Canadian order of precedence

{{Short description|Relative preeminence of officials for ceremonial purposes}}

{{about|the order of precedence for Canadian dignitaries|the list of precedence for medals, honours and post-nominals|Canadian order of precedence (decorations and medals)}}

{{Precedence}}

The Canadian order of precedence is a nominal and symbolic hierarchy of important positions within the governing institutions of Canada. It has no legal standing, but is used to dictate ceremonial protocol.

The Department of Canadian Heritage issues a Table of Precedence for Canada,[https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/protocol-guidelines-special-event/table-precedence-canada.html Department of Canadian Heritage: Table of Precedence for Canada] which does not include members of the royal family, save for the sovereign, mentioned in a note as preceding the governor general. The Department of National Defence issues near-identical guidelines, with the primary difference being the inclusion of members of the Canadian Royal Family,[http://www.saskd.ca/heritage.pdf The Honours, Flags and Heritage Structure of the Canadian Forces] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325162006/http://www.saskd.ca/heritage.pdf |date=March 25, 2009}} specifying that they take precedence after the governor-general. The provinces and territories of Canada also have their own orders of precedence for events of a provincial or territorial nature. They serve the same purpose and are structured similarly, but place an emphasis on provincial or territorial offices.

All units of the Canadian Armed Forces also have an order of precedence that determines seniority; it often decides such matters as which unit forms up to the right (senior side) of other units on a ceremonial parade, or the order in which marches or calls are played at a mess dinner.

