What are the Letters Patent of 1947?
Answer
The royal Letters Patent issued by King George VI on October 1, 1947 that delegated most of the monarch's prerogative powers in Canada to the Governor General.
Explanation
The Letters Patent Constituting the Office of Governor General of Canada are the royal Letters Patent issued by King George VI on September 8, 1947 (in force October 1, 1947) that delegated most of the monarch's prerogative powers in Canada to the Governor General. The Letters Patent are the foundational document for the modern role of the Governor General and remain in force today, as amended.
Before the 1947 Letters Patent, the Governor General had limited authority and many royal powers had to be exercised directly by the British monarch (operating in Britain through the Foreign Office). The 1947 Letters Patent transferred to the Governor General 'all powers and authorities lawfully belonging to Us in respect of Canada', with the exception of the King's personal prerogatives (which include the power to abdicate, alter the succession, and create peerages). The transfer responded to the evolution of Canadian sovereignty after the Statute of Westminster of 1931 and the Balfour Declaration of 1926.
Among the powers exercised by the Governor General under the Letters Patent are summoning, proroguing, and dissolving Parliament; granting Royal Assent to Acts of Parliament; issuing letters of credence and other diplomatic documents; appointing federal judges, senators, and Privy Councillors; ratifying treaties; declaring war; and serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces. In practice, the Governor General exercises these powers on the advice of the federal Cabinet (which acts through the Privy Council or Treasury Board).
The Letters Patent reflect the Westminster doctrine that the Crown is divisible: the King is separately the King of Canada and the King of the United Kingdom (and 13 other Commonwealth realms). When acting on Canadian advice, the King acts as King of Canada, separately from the British Crown. The Letters Patent of 1947 codified this divisibility by giving the Governor General nearly all royal powers in Canada. The Letters Patent are amended occasionally; the most recent amendment (2018) corrected outdated language. The original Letters Patent are preserved in Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa.
Why this matters for your test
The Letters Patent of 1947 are the foundational document for the modern Canadian Governor General. Recognising the 1947 transfer of royal powers and the divisibility of the Crown gives candidates two specific anchors.
Source: Library and Archives Canada; Letters Patent Constituting the Office of Governor General of Canada (1947)
