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Louise Arbour named Canada's next governor general

newsMay 5, 2026724,525

Prime Minister Mark Carney named former Supreme Court justice and ex-UN human rights chief Louise Arbour as Canada’s next governor general. Arbour served on the Supreme Court of Canada from 1999 to 2004, led the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2004 to 2008, and was chief prosecutor at the international war crimes tribunals in the late 1990s. Her appointment places decades of judicial and international human rights experience at Rideau Hall, signaling a vice-regal focus on legal and rights issues domestically and internationally.

Mark Carney
@mark-carney.bsky.social

Congratulations to the Honourable Louise Arbour, who will serve as Canada’s 31st Governor General.

Prime Minister Carney walks down a hallway with the Governor General-designate, the Honourable Louise Arbour, in Ottawa, Ontario.
13893d ago
Dan 🇨🇦64

Great choice! Her Task Force on Federally Sentenced Women revolutionized federal corrections for women, implementing a women-centered approach focused on empowerment, dignity, and choice. It led to the closure of the Prison for Women & the creation of regional facilities & Indigenous healing lodges.

Sister Nip 🇨🇦42

She also has a stellar track record on human rights, serving as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, was the chief prosecutor for war crimes in Rwanda and former the Yugoslavia. I remember her well.

@GermanCucumber32

🇨🇦 + 🇪🇺 = 🤝 Really happy a guy like you is at the forefront of the new formation of a world order. The world might come out stronger without the US as the hegemon.

Peter25

The definition of integrity. Great hire. 🇨🇦

Hugh of Borg: Resistance is ELBOWS-UP: don't give Nazis an inch.24

We could do vastly worse and scant better. Arbour is the absolute best of us. We are in good hands.

The Opinionated Retiree and Nasty Part Owner of Canada 🇨🇦21

The Hon. Louise Arbour is an excellent choice to serve as Canada's 31st GG!

Death Bed Moment15

What an accomplished and impressive person! Great choice for GG

NancyNS🇨🇦15

This is such an amazing appointment that it makes me wonder if our PM has plans to engage the GG in real work, not just the ceremonial stuff. Think about it... 🤔

Mark McCondach14

Serious choice for serious times.

Glenn Caleval14

An unbelievably good appointment. Arbor showed genuine courage in prosecuting crimes against humanity and is a true embodiment of the Rule of Law in action. Parliamentary monarchy, as expressed in the Governor General's role, couldn't be better served, nor serve Canadians better. I'm a fan.

LakefrontDaisy1 🇨🇦❣️🇺🇦🍁13

Canada has powerful, intelligent, successful women and Hon. Arbour is one of the best of us. No slight to PM Carney but we are overdue for one of these powerhouses to lead our country.

Brad13

Soon to be “Right Honourable”!

Scrappy McBuckyball10

Her decades of international service in human rights and global justice have been an extraordinary contribution. The appointment strongly signals Canada's ongoing support of an international rules-based order at a time when democratic norms face growing pressure around the world.

Phriktion7

Do NOT sell the airports to corporations and stop allowing Data Centres to be built Great job on the international stage though! Just please don’t fade back to centrist austerity based policies that do nothing hut hand money to business and make public services worse and more expensive

Me 🍁, Antifa / Love My Country 🇨🇦6

Thank you, @mark-carney.bsky.social , a wonderful choice. Canada has some great people to pick from and the Hon. Louise Arbour is a smart pragmatic hoice for this time in our history. #cdnpoli

MACoop🇨🇦5

An excellent choice. Wouldn't be surprised if she rewrote, in some way, the job description. In every role she has held she contributed so much. We will be well served. So happy with our leadership.

Alexis Dawn Fox5

An excellent choice, PM Carney!

Mlapha🇨🇦4

incredible choice. So glad she said yes.

