The Governor General

Long before his vice-regal appointment, Lord Minto spent several years in Canada serving as an Aide-de-camp to General Middleton during the North West Rebellion. On his departure home to England, Sir John A. Macdonald apparently said to him, "I shall not live to see it, but some day Canada will welcome you back as Governor General". Sir John A. Macdonald's prediction came true when Lord Minto was named Governor General of Canada in the summer of 1898.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier wrote that Lord Minto "took his duties to heart" and a review of his life reveals an energetic man who welcomed many challenges and responsibilities.Governor General Minto's term of office was marked by a period of strong nationalism which saw economic growth coupled with massive immigration to Canada. Relations with the United States were strained as border and fishing disputes continued to create problems between the two countries.

In September 1901, after Queen Victoria's death in January, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (later to become King George V and Queen Mary) visited Canada, and travelled with Lady Minto to western Canada and the Klondike.

Lord Minto, like his predecessors, travelled throughout the young country -- he crossed Ontario, Quebec and western Canada, visiting former battlegrounds where he had served during the North West Rebellion. He rode throughout western Canada with the North West Mounted Police, and enjoyed the Quebec countryside on horseback.Lord Minto's convictions about the importance of preserving our heritage led to the creation of the National Archives of Canada.

Lord and Lady Minto were sports enthusiasts and the Minto Skating Club, which they founded in 1903, has produced many famous skaters. They both excelled at the sport and hosted many lively skating parties during their time at Rideau Hall. In the summer, the Minto family loved to bicycle and play lacrosse. In 1901, Lord Minto gave his name to the Minto Cup Canadian Lacrosse Association championship award. He loved the outdoors, championed the conservation of natural resources and promoted the creation of national parks.

In education and health, Governor General Minto encouraged a forward-looking approach. He believed that Canada's progress depended on the cultivation of patriotism and unity, and this conviction was reflected in his desire to see a wider history curriculum developed in Canadian schools. In response to the health crisis posed by tuberculosis, he helped establish the first anti-tuberculosis foundation in Canada.

Governor General Minto also took great interest in the development of the Canadian military and emphasized the need for training and professional development. He was appointed honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Governor General's Foot Guards Regiment on December 1, 1898, and was subsequently appointed honorary Colonel, a tradition that has continued with the post of Governors General to this day.

On his trip back to England in 1904, having finished his term as Canada's Governor General, Lord Minto wrote in his journal ". . .so our life in Canada is over and it has been a great wrench parting from so many friends and leaving a country which I love, and which has been very full of interest to me".