Brenda L. Murphy (born 1959) is a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

activist and politician who served as the 32nd

lieutenant governor of New Brunswick The lieutenant governor of New Brunswick (, in French: ''Lieutenant-gouverneur'' (if male) or ''Lieutenante-gouverneure'' (if female) ''du Nouveau-Brunswick'') is the representative in New Brunswick of the monarch, who operates distinctly within ...

, from 2019 to 2025.Alexander Quon
"Brenda Murphy officially sworn in as lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick"

Global News Global News is the news and Current affairs (news format), current affairs division of the Canadian Global Television Network. The network is owned by Corus Entertainment, which oversees all of the network's national news programming as well as ...

, September 9, 2019.

Career

She formerly served as a municipal councillor in Grand Bay–Westfield and served as the executive director of the Saint John Women's Empowerment Network in Saint John, best known for her advocacy on poverty and

domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...

issues. She served on a federal advisory council on poverty, and on New Brunswick's advisory council on the status of women.

Lieutenant-governor

Since September 8, 2019, she has served as

. She is both the province's first openly LGBT lieutenant governor and the first openly LGBT person to hold any viceregal office in Canada.Bobbi-Jean Mackinnon
"Brenda Murphy 'humbled' to be appointed New Brunswick's new lieutenant-governor"

CBC News CBC News is the division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC ...

New Brunswick, September 5, 2019. In April 2022, the

Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick The Court of King's Bench of New Brunswick (in French: ''Cour du Banc du Roi du Nouveau-Brunswick'') is the superior trial court of the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Structure The Court of King's Bench of New Brunswick consists of a ...

ruled that her appointment as lieutenant governor violated the bilingual status of the province under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, since Murphy is unilingual English-speaking. However, in May 2024, the Court of Appeal of New Brunswick overturned this judgment. On November 15, 2024, Louise Imbeault was announced as Murphy's replacement.

Honours and awards

Personal life

Murphy lives in Grand Bay–Westfield. Her partner Linda Boyle has accompanied her on official engagements, including a visit to King

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

at Buckingham Palace in November 2022.The Royal Family, Court Circular, 30 November 2022

Arms

References

1950s births Living people Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century Canadian politicians 21st-century Canadian women politicians Canadian women viceroys Canadian LGBTQ rights activists Canadian women's rights activists Canadian anti-poverty activists Canadian lesbian politicians Lieutenant governors of New Brunswick New Brunswick municipal councillors People from Kings County, New Brunswick Women in New Brunswick politics 21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people Officers_of_the_Order_of_St_John {{NewBrunswick-politician-stub