You can be spared a royal lashing if you are constitutionally confused and believe the governor general is Canada’s head of state. While some constitutional experts believe that provides leeway for our GG to be referred to as head of state, the sovereign remains our official head of state. A 2008 Ipsos Reid survey showed that only 24 per cent of us knew the Queen is head of state. The Queen is Canada’s official head of state. According to the 1867 British North America Act creating Canada, the monarch is Canada’s head of state and the GG is the monarch’s representative in Canada.

Source: thestar May 20, 2016 15:30 UTC