In 1946 King George VI appointed the then-Viscount Alexander as Governor General of Canada. Alexander was a hero of the Second World War, and was considered Britain’s greatest military commander since the Duke of Wellington.
Lord Alexander saw his role as a vital link between Canadians and their head of State, and was eager to convey that message wherever he went. He travelled the country extensively, eventually logging more than 184,000 miles during his five years as Governor General.
On his first major visit out west, he was presented on July 13, 1946, with a totem pole made by Kwakiutl carver Mungo Martin, to mark his installation as an Honorary Chief of the Kwakiutl, the first white man to be so honoured.
The totem pole remains a popular attraction on the front lawn of Rideau Hall.
