The Governor General of Canada (French [masculine]: Gouverneur général du Canada, or [feminine]: Gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . Because the person of the sovereign is shared equally both with the 15 other Commonwealth realms and the 10 provinces of Canada and resides predominantly in oldest realm, the United Kingdom, , on the advice of the Canadian prime minister, appoints the governor general to carry out most of and ceremonial duties. The commission is for an unfixed period of time—known as serving —though five years is the normal convention. Beginning in 1959, it has also been traditional to rotate between anglophone and francophone incumbents. Once in office, the governor general maintains direct contact with the , wherever may be at the time.