In 1926 Massey was appointed the first Canadian Minister to Washington DC and in 1935 became Canada's High Commissioner to London. During World War II Massey was a passionate supporter of Canada and the British Empire's fight against Nazi Germany. In recognition of his support for the war effort H.M. King George VI awarded Massey the Order of the Companions of Honour in 1946. His work after the war directly led to the creation of the National Library of Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts. In 1950 Vincent Massey was heartbroken by the death of his wife Alice, however, only 18 months later, in 1952 he received the crowning achievement of his career when he was appointed Governor-General of Canada.
Massey's appointment became one of the "red letter" dates in Canadian history. It was the first time that a native Canadian became Governor-General and since that time every Governor-General has been born in Canada until the appointment of Adrienne Clarkson (who was born in Hong Kong). Vincent Massey proved to be an exemplary model for what a Canadian Governor-General should be: a source of unity and leadership for all Canadians and a loyal representative of the monarchy in Canada. He worked hard to emphasize and solidify the close bonds between the Canadian people and their monarch. He made every effort to encourage respect for the Crown and to foster Canadian unity and patriotism. He travelled all over Canada, by train, boat, car, plane and even canoe and dog sled to carry out his duties as Governor-General.
Too many people in Canada and abroad seem to think that before the 1960's there was some kind of enforced cultural uniformity throughout the land, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Canada has always been a diverse nation and Governor-General Massey celebrated this and encouraged people to learn both English and French to bring Canadians of different cultures together whereas many today use these differences as an excuse to foster disunity. Massey used these varied people and backgrounds to celebrate the combined flavors that make up Canada. He also worked to encourage homegrown Canadian culture, whether it was in the area of literature, theatre, architecture, art or any number of others. He was a Governor-General for all Canadians because the Crown he represented was for all Canadians.
One of the best things that can be said about Vincent Massey is that he truly understood and carried out the job of Governor-General. He did not try to be some sort of politician but completely the Crown's representative. He wanted to establish a Canadian honours, which did finally happen, but only after his time. He wanted to make the monarchy something front and centre in Canadian life. In 1953 he brought back the use of the State Carriage for the celebrations in honor of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of Canada. He also introduced her speech before it was broadcast in Canada. Governor-General Massey had his term of office extended twice, once by Prime Minister St. Laurent and the second time by Prime Minister Diefenbaker. He left office in 1959. In 1960 the Queen honored him for his service with the Royal Victorian chain, the only Canadian of his time to be so honored. Vincent Massey died while visiting England on December 30, 1967. The following year he was given a state funeral in Canada.
