Monck, << muhngk, >> Viscount (1819-1894), was the first governor general of the Dominion of Canada. The Dominion was formed by a union of British North American colonies in 1867. Monck served as governor general for about a year. He had been governor general of British North America from 1861 to 1867. During that period, Monck strongly supported the Canadian confederation movement, which led to formation of the Dominion. He asked Sir John A. Macdonald, a confederation leader, to be the Dominion’s first prime minister.
Charles Stanley Monck was born on Oct. 10, 1819, in Tipperary, Ireland. He became the fourth Viscount Monck in 1849. Monck, a Liberal, was elected to the British House of Commons in 1852. He was a lord of the treasury from 1855 to 1858 in the government led by Viscount Palmerston. Monck was knighted in 1869. He died on Nov. 29, 1894.
