Carney appoints former war crimes prosecutor as Canada governor general

Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney , has appointed a former supreme court justice and war crimes prosecutor as the country’s new governor general, saying her appointment would reflect the importance of global institutions. Louise Arbour, a celebrated jurist, served as United Nations commissioner and prosecuted war crimes in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, will serve as Canada’s representative of King Charles III . “Louise Arbour will represent the best of Canada to Canadians and to the world. A country that’s a bastion of security, prosperity and justice – a beacon to a world lost at sea. A Canada that is clear-eyed about the challenges we face and steadfast in the values we uphold,” Carney said in Ottawa as he announced his pick on Tuesday. Arbour will succeed Mary Simon, who became the first Indigenous person to hold the title when she was appointed by then prime minister Justin Trudeau in 2021 . At age 79, Arbour is the oldest person to be appointed to the role. Born in Montreal, Arbour taught law before she was appointed first as a judge in the province of Ontario and later to the country’s supreme court in 1999. She retired in 2004. Her later work outside Canada received substantial acclaim, both with the United Nations high commissioner for human rights and developing global migration policy. …