Roméo-Adrien LeBlanc

Roméo LeBlanc was educated at St Joseph's University (now Université de Moncton) and University of Paris in France before teaching in New Brunswick in the 1950s. He joined Radio-Canada as a journalist in 1960 and became press secretary to Prime Minister Lester Pearson in 1967. He stayed on as press secretary to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau until 1971 when he returned to Université de Moncton as director of public relations. First elected to the House of Commons in 1972 representing Westmorland-Kent, New Brunswick, LeBlanc served as Minister of State (Fisheries) (1974-1976), Minister of Fisheries and the Environment (1976-1979), Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (1980-1982), and Minister of Public Works and Minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the National Capital Commission (1982-1984). LeBlanc chose not to seek re-election in 1984 and was summoned to the Senate of Canada on 29 Jun 1984. He was appointed Speaker of the Senate on 7 Dec 1993. A fluently bilingual Acadian, LeBlanc was selected by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in 1994 to succeed Ray Hhatyshyn as Governor General of Canada. LeBlanc was the first Maritimer and first Canadian of Acadian descent to hold the vice-regal office. He instituted the Governor General's Caring Canadian Award in 1996 and the Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts in 1999.