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Heritage Structure | Annex A – Table of Precedence for Canada

Ch(Reprint of regulations published by the Department of Canadian Heritage as revised 15 July 2002)

  1. ChThe Governor-General of Canada or the Administrator of the Government of Canada (Notes 1, 2, and 2.1).
  2. ChThe Prime Minister of Canada (Note 3).
  3. ChThe Chief Justice of Canada (Note 4).
  4. ChThe Speaker of the Senate.
  5. ChThe Speaker of the House of Commons.
  6. ChAmbassadors, High Commissioners, Ministers Plenipotentiary (Note 5).
  7. ChMembers of the Canadian Ministry:
    1. ChMembers of the Cabinet, and
    2. ChSecretaries of State; with relative precedence with sub-categories a. and b. governed by the date of their appointment to the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.
  8. ChThe Leader of the Opposition (subject to Note 3).
  9. ChThe Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario.
    ChThe Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec.
    ChThe Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia.
    ChThe Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick.
    ChThe Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba.
    ChThe Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.
    ChThe Lieutenant-Governor of Prince Edward Island.
    ChThe Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan.
    ChThe Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta.
    ChThe Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland (Note 6).
  10. ChMembers 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. ChPremiers of the Provinces of Canada in the same order as the Lieutenant-Governors (Note 6).
  12. ChThe Commissioner of the Northwest Territories; The Commissioner of the Yukon Territory; The Commissioner of Nunavut.
  13. ChThe Government Leader of the Northwest Territories; The Government Leader of the Yukon Territory; The Government Leader of Nunavut.
  14. ChRepresentatives of faith communities (Note 7).
  15. ChPuisne Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada.
  16. ChThe Chief Justice and the Associate Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada.
  1. Ch17a. Chief Justices of the highest court of each Province and Territory.
  2. Ch17b. Chief Justices and Associate Chief Justices of the other superior courts of the Provinces and Territories; with precedence within subcategories a. and b. governed by the date of appointment as Chief Justice.
  1. Ch18a. Judges of the Federal Court of Canada.
  2. Ch18b. Puisne Judges of the superior courts of the Provinces and Territories.
  3. Ch18c. The Chief Judge of the Tax Court of Canada.
  4. Ch18d. The Associate Chief Judge of the Tax Court of Canada.
  5. Ch18e. Judges of the Tax Court of Canada; with precedence within each sub-category governed by the date of appointment.
  1. ChSenators of Canada.
  2. ChMembers of the House of Commons.
  3. ChConsuls General of countries without diplomatic representation.
  4. ChClerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to Cabinet.
  5. ChThe Chief of the Defence Staff and the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Note 8).
  6. ChSpeakers of Legislative Assemblies, within their Province and Territory.
  7. ChMembers of Executive Councils, within their Province and Territory.
  8. ChJudges of Provincial and Territorial Courts, within their Province and Territory.
  9. ChMembers of Legislative Assemblies, within their Provinces and Territory.

NOTES

  1. ChThe 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. ChPrecedence 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. Ch2.1 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 the relative precedence among them governed by the dates on which the deceased former Governors-General left office.
  1. ChPrecedence 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.
  2. ChPrecedence 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.
  3. ChPrecedence 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.
  4. ChThis provision does not apply to such ceremonies and occasions, which are of a provincial nature.
  5. ChThe 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 to be given the same relative precedence.
  6. ChThis 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.

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