Jules Léger

Jules Léger was the younger brother of Cardinal Paul-Émile Léger. Earning a doctorate at the Sorbonne, Léger joined Canada's Department of External Affairs in 1940, serving as Under-Secretary of State and Ambassador to Mexico, Italy, France, and NATO during the Cold War.

Appointed Governor General in 1974, Léger suffered a debilitating stroke just six months into office that impaired his speech and paralyzed his right arm. Supported devotedly by his wife Gabrielle, who read parts of his Speeches from the Throne, Léger continued his duties with quiet dignity, establishing Rideau Hall as a gallery of contemporary Canadian art. He was a Companion of the Order of Canada.