French Studies

Michener, The Rt Hon Daniel Roland (1900-1991)

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Michener moved from one ceremonial office to another: he served as Canada’s Governor General from 1969 to 1974, and then as Queen’s chancellor from 1974 to 1980. He was born in Lacombe, Alberta and educated at the University of Alberta (BA 1920) and Oxford University, which he attended on a Rhodes Scholarship. He began the practice of law in Toronto in 1924 and was a founder of the prominent law firm Lang, Michener. He was a Conservative member of the Ontario Legislature (1945-1948) and a cabinet minister (1946-1948). He served as an MP for St Paul’s Toronto (1953-1962) and was speaker of the House of Commons (1957-1962). He was a civilized and witty speaker, but clashed frequently with his Conservative colleague, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.

Diefenbaker’s Liberal successor, Lester Pearson, appointed Michener high commissioner to India in 1964, where he served until Pearson appointed him Governor General in 1967. He and his wife, Norah, democratized the office (curtailing the curtsey, for example) and were among the busiest and most creative of vice-regal couples. Among his innovations were frequent state visits abroad, periodic meetings with provincial lieutenant-governors, and the establishment of an Honours Secretariat (the Order of Canada having been instituted in 1967) at Rideau Hall. He was selected Queen’s Chancellor when his term as Governor General ended in 1974. He was a good friend of the university and visited Queen’s regularly, even after his retirement in 1980, to attend lectures of the Michener Visitorship, which was established in his honour to bring distinguished French Canadians to Queen’s for lectures and discussions.

Michener Speaker Series

Organized through Queen's Department of French Studies

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Michener Archives