of Nunavut
    
    
14. Representatives of faith communities (Note 7)
    
    
15. Puisne Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada
    
    
16. The Chief Justice and the Associate Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada
    
    
17. 1. Chief Justices of the highest court of each Province and Territory; and
    2. Chief Justices and Associate Chief Justices of the other superior courts of the Provinces and Territories; with precedence within sub-categories (a) and (b) governed by the date of appointment as Chief Justice
    
    
    
18. 1. Judges of the Federal Court of Canada;
    2. Puisne Judges of the superior courts of the Provinces and Territories;
    3. the Chief Judge of the Tax Court of Canada;
    4. the Associate Chief Judge of the Tax Court of Canada; and
    5. Judges of the Tax Court of Canada; with precedence within each sub-category governed by the date of appointment
    
    
19. Senators of Canada
    
    
20. Members of the House of Commons
    
    
21. Consuls General of countries without diplomatic representation
    
    
22. Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to Cabinet
    
    
23. The Chief of the Defence Staff and the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Note 8)
    
    
24. Speakers of Legislative Assemblies, within their Province and Territory
    
    
25. Members of Executive Councils, within their Province and Territory
    
    
26. Judges of Provincial and Territorial Courts, within their Province and Territory
    
    
27. Members of Legislative Assemblies, within their Province and Territory
    
    
28. Chairperson of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians
    
    

Notes

1. The presence of the Sovereign in Canada does not impair or supersede the authority of the Governor General to perform the functions delegated to him under the Letters Patent constituting the office of the Governor General. The Governor General, under all circumstances, should be accorded precedence immediately after the Sovereign.
   
   
2. Precedence to be given immediately after the Chief Justice of Canada to former Governors General, with relative precedence among them governed by the date of their leaving office.
   1. Precedence to be given immediately after the former Governors General to surviving spouses of deceased former Governors General (applicable only where the spouse was married to the Governor General during the latter's term of office), with relative precedence among them governed by the dates on which the deceased former Governors General left office.
   
   
3. Precedence to be given immediately after the surviving spouses of deceased former Governors General referred to in Note 2.1 to former Prime Ministers, with relative precedence among them governed by the dates of their first assumption of office.
   
   
4. Precedence to be given immediately after former Prime Ministers to former Chief Justices of Canada, with relative precedence among them governed by the dates of their appointment as Chief Justice of Canada.
   
   
5. Precedence among Ambassadors and High Commissioners, who rank equally, to be determined by the date of the presentation of their credentials. Precedence to be given to Chargés d'Affaires immediately after Ministers Plenipotentiary.
   
   
6. This provision does not apply to such ceremonies and occasions which are of a provincial nature.
   
   
7. The religious dignitaries will be senior Canadian representatives of faith communities having a significant presence in a relevant jurisdiction. The relative precedence of the representatives of faith communities is to be governed by the date of their assumption in their present office, their representatives being given the same relative precedence.
   
   
8. This precedence to be given to the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on occasions when they have official functions to perform, otherwise they are to have equal precedence with Deputy Ministers, with their relative position to be determined according to the respective dates of their appointments to office. The relative precedence of Deputy Ministers and other high officials of the public service of Canada is to be determined from time to time by the Minister of Canadian Heritage in consultation with the Prime Minister.