The Honourable
Elizabeth Dowdeswell
OC OOnt
Dowdeswell wearing dark blue smiling towards the camera
Dowdeswell in 2020
29th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
In office
September 23, 2014 – November 14, 2023
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Governors General
Premier
Preceded byDavid Onley
Succeeded byEdith Dumont
3rd Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme
In office
1992–1998
Secretary-GeneralBoutros Boutros-Ghali
Kofi Annan
Preceded byMostafa Kamal Tolba
Succeeded byKlaus Töpfer
Personal details
Born
Violet Elizabeth Patton

(1944-11-09) November 9, 1944
Belfast, Northern Ireland
NationalityCanadian
Alma mater
OccupationPublic servant

Violet Elizabeth Dowdeswell[1][2] OC OOnt (née Patton; born November 9, 1944) is a Canadian public servant who served as the 29th lieutenant governor of Ontario from 2014 to 2023.[3] As lieutenant governor, Dowdeswell was the viceregal representative of the Crown in Right of Ontario and the first in over seven decades to serve under two different Canadian sovereigns. A champion of democracy and civil society, she is also the longest-serving lieutenant governor in Ontario's history.[4][5][6][7][8][9][lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2]

Early life

Violet Elizabeth Patton was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on November 9, 1944. She moved with her family to Canada in 1947, settling in rural Saskatchewan.[11] Her father, Desmond Granville Patton (1920-2008), was a minister of the United Church of Canada.[12] Dowdeswell married at a young age but soon divorced.[12] She attended the University of Saskatchewan and Utah State University, and she later became a teacher and university lecturer.[13]

Career

Dowdeswell left teaching and entered public service as a special assistant to Saskatchewan's deputy education minister for two years (1976-78),[14] then worked as deputy minister of culture and youth during the New Democratic Party government of Allan Blakeney. She was then dismissed, along with other deputy ministers, after the Progressive Conservative government of Grant Devine took power in 1982.[12]

She held various positions in the federal public service during the 1980s, working at one point as assistant deputy minister at Environment Canada with responsibility for the Atmospheric Environment Service and negotiating the Framework Convention on Climate Change. She also led a public inquiry into Canada's unemployment benefits program and federal water policy.[15]

In 1992, Dowdeswell was selected to lead the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya, serving a full four-year term and a one-year extension until she resigned in 1998.[16]

From 1998 to 2010, she was an adjunct professor at the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health at the University of Toronto, while also serving as founding president and CEO of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization.[17] From 2010 until her appointment as Lieutenant Governor, she was the president and CEO of the Council of Canadian Academies.[18]

As lieutenant governor

Dowdeswell seated on the throne during her installation ceremony in 2014

Dowdeswell was appointed as lieutenant governor by Governor General David Johnston on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who selected Dowdeswell from a shortlist devised by the Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments. On September 23, 2014, she was sworn in during a ceremony held at Queen's Park in Toronto.[19] She is the third woman to serve in the position, after Pauline Mills McGibbon and Hilary Weston.

Dowdeswell declared in her installation address that she would not immediately espouse a particular area of focus during her time as lieutenant governor. Instead, she said she would engage the people of Ontario, listening to their concerns and ideas. She has since adopted "sustainability" and "Ontario in the world" as personal themes. In addition, Dowdeswell has called herself Ontario's unofficial "Storyteller-in-Chief".[20]

According to annual reports published on her office's website, Dowdeswell has conducted, on average, more than 700 public engagements yearly as lieutenant governor, as well as numerous visits abroad to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark.[21] She has visited all of Ontario's provincial electoral districts.[22]

On September 22, 2022, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the addition of Dowdeswell, alongside other Canadian lieutenant governors, to the country's so-called stop list banning entry to Russian territory.[23]

Dowdeswell's mandate came to an end on November 14, 2023, and she was succeeded by Edith Dumont.[24]

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

As a former lieutenant governor in Canada, Dowdeswell is entitled to be styled the Honourable for life. She had the additional style of Her Honour while in office.[25][26]

Honours

Ribbon bars of Elizabeth Dowdeswell
Appointments
  • Canada May 24, 2012: Officer of the Order of Canada (OC)
  • Canada November 26, 2014: Dame of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (DStJ)
    • November 26, 2014 – November 14, 2023: Vice Prior of the Priory of Canada of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (while in office)
  • Ontario September 23, 2014: Member of the Order of Ontario (OOnt)
    • September 23, 2014 – November 14, 2023: Chancellor of the Order of Ontario (while in office)
Medals
Other awards
Honorary appointments

Honorary degrees

Dowdeswell has received several honorary degrees from various universities in Canada and Europe. These include:

JurisdictionDateSchoolDegree
 SaskatchewanMay 25, 1994University of SaskatchewanDoctor of Laws (LLD)[29]
 Nova Scotia1998Mount Saint Vincent UniversityDoctor of Humane Letters (DHL)[30]
 OntarioSpring 1999York UniversityDoctor of Laws (LLD)[31]
 British ColumbiaOctober 22, 1999Royal Roads University[32]
 SaskatchewanSpring 2001University of Regina[33]
 Ontario2013University of Ontario Institute of TechnologyDoctor of Science (DSc)[34]
 OntarioJune 9, 2015University of Western OntarioDoctor of Laws (LLD)[35]

