The office of Lieutenant Governor has been a constant in British Columbia from the province’s colonial beginnings to the modern era. Originally tasked with selecting the province’s premier and giving royal assent to provincial legislation, and invested with the power to dismiss governments, the role of the Crown’s representative has continually evolved to meet the needs of society. BC’s early Lieutenant Governors were the force behind infrastructure initiatives such as building roads, railways and ships, investing in electric utilities, and managing the forest industry. Until 1988, most were male, of British origin and came from the provincial and national elite, but after this time the office became more representative of the province’s diverse population. In recent years, Lieutenant Governors have played an increasingly activist role, celebrating cultural excellence and promoting literacy, creativity and environmental awareness.

Chronologically arranged and rich with photographs, this work by historian Jenny Clayton paints a vivid picture of the lives of BC’s first twenty-nine Lieutenant Governors, offering a unique perspective on the evolution of the province.

Jenny Clayton, PhD, teaches courses on the history of British Columbia and Canada at Camosun College and the University of Victoria. She lives in Victoria, BC. This is her first book.

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The Honourable Janet Austin was sworn-in as the thirtieth Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia on April 24, 2018. Prior to this appointment, she served as Executive Director of Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland and spent fifteen years as Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Metro Vancouver. She served on the boards of TransLink, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, the Canadian Paediatric Society, the Council for Early Child Development, the Women’s Health Research Institute, MOSAIC and the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation. She has been a long-time volunteer with United Way of the Lower Mainland and has served on the BC Provincial Advisory Council on Social Entrepreneurship, the City of Vancouver Heathy City for All Leadership Council and the Organizing Committee for the National Retreat for Women. Her Honour is Chancellor of the Order of British Columbia and was invested as a Member of the Order in 2016.

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