Provincial order of precedence

The New Brunswick Table of Precedence establishes the seating plan and the order of introduction, speeches, and official toasts for

• provincial ceremonies
• special events

At provincial events where federal, foreign, or diplomatic dignitaries may be present, the Table of Precedence of Canada or international protocol rules may apply, granting these dignitaries precedence over some provincial officials.

(Revised December 2023)

1. The Lieutenant Governor (see note 1)
2. The Premier
3. The Chief Justice of New Brunswick
4. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
5. Former Lieutenant Governors
6. Former Premiers
7. Former Chief Justices of New Brunswick
8. Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Ministers Plenipotentiary, and Chargé d’Affaires with precedence to their date of appointment
9. Members of the Executive Council of New Brunswick with precedence in accordance with the Executive Council Act
10. Leader of the Opposition
11. Members of the Privy Council
12. Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench
13. Associate Chief Justice of the Court of King’s Bench
14. Members of the Senate
15. Members of the House of Commons
16. Judges of the Court of Appeal with precedence according to their date of appointment
17. Judges of the Court of King's Bench with precedence according to their date of appointment
18. Members of the Legislative Assembly in the following order: Deputy Speaker, Government House Leader (see Note 2), Opposition House Leader, Leaders of Unofficial Opposition Parties, other members with precedence according to their date and order of their swearing in as Members of the Legislature
19. Elders and Chiefs of New Brunswick Indigenous Peoples
20. Leaders of religious denominations with precedence according to their date of appointment or election to the present office
21. Chief Judge of the Provincial Court
22. Judges of the Provincial Court with precedence according to their date of appointment
23. Members of the Consular Corps in the following order: Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, Honorary Consuls and Consular Agents with precedence among themselves according to their date of appointment
24. Mayors of the Cities of New Brunswick (with precedence given to the Mayor of the host municipality where appropriate) in the following order: Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton, Edmundston, Campbellton, Bathurst, Miramichi and Dieppe
25. Mayors of the Towns of New Brunswick with precedence among themselves according to the alphabetical order of the place-names
26. Mayors of the Villages, Rural Communities and Regional Municipalities of New Brunswick with precedence according to the alphabetical order of the place-names
27. Councillors of the Cities, Towns, Villages, Rural Communities and Regional Municipalities of New Brunswick in the same order of precedence among themselves according to the alphabetical order of their surnames
28. Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
29. Ombudsman
30. Child and Youth Advocate
31. Seniors’ Advocate
32. Auditor General
33. Integrity Commissioner
34. Commissioner of Official Languages
35. Consumer Advocate for Insurance
36. Chief Electoral Officer
37. Clerk of the Executive Council
38. Deputy Heads of the Civil Service, with precedence according to their date of appointment
39. Heads of Crown Corporations and Agencies, with precedence according to their date of appointment
40. Commanding Officer of “J” Division, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
41. Commander of Canadian Forces Base Gagetown and Commander of the Combat Training Centre
42. Chancellors of New Brunswick Universities in the following order: University of New Brunswick, Mount Allison University, St. Thomas University and Université de Moncton
43. Presidents of the Universities of New Brunswick in the same order of precedence as the Chancellors

• In the absence of the Lieutenant Governor from the Province or his/her inability to carry out the duties of Lieutenant Governor for any reason, the Chief Justice becomes Administrator of the Province and takes the Lieutenant Governor's place of precedence.
• A Government House Leader who is Cabinet Minister takes the precedence of a Cabinet Minister.
• Members of the King’s Privy Council for Canada who reside in New Brunswick take precedence after the Leader of the Opposition of New Brunswick. Members of the Privy Council who are members of the Cabinet take precedence over those who are not member of Cabinet by order of their appointment to Cabinet. Other Privy Councillors take precedence by order of their appointment to the King's Privy Council of Canada.