Arms

Coat of arms of Elizabeth Dowdeswell
Crest
Issuant from a circlet of garbs Or and trillium flowers proper, a demi-globe Azure resting thereon a balance Or.
Escutcheon
Azure on an oval Argent environed by two branches of laurel Or, a viceroy butterfly volant Purpure embellished Or.
Supporters
Two doves Argent beaked and legged Or each charged on the wing with an oval Purpure, that to the dexter bearing a Celtic cross, that to the sinister bearing a harp Or, and standing on a grassy mount Vert.
Motto
SERVIRE VITÆ IN TERRA (To Serve Life On Earth).[36]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Albert Edward Matthews, Ontario's 16th lieutenant governor, previously held this record, serving from November 30, 1937, to December 26, 1946. Dowdeswell surpassed his tenure of nine years and 26 days on October 20, 2023.
  2. ↑ Building resilience and sustainability through inclusive prosperity, environmental stewardship, and social cohesion, as well as safeguarding democracy, have been the focus of her mandate.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Dowdeswell, Violet Elizabeth (May 1972). Inferred Values of Clothing related to Adjustment Among Pregnant Women (MS thesis). Utah State University. doi:10.26076/a9f4-2745.
  2. ↑ Queen's Printer for Ontario (April 9, 2016). "Proclamation" (PDF). Ontario Gazette. 149 (15): 711. ISSN 0030-2937. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 26, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016. The Honourable v. Elizabeth Dowdeswell Lieutenant Governor of Our Province of Ontario
  3. ↑ "Her Honour". Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. October 1, 2014. Archived from the original on December 8, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  4. ↑ Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. "History". King's Printer for Ontario. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  5. ↑ Laura Stone (November 13, 2023). "Ontario's longest-serving Lieutenant-Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell bids 'au revoir'". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  6. ↑ Jaime Watt (November 12, 2023). "The most consequential lieutenant-governor in Ontario's history". Toronto Star. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  7. ↑ Colin D'Mello (December 8, 2022). "Ford government given a stern rebuke over democracy". Global News. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  8. ↑ Jeff Gray (December 8, 2022). "Ontario's Lieutenant-Governor urges government to protect democracy". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  9. ↑ Elizabeth Dowdeswell (May 5, 2019). "Our democracies appear ever more fragile". Toronto Star. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  10. ↑ Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. "Areas of focus". King's Printer for Ontario. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Installation address". Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. September 26, 2014. Archived from the original on January 6, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 "New lieutenant-governor may surprise Ontarians". Toronto Star. October 1, 2014.
  13. ↑ "The Hon. Elizabeth Dowdeswell "Ontario's Lieutenant Governor" | School of Policy Studies". www.queensu.ca. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Woman deputy minister". The Leader-Post. June 21, 1978. p. 8. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Newsroom : Biography : Elizabeth Dowdeswell". news.ontario.ca.
  16. ↑ Knox, Paul (December 3, 1997). "WORLD BUZZ / Environmental apostle awaits the UN's nod. Toepfer tapped for UNEP". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. A14. But Ms. Dowdeswell was granted only a one-year extension when her four-year term expired last Dec. 31.
  17. ↑ Singer, Peter A.; Daar, Abdallah S. (January 2009). "How Biodevelopment can Enhance Biosecurity". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 65 (2): 23–30. Bibcode:2009BuAtS..65b..23S. doi:10.2968/065002004. ISSN 0096-3402. S2CID 143672949.
  18. 1 2 "Biography". Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Ontario's lieutenant-governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell to be sworn in during fall ceremony". CTV News, July 24, 2014.
  20. ↑ Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. "Areas of focus". King's Printer for Ontario. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  21. ↑ "News".
  22. ↑ @lglizdowdeswell (August 22, 2019). "As I complete my 5th year as LG, I am inspired by all who have welcomed me to their communities. Today marks my visit to all 124 ridings. Thank you for sharing the places where you work, live, and play. Your stories remind us that we should all be proud to call Ontario home" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  23. ↑ "Канада - Министерство иностранных дел Российской Федерации".
  24. ↑ "Edith Dumont sworn in as Ontario's new lieutenant-governor". CBC News. November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Protocol and symbols". Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Table of titles to be used in Canada". Government of Canada. June 18, 1993. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Awards 2020". Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  28. ↑ "OPP Mess Dinner". Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. September 24, 2014. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Honorary Degrees - University of Saskatchewan". library.usask.ca.
  30. ↑ "Our honorary degree recipients". Archived from the original on April 20, 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Honorary Degree Recipients | University Secretariat". Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  32. ↑ adove (January 6, 2014). "Fall 1999 Convocation". www.royalroads.ca.
  33. ↑ "Honorary Degree Recipients - Registrar's Office, University of Regina". www.uregina.ca.
  34. ↑ "Ms. Elizabeth Dowdeswell - UOIT - Honorary degrees 2013". uoit.ca. Archived from the original on April 25, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  35. ↑ University, Department of Communications and Public Affairs, Western (March 19, 2015). "Western News - Honorary degree lineup announced for 305th convocation".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  36. ↑ Dowdeswell, Elizabeth, Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada
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