1. King of Canada (King Charles III)Footnote 1 of the [http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1452187406834#fnt1 Table of Precedence for Canada] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220214303/http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1452187406834#fnt1 |date=2016-12-20 }} issued by the Department of Canadian Heritage states that the King is to be afforded precedence immediately before the Governor General. No other members of the Royal Family are listed in the table or mentioned in the footnotes. The Canadian Armed Forces protocol places members of the royal family immediately after the Governor General when they are in Canada. That protocol does not list a precedence within the royal family.
2. Governor General of Canada ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q390776|P1308}})
3. Prime Minister of Canada ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q839078|P1308}})
4. Chief Justice of Canada ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q1339242|P1308}})
5. Former Governors General of Canada in order of their departure from office:
6. Ed Schreyer (1979–1984)
7. Adrienne Clarkson (1999–2005)
8. Michaëlle Jean (2005–2010)
9. David Johnston (2010–2017)
10. Julie Payette (2017–2021)
11. Widows of Governors General of Canada (as former viceregal consort of Canada):
12. Diana Fowler LeBlanc, widow of Roméo LeBlanc
13. Former Prime Ministers of Canada in order of their first assumption of office:
14. Joe Clark (1979–1980)
15. Kim Campbell (1993)
16. Jean Chrétien (1993–2003)
17. Paul Martin (2003–2006)
18. Stephen Harper (2006–2015)
19. Justin Trudeau (2015–2025)
20. Former Chief Justices of Canada, in order of their appointment
21. Beverly McLachlin (2000–2017)
22. Speaker of the Senate of Canada ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q2505705|P1308}})
23. Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q2506685|P1308}})
24. Representatives to Canada of foreign governments
25. : Ambassadors and High Commissioners come first, in order of the presentation of their credentials; then come Ministers Plenipotentiary, and then Chargés d'affaires.
26. Members of the Canadian Ministry
27. Members of the Cabinet:
28. : The Table of Precedence for Canada prescribes that order of precedence within this group be determined in order of appointment to the King's Privy Council for Canada with ties broken by order of election to the House or appointment to the Senate. However, the current Canadian Ministry opted to use an alternative order that is determined by the Prime Minister.{{Cite web |title=Cabinet |url=https://pm.gc.ca/en/cabinet |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=}}
29. Ministers of State
30. :In order of appointment to the King's Privy Council for Canada with ties broken by order of election to the House or appointment to the Senate.[http://www2.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/federalgovernment/theministry.aspx?sortcolumn=precedence&sortdirection=asc The Ministry in order of precedence]
31. Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition (Andrew Scheer)
32. Lieutenant Governors of the provinces, in the order their province joined Confederation and by population at joining to break ties
33. Lieutenant Governor of Ontario ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q6544432|P1308}})
34. Lieutenant Governor of Quebec ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q3238289|P1308}})
35. Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q6544430|P1308}})
36. Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q4257536|P1308}})
37. Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q6544420|P1308}})
38. Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q6544408|P1308}})
39. Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q6544433|P1308}})
40. Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q4257538|P1308}})
41. Lieutenant Governor of Alberta ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q15176422|P1308}})
42. Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q3238286|P1308}})
43. All other Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada in order with the date of their appointment to the Privy Council, but with precedence given to those who bear the title "Right Honourable" in accordance with the date of receiving the honorary title.{{Cite web |url=http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/index.asp?lang=eng&page=information&sub=council-conseil&doc=members-membres%2Fchronolog-eng.htm |title=Members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada |access-date=2020-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215221747/http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/index.asp?lang=eng&page=information&sub=council-conseil&doc=members-membres%2Fchronolog-eng.htm |archive-date=2016-02-15 |url-status=dead }}
44. List of current members of the King's Privy Council for Canada
45. Premiers of the provinces, in the order their province joined confederation and by population at joining to break ties
46. Premier of Ontario ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q2560704|P1308}})
47. Premier of Quebec ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q2911019|P1308}})
48. Premier of Nova Scotia ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7240360|P1308}})
49. Premier of New Brunswick (Susan Holt)
50. Premier of Manitoba ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q3401758|P1308}})
51. Premier of British Columbia ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7240349|P1308}})
52. Premier of Prince Edward Island ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7240361|P1308}})
53. Premier of Saskatchewan ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q6578215|P1308}})
54. Premier of Alberta ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q3401750|P1308}})
55. Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7240356|P1308}})
56. Commissioners of the Territories
57. Commissioner of the Northwest Territories ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q1841537|P1308}})
58. Commissioner of Yukon ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q824910|P1308}})
59. Commissioner of Nunavut ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q15212701|P1308}})
60. Premiers of the Territories
61. Premier of the Northwest Territories ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7240368|P1308}})
62. Premier of Yukon ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q12270260|P1308}})
63. Premier of Nunavut ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q4377222|P1308}})
64. Religious leaders, equally, by seniority
65. :Limited to "senior Canadian representatives of faith communities having a significant presence in a relevant jurisdiction".
66. Puisne Judges of the Supreme Court
67. Superior court justices
68. Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada
69. Associate Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada
70. Chief Justices of the highest court of each province and territory in order of date of appointment as chief justice
71. * Chief Justice of Ontario ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q123119379|P1308}})
72. * Chief Justice of Quebec ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q3250642|P1308}})
73. * Chief Justice of Nova Scotia
74. * Chief Justice of New Brunswick ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q5096794|P1308}})
75. * Chief Justice of Manitoba ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q123173904|P1308}})
76. * Chief Justice of British Columbia and Yukon ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q123119530|P1308}})
77. * Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island
78. * Chief Justice of Saskatchewan ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q123173935|P1308}})
79. * Chief Justice of Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut
80. * Chief Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q123173949|P1308}})
81. Chief Justices and Associate Chief Justices of other superior courts, in order of appointment as chief justice
82. * Associate Chief Justice of Ontario
83. * Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice
84. * Associate Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice
85. * Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
86. * Senior Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
87. * Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec
88. * Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
89. * Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia
90. * Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, Family Division
91. * Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of New Brunswick
92. * Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Manitoba
93. * Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Manitoba
94. * Associate Chief Justice, Family Division, of the Court of King's Bench of Manitoba
95. * Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
96. * Associate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
97. * Chief Justice of the Trial Division, Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island
98. * Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench for Saskatchewan
99. * Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta
100. * Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta
101. * Chief Justice of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland
102. * Senior Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories
103. * Senior Judge of the Supreme Court of Yukon
104. * Senior Judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice
105. Federal and provincial superior court puisne justices
106. Senators
107. : See List of current Canadian senators
108. Members of the House of Commons
109. : See List of House members of the 45th Parliament of Canada
110. Consuls General of Countries Without Diplomatic Representation
111. Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to Cabinet ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q211176|P1308}})
112. Chief of the Defence Staff ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q2961996|P1308}})
113. Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Michael Duheme)
114. Speakers of the Legislative Assemblies of the Provinces and Territories
115. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q3409170|P1308}})
116. President of the National Assembly of Quebec ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q3409174|P1308}})
117. Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7574268|P1308}})
118. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q2390782|P1308}})
119. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7574281|P1308}})
120. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7574282|P1308}})
121. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q3409171|P1308}})
122. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7574284|P1308}})
123. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7574280|P1308}})
124. Speaker of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7574267|P1308}})
125. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7574286|P1308}})
126. Speaker of the Yukon Legislative Assembly ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7574315|P1308}})
127. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut ({{#invoke:wd|property|linked|Q7574283|P1308}})
128. Members of the Executive Councils of the Provinces and Territories
129. Judges of Provincial and Territorial Courts
130. Members of the Legislative Assemblies of the Provinces and Territories
131. Chairperson of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians