Why Canada’s next Governor General matters right now

Why Canada’s next Governor General matters right now

From The Big Story by Frequency Podcast Network

June 8, 2026 · 20 min · Episode 1875

About this episode

The episode discusses the significance of Louise Arbour's appointment as Canada's next Governor General and its implications for the country's identity and connection to the monarchy.

Louise Arbour, a former lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is being sworn in as Canada's next Governor General. It comes at a nuanced time for Canada's global identity. Host Catherine Jette speaks to Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto about the Governor General's role in Canada, whether or not Canadians feel connected to the monarch, and how Arbour could use this precarious geopolitical moment to capture the country's appetite for unity and identity.

People in this episode

Host: Catherine Jette

Guest: Nelson Wiseman

Topics covered

  • Governor General
  • Canada
  • politics
  • identity
  • geopolitics
  • monarchy

Keywords

  • Governor General
  • Louise Arbour
  • Canada
  • Catherine Jette
  • Nelson Wiseman
  • politics
  • identity
  • monarchy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Toronto

Places: Canada

More episodes of The Big Story

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Big Story podcast page.