New queen's representative takes over the reigns in Canada

Oct 2, 2010, 21:44 GMT

Ottawa/New York - University professor David Johnston on Saturday took up his new role as the 28th governor general of Canada, Queen Elizabeth II's representative in the country.

The queen, Canada's head of state, visits the former colony every few years but the governor general carries out her day-to-day business and remains the country's highest representative.

Johnston, 69, who until now was the president of Toronto's Waterloo University, takes over from Michaelle Jean.

Haiti-born Jean, 52, had been the opposite of the queen in many ways. The multi-lingual journalist demonstrated her affinity with Eskimos - and caused a scandal - by cutting out the heart of a just- slaughtered seal and eating a piece of it raw. It was 'absolutely delicious' and tasted like sushi, she said.

Johnston is regarded as a more reserved academic. He studied at Harvard - where he was captain of the ice hockey team - Cambridge and the Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and is regarded as one of the country's most well known jurists.

Canada has been officially independent from Britain since 1982, though Elizabeth II is still pictured on coins and on 20-dollar notes. She also remains the head of state of 15 other former colonies.

She is responsible for naming the governor general, though his or her name is put forward to her by the Canadian prime minister. She has no real influence on the governor general's actions.