modern Canadian honours system finds its basis, initially, in the Order of Canada, established by letters patent signed by Queen Elizabeth II on March 17, 1967. At first the order consisted of three separate parts: Companion of the Order of Canada, the Medal of Courage of the Order of Canada, and the Medal of Service of the Order of Canada. These three awards served as the cornerstone upon which the post-1967 Canadian honours system has developed. The development of the Order of Canada has embodied much more than the creation of a single institution; it is rather a project that expanded to include the various Canadian Decorations for Bravery, the Order of Military Merit, and an entire family of honours. To this has been added the provincial orders and a select number of provincial medals.
Honours in the Dominion of Newfoundland
Newfoundland, itself a periodic autonomous dominion prior to joining Canada in 1949, had a rather different honours experience. Indeed, imperial honours were bestowed upon Newfoundlanders right up until the eve of Confederation. There was never a prohibition on residents of this dominion from accepting any honours, and liberal use was made of the system, especially between 1930 and 1949. The governor and premier played a direct role in drawing up nomination lists that were submitted to the Colonial and later the Dominions Office.
During the Commission of Government period (1934–1949), when there was no premier, the roles of the governor and chairman of the commission were paramount in the process. As with the appointments made to Canadians during the Bennett premiership and throughout the Second World War, the Dominions Office simply provided each dominion with a maximum allotment of honours, and they did not become involved in the actual nomination process. Much to the annoyance of the Canadian government, the flow of knighthoods to Newfoundlanders continued right up to the moment of Confederation.
On a per capita basis, Newfoundland was one of the most honoured parts of the British Empire, its residents having received one peerage, one Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG), thirteen Knight Commanders of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (KCMGs), fourteen Companions of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMGs), nine Knight Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (KBEs), one Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), three military Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBEs), twenty-six civil CBEs, nine military Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBEs), forty-eight civil OBEs, ninety-eight Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs), and one Imperial Service Order (ISO). One Newfoundlander serving in the Royal Navy was a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) and later a Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB), while his brother was a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) — all in the military division.[2]
The Creation of Canadian Honours Today
Proposals to create new honours or medals generally come from the Chancellery of Honours or the Department of National Defence, though they occasionally emanate from individuals, organizations, members of the public, or commissioned reports.
The Chancellery researches to ensure that the proposed honour or medal is needed and that it conforms to Canadian honours policy. Once it deems that the honour is needed, a proposal is presented to the Honours Policy Committee, a government body chaired by the clerk of the Privy Council and made up of senior public servants from various federal departments. If the Honours Policy Committee agrees that the honour is needed, the Chancellery is then directed to propose regulations and a draft order-in-council. Design proposals are also drawn up by the Chancellery, usually in collaboration with the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
The Honours Policy Committee then reviews the proposal again and, if approved, it is passed on to the prime minister for consideration. If the prime minister approves the new award, the Queen’s informal agreement is sought. From this point an order-in-council is processed through the Privy Council Office. On the advice of the prime minister of Canada, through the governor general’s office, the letters patent and design paintings are sent to Buckingham Palace for approval by Her Majesty the Queen. It is only when the Queen signs the letters patent that the honour is considered to be officially created.
Once the paintings and letters patent are signed by the Queen, a press release is sent out by the governor general and the regulations for the new award are published in the Canada Gazette. Amendments to the criteria for Canadian orders, decorations, and medals do not have to be approved by the Queen but can be made by the governor general.
4
PEERAGES, BARONETCIES, AND THE IMPERIAL ORDERS OF CHIVALRY
While only infrequently summoned to the peerage of the United Kingdom — thus becoming a member of the House of Lords — a number of prominent Canadians have been elevated to the upper chamber of the Parliament at Westminster in connection with their services to the British Empire, Britain, or Canada. A peerage not only constitutes a hereditary title and a seat in the House of Lords but it was and remains considered an honour of the Crown. A baronetcy, a sort of hereditary knighthood that does not entitle the holder to sit in the House of Lords, was also employed as an honour of the Crown, though it was bestowed on only a few Canadians.
Residents of Canada were more frequently appointed to the various imperial orders of chivalry. Indeed, the diverse array of orders served as the principal means of bestowing official recognition upon Canadians for meritorious achievement and lifetime achievement in the military and civil fields until 1967. This chapter provides an overview of the type of service each order was used to reward, the number of Canadian residents appointed to each order, and various details related to the insignia recipients were presented with.
Canadian citizens continue to be appointed to a number of these orders, though solely for services to the United Kingdom or a number of the Queen’s other realms. As there are a large number of Canadian citizens who hold British citizenship and there are continuing close relations between the two countries, it is not uncommon for Canadians to be rewarded with appointment to an imperial order in recognition of services rendered to the United Kingdom.
Honours such as the Imperial Service Order are no longer awarded to British citizens, though through a curious arrangement citizens of a number of Commonwealth countries continue to be appointed to this order on the advice of their national governments.
The Order of Merit, Royal Victorian Chain, Royal Victorian Order, and Order of St. John are all examined in Part II. They are elements of the Canadian honours system that are shared with the United Kingdom and the Queen’s other realms, whereas the peerage, baronetcy, and orders examined in this chapter clearly fall into the category of imperial honours that Canadians have not been appointed to on the advice of the Government of Canada (Queen in Right of Canada) since 1968.
A number of imperial orders of chivalry are not detailed in this chapter. These include the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the Most Illustrious Order of St. Patrick, the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, the Royal Guelphic Order, the Imperial Order of the Crown of India, and the Order of Burma. While many of Canada’s governors general and their spouses were members of some of these orders, few, if any, were bestowed upon residents of Canada. Only one person closely associated with Canada, Lord Pirrie (born in Quebec City), was appointed to the Order of St. Patrick. Former Governor General Vincent Massey would have been made a Knight of the Garter if the Queen had not been advised against doing so by Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent and his successor John Diefenbaker. The Royal Guelphic Order has a connection to Canada through a number of important figures, notably Sir Francis Bond Head, lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, and Sir John Franklin, the intrepid Arctic explorer who perished in what is modern-day Nunavut. Unless otherwise stated, all of the numbers listed in this chapter are for honours bestowed upon residents of Canada for services to Canada. Where possible the number of honours bestowed on Newfoundlanders has also been listed.
The Peerage in the
