<P> Although required by the tenets of constitutional monarchy to be nonpartisan while in office, governors general were frequently former politicians; a number held seats in the House of Lords by virtue of their inclusion in the peerage . Appointments of former ministers of the Crown in the 1980s and 1990s were criticized by Peter H. Russell, who stated in 2009: "much of (the) advantage of the monarchical system is lost in Canada when prime ministers recommend partisan colleagues to be appointed governor general and represent (the Queen)." Clarkson was the first governor general in Canadian history without either a political or military background, as well as the first Asian - Canadian and the second woman, following on Jeanne Sauvé . The third woman to hold this position was also the first Caribbean - Canadian governor general, Michaëlle Jean . </P> <P> There have been, from time to time, proposals put forward for modifications to the selection process of the governor general . Most recently, the group Citizens for a Canadian Republic has advocated the election of the nominee to the Queen, either by popular or parliamentary vote; a proposal echoed by Adrienne Clarkson, who called for the prime minister's choice to not only be vetted by a parliamentary committee, but also submit to a televised quiz on Canadiana . Constitutional scholars, editorial boards, and the Monarchist League of Canada have argued against any such constitutional tinkering with the viceregal appointment process, stating that the position being "not elected is an asset, not a handicap," and that an election would politicize the office, thereby undermining the impartiality necessary to the proper functioning of the governor general . </P> <P> A new approach was used in 2010 for the selection of David Johnston as governor general - designate . For the task, Prime Minister Stephen Harper convened a special search group--the Governor General Consultation Committee--was instructed to find a non-partisan candidate who would respect the monarchical aspects of the viceregal office and conducted extensive consultations with more than 200 people across the country . In 2012, the committee was made permanent and renamed as the Advisory Committee on Vice-Regal Appointments, with a modified membership and its scope broadened to include the appointment of provincial lieutenant governors and territorial commissioners (though the latter are not personal representatives of the monarch). However, Justin Trudeau did not make use of a selection committee when he chose Julie Payette as Johnston's successor in 2017 . </P> <P> Canada shares the person of the sovereign equally with 15 other countries in the Commonwealth of Nations and that individual, in his or her capacity as the Canadian sovereign, has 10 other legal personas within the Canadian federation . As the sovereign works and resides predominantly outside of Canada's borders, the governor general's primary task is to perform the monarch's federal constitutional duties on his or her behalf . As such, the governor general carries "on the Government of Canada on behalf and in the name of the Sovereign". </P>

Why does canada still have a governor general