The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Forces

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The Crown holds a prominent place within the Canadian Forces. The Constitution Act, 1867 states that the Command-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces is vested in the Queen. However, the 1905 Militia Act changed references to the Office of the Governor-General to become the Office of the Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Militia; the title and its duties being held and performed by the Governor General on behalf of the Sovereign. The Letters Patent of 1947 further reinforce this position. ^[1] The Queen is also the Honorary Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.^[2]

In 1968, Defence Minister Paul Hellyer, under the Government of Pierre Trudeau, unified the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force into the Canadian Forces, over the protests of many senior generals, admirals and air marshals. The "Royal" title was not bestowed upon the new unified service, though many of the former Army units retain the title and vessels are still titled "HMCS". Also, crowns are included in the vast majority of Canadian military insignia. Since usage of the "Royal" designation was executed by Royal Proclamations which have never been revoked, the Canadian Government and the Canadian Forces will be required to resume usage of the expression "Royal" if the expressions "Canadian Navy" and "Canadian Air Force" are again used in any official capacity.

Still, despite the unification, the Sovereign's position and role in the military is reflected by Canadian naval vessels bearing the prefix Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) (subsequently His Majesty's Canadian Ship during the reign of a king), and all members of the armed forces must swear allegiance to the Queen and her heirs and successors. Members of the Royal Family are also Colonel-in-Chief of many Canadian regiments, including: le Régiment de la Chaudière; the 48th Highlanders of Canada; le Royal 22e Régiment; the Governor General's Foot Guards; the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa; the Royal Newfoundland Regiment; and the Calgary Highlanders, amongst many others. The holders of these positions carry out a number of associated duties. For example, the 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma, as Colonel-in-Chief of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, visited with her troops on forty-five occasions, at CF bases and detachments from Gagetown, New Brunswick to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, as well as to see soldiers training in Resolute Bay, and battalions serving on overseas operations in Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Kosovo.^[3]

Further information: List of Canadian Organizations with royal patronage — Military

Members of the Canadian Royal Family have presided over many military ceremonies both abroad and at home, including Trooping the Colours, inspections of the troops, and anniversaries of key battles; whenever the Sovereign or a member of her family is in Ottawa, they lay a wreath at the National War Memorial. As well, two other examples of Elizabeth II acting as Queen of Canada abroad were associated with the Canadian military; one in 1996 when she dedicated the Canadian War Memorial in Green Park, London, and the other in 2004 when she attended the Canadian 60th anniversary of D-Day ceremonies in Normandy, France. One of the few official duties King Edward VIII carried out during his short reign as King of Canada was to dedicate the Vimy Memorial in France, on July 26, 1936.^[4] Elizabeth II, neice of Edward VIII, will rededicate the memorial, on the 90th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge, on April 9, 2007.

[edit] See also

• Monarchy in Canada

[edit] Footnotes