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OTTAWA, July 8, 2010  —  University of Ottawa President Allan Rock today expressed delight and extended warmest congratulations to David Johnston following the Prime Minister’s announcement that President Johnston is to be the 28th Governor General of Canada.

“David Johnston is an inspired choice for the office of Governor General of Canada,” said Allan Rock. “It has been my very great privilege to know and work with David Johnston in various capacities over many years. I am proud to call him a friend. He has a deep commitment to Canada and a strong sense of public service. He is an outstanding scholar and a remarkable Canadian, who will carry out this new and important role with energy and distinction.”

David Johnston is currently the President of the University of Waterloo. He has devoted his entire career to the academic world. He taught law at Queen's University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Western Ontario, where he was Dean of Law from 1974-1979. In 1979, he was named Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University, a post in which he served with distinction for 15 years.

President Johnston took office as the fifth President of the University of Waterloo in 1999. He is a Companion of the Order of Canada. He was President of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, the Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités du Québec, the founding Chair of the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy and the only non-US citizen ever to chair Harvard University's Board of Overseers. David Johnston completed his university studies with distinction at Harvard, Cambridge and Queen's.