Queen's Printer

The Queen's Printer (known as King's Printer during the reign of a male monarch) is typically a bureau of the national, state, or provincial government responsible for producing official documents issued by the Queen-in-Council, ministers of the Crown, or other departments. The position is defined by letters patent under the royal prerogative in various Commonwealth realms.

Canada

Federal

The Queen's Printer for Canada, so titled as to distinguish it from the equivalent position in each of the Canadian provinces, is the individual in Ottawa responsible for the publishing and printing requirements of the Queen-in-federal-Council. The Minister of Public Works and Government Services is empowered by the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act to appoint the Queen's Printer for Canada on behalf of the sovereign.^[1]

Alberta

The Alberta Queen's Printer is the position, created in 1906, that oversees the administration of Crown copyright in the province, as well as publishing and distributing copies of legislation, regulations, and related material, including the Alberta Gazette,^[2] in both hard copy and electronic forms. Such print and digital media is also distributed by the Queen's Printer to libraries around Alberta, as well as being sold at a dedicated bookstore in Edmonton and via the Internet.^[3] The Queen's Printer him or herself is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta-in-Council.^[4]

British Columbia

In British Columbia, the office of the Queen's Printer and Comptroller of Stationery for British Columbia, is a branch of the province's Procurement and Supply Services department, and not only supplies paper and electronic copies of all legislation, regulations, and related materials, including the British Columbia Gazette, but also operates a book and gift store called Crown Publications,^[5] and provides to the public printing, copying, and binding services.^[6] Once legislation in has been granted Royal Assent, the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly must provide to the Queen's Printer a certified copy of the new law,^[7] as well as the journals of all sessions of the legislature.^[8]

New Brunswick

A Queen's Printer for New Brunswick is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick on the advice of his or her Executive Council,^[9] and thereafter publishes the regulations, acts of the provincial parliament, and The Royal Gazette,^[10] and supplies them to libraries across the province and for sale to the public.^[11][12]

Manitoba

The Manitoba Queen's Printer was established in 1870. It is the official source of Government of Manitoba statutory publications such as: acts, regulations and other Legislative material, the Manitoba Gazette, the CCSM (Continuing Consolidation of the Statutes of Manitoba). ^[13]

Ontario

The Queen's Printer for Ontario holds Crown copyright in that province, and all material hence bears the mark © Queen's Printer for Ontario.^[14] The department must, by law, print the Ontario Gazette.^[15]

Prince Edward Island

The Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island appoints a Queen's Printer for the province,^[16] who is an officer of the Department of the Provincial Treasury and is overseen by the minister of the Crown for that department.^[17] The Queen's Printer is required by law to publish the Royal Gazette,^[18] as well as copies of all legislation, journals of the legislature, and other material printed as the cost of the Queen in Right of Prince Edward Island.^[19]

Saskatchewan

The Office of the Queen's Printer in Saskatchewan is based in Regina and has the duty of publishing and distributing official copies of all legislation, regulations, and related material, including the Saskatchewan Gazette, and any other publications ordered by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan-in-Council.^[20] The Queen's Printer also holds Crown copyright on behalf of the Queen in Right of Saskatchewan, and has the ability to release, in exceptional circumstances, such copyright on a one-time basis.^[21] The Queen's Printer him or herself is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan-in-Council.^[22] Once legislation in has been granted Royal Assent, the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly must provide to the Queen's Printer a certified copy of the new law,^[23] as well as the journals of all sessions of the legislature.^[24]

United Kingdom

The holder of the letters patent has the nearly exclusive right of printing, publishing and importing the King James Bible and Book of Common Prayer within the United Kingdom's jurisdiction. There are three exceptions which apply to this right. One is that the office of Queen's Printer only extends to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Within Scotland the rights to the King James Bible are administered for the Crown by the Bible Board, which holds the office of Her Majesty's sole and only Master Printers and which licenses the printing of the Bible, New Testament and Book of Psalms.^[25] The other two exceptions are that separate sets of letters patent grant the Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press the right to print and distribute the King James Bible and Book of Common Prayer regardless of who holds the office of Queen's Printer.

The current holder of the office of Queen's Printer is Cambridge University Press.

The Controller of HMSO is appointed by Letters Patent to the office of Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament.

Section 92 of the Scotland Act 1998 establishes the office of Queen's Printer for Scotland, and provides for it to be held by the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament. The Queen's Printer for Scotland is responsible for administering Crown copyright in Acts of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish subordinate legislation and works made by the Scottish Administration.^[26]

See also

• Office of Public Sector Information
• United States Government Printing Office

References