Major General John Clitherow (December 13, 1782 - October 14, 1852) was an army officer, politician and was briefly Lieutenant Governor of Canada West and Canada East(1841).

John Clitherow enlisted in the British Army in 1799 and served in the Egyptian campaign of 1801 and in the Peninsular War among other assignments. He arrived in British North America in 1838 as commander of Montreal following the Patriotes Rebellion.

He served as an advisor to Lord Durham in the military government that followed the rebellion.

When the second rebellion broke out Clitherow commanded 3,000 regulars that marched on rebel headquarters. He also presided over courts martial that prosecuted the rebels.

In 1841, he was transferred to Canada West to command British forces there and was made governor by Lord Sydenham. He prorogued the first session of the first parliament of the Province of Canada when Sydenham died and remained acting Governor for six days until the appointment of Sir Richard Downes Jackson as administrator.