Byng, << bihng, >> Julian Hedworth George (1862-1935), was governor general of Canada from 1921 to 1926. He was involved in a political crisis that led British leaders to redefine the role of Canada’s governor general.
Byng was born in Barnet, England. In 1917, during World War I, he led the Canadian Corps in the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France. After the war, he was given the title of baron for his military service.
In 1926, Canadian Prime Minister W. L. Mackenzie King asked Byng to dissolve Parliament and call an election. Byng refused to do so, believing that Parliament must first withdraw its support of King. King protested the decision by resigning. He claimed that Byng represented the British government and that Byng’s decision amounted to British interference in Canadian affairs. The crisis ended when King became prime minister again later in 1926. Afterward, British leaders agreed that Canada’s governor general would be simply a representative of the British crown and not a British government officer.
In 1928, Byng received the title of viscount. He was appointed a field marshal of the British Army in 1932.