🇨🇴Deaph 🇨🇦McKneticc🇺🇦3

Waiting to hear from PostMedia so I can properly issue an opinion on how I feel about this news 😂

Markwayne Carney ☭3

It could use a few more flags, sir

LG🇨🇦3

She is a rock star ⭐️.

Mike Ryan 🇨🇦2

Honourable Louise Arbour, an amazing woman who is perfect for this roll.

Robert Mills 🇨🇦2

That's a lot of flags!

Krasnov2

That’s a lot of flags.

🏴‍☠️DiscordⒶntMuse🏴‍☠️2

Given some vibes, thats for sure.

Charlie Angus
@charlieangus104.bsky.social

Louise Arbour is Canada's new Governor General. She was top prosecutor at the international court. She brought charges against President Milošević, secured the first conviction for genocide since 1948, prosecuted sexual assault as a crime against humanity. This is a powerful statement.

10933d ago
KayElan7ISO64🇨🇦36

Competent leaders appoint competent leaders. 💁‍♀️

melcitybuilder.bsky.social29

Wow! We are lucky to have Louise Arbour as our new GG 🇨🇦🇨🇦

Bernard Leclair25

Do people understand that she will be the new head of State? PM Carny made a wise choice in picking Mrs Arbour.

DLee🇨🇦🙋22

A powerful choice for Canada. Louise Arbour has spent her life fighting for justice and human rights. A big moment for the country.

Montreal Mike🇨🇦20

Solid pick to platform given our current geopolitical environment. She doesn’t suffer fools.

StingMiller17

Why do other countries get to have great, intelligent women in leadership roles and we can't have them here in the United States!?! Why? Or rather why are so many people opposed to electing them or appointing them into those positions?

Flux Liner16

AND,.... Pierre Poilievre's Harper Government Didn't like her. F*CK the Pierre Poilievre Maple MAGA (CPC) Convoy Party of Canada.

believe2025h.bsky.social15

Also the 1996 Arbour report.

Ron Joiner14

Headed the Arbour Commission. The commission was created in 1995 after disturbing incidents at the Prison for Women, including male correctional officers conducting strip searches of female inmates, use of force, and segregation for women, as well as allegations of abuse and rights violations.

D. Haywick🍁⚒️🎨13

I could not ask for a better selection for GG.

cheese4brains.bsky.social12

Dear GG, treasonous clowns running wild in AB -AB

Norm H 🇨🇦9

How fortunate we are in Canada 🇨🇦 to have people of the caliber of Justice Arbour and PM Carney serving in the top leadership positions in this country. What a powerful statement the PM made with this selection of GG, & what a powerful response the incoming GG made by agreeing to serve (at age 79!).

Sammy Hamburger 🇨🇦9

The True North strong and free!

fraidicat2.bsky.social8

Truly heroic, a great pick

Mary Anne B 🇨🇦8

Louise Arbour is a brilliant choice for GG.

Deb Jeffrey6

Too bad our GG is largely a figurehead. I bet though, if she has an opportunity to influence upholding human rights, she will be brilliant.

Donalyn5

And yet the NP thinks she's a horrid pick... they are such hacks.

proudtobeinca.bsky.social5

Now sick her on Trump!! Americans have her support!

Just A Tinker 🟥🍁🟥4

Yep, they go imbecile demagogue, we go successful technocrat. They go completely and utterly lawless, we go world class prosecutor.

Michelle Fortier 🇨🇦4

Very good choice. All of it should speak volumes with all political parties world wide.

Paul4

Our former official In a similar position killed up puppy. Congratulations on valuing intelligence.

KyleIridian 🇺🇦 🌻3

Canada quickly becoming the shining city on the hil

Adam🇨🇦3

This guy is spreading misinformation and peddling emergency scams on his page. What a chud. If you feel like donating, please don't give money over BSKY, they are scams. Use a platform that has an arbitration service that can verify the individuals. 👍

🥒🐸🌮🦋 Anemia B3

What is a governor general?

🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🇨🇦 Garth Caron3

Good choice even though I don't like monarchy.

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