Adrienne Clarkson
A refugee who rose to become Canada's first immigrant Governor General, redefining the role with intellectual vigor and public engagement.
Born 1939 (age 87)·Governor General of Canada from 1999 to 2005·Birthday: February 10·The Silent Generation
Biography
Adrienne Clarkson’s story is a quintessential Canadian narrative of arrival and ascent. Fleeing Hong Kong with her family in 1942 as a child refugee, she embraced her new country with a fierce intelligence. She carved out a formidable career at the CBC, where for decades she hosted and produced programs like 'Take Thirty' and 'The Fifth Estate,' bringing a sharp, cosmopolitan perspective to Canadian media. Her appointment as Governor General in 1999 was groundbreaking, marking a shift from a traditional vice-regal figure to a publicly engaged thinker. She traveled extensively to the Arctic, championed the Canadian Forces, and used the office’s platform to spark conversations about citizenship, the arts, and national identity. After her term, she co-founded the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, continuing her life’s work of exploring what it means to belong.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Adrienne was born in 1939, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Adrienne Was Born
The biggest hits of 1939
#1 Movie
Gone with the Wind
Best Picture
Gone with the Wind
Adrienne's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1939Born
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1944Started school
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1952Became a teenager
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Could drive
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1957Could vote
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Turned 21
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1969Turned 30
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 40
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 50
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 60
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 70
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 80
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 87 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 26th Governor General of Canada, the first person of Asian heritage and the first without a military or political background to hold the office.
- Had a distinguished 30-year career as a CBC journalist, host, and producer, winning multiple Gemini Awards.
- Founded the Institute for Canadian Citizenship with her husband, John Ralston Saul, to promote active citizenship.
- Authored several books, including a memoir of her refugee experience, 'Heart Matters.'
Did You Know?
She was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada, the honour's highest level, in 1992, seven years before becoming Governor General.
Her official title includes 'The Right Honourable,' a style usually reserved for Prime Ministers and Chief Justices.
She is a respected author and has written novels and memoirs in addition to her non-fiction work.
As a student, she was the first non-white and first non-Catholic to be head girl at her Toronto high school.
“Citizenship is the chance to make a commitment to the land where you live.”
