The role of deputy of the governor general is separate from that of
administrator of Canada. The
Letters Patent, 1947, issued by King
George VI provide that, in the case of the death, removal, incapacity, or absence of more than one month of the governor general, the
chief justice of Canada shall serve as administrator of Canada, exercising all the powers and functions of the governor general until a new governor general is appointed. In the absence or incapacity of the chief justice, the role of administrator falls on the senior puisne justice of the Supreme Court. Chiefs of the
Six Nations of the Grand River expressed to Queen
Elizabeth II their concerns about Chief Justice
Richard Wagner serving as administrator after
Julie Payette resigned from the office of governor general in January 2021. Grand Chief Vernon Watchmaker and Chief Germaine Anderson stated, "the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada as a 'stand in' does not give us comfort. Many times, our nations have been involved in litigation that ends up at the Supreme Court." ==References==