The Lieutenant Governors of British Columbia

The evolution of British Columbia revealed through the lives of the province’s lieutenant governors.

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.