Adrienne Clarkson

Adrienne Louise Clarkson PC CC CMM COM CD (née Adrienne Louise Poy, 10 February 1939) is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served for six years as Governor General of Canada. She was appointed as such by Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on the recommendation of then Prime Minister of Canada Jean Chrétien, to replace Roméo LeBlanc as viceroy, with the official announcement of the selection made on 8 September 1999, and Clarkson's investiture as the 26th Governor General since Confederation taking place on 7 October 1999. Clarkson was replaced as vicereine by Michaëlle Jean on 27 September 2005. Clarkson is a refugee from Hong Kong, coming with her family to Canada in 1941 to settle and be raised in Ottawa, Ontario. After receiving a number of university degrees, Clarkson worked as a producer and broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and as a journalist for various magazines. Her first diplomatic postings came in the early 1980s, when she promoted Ontario culture in France and other European countries.