Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces

Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces
Commandant en chef des Forces armées canadiennes
Badge of the Canadian Armed Forces
Standard of Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada
Incumbent Elizabeth II Queen of Canada since 6 February 1952 Represented by Mary Simon Governor General of Canada since 26 July 2021
Canadian Armed Forces
Type	Role
Abbreviation	C-in-C
Constituting instrument	Constitution Act, 1867 Letters Patent, 1947
Formation	1 July 1867
First holder	Queen Victoria
Deputy	Chief of the Defence Staff

The commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces (French: Commandant en chef des Forces armées canadiennes) exercises supreme command and control over Canada's military, the Canadian Armed Forces. Constitutionally, the command-in-chief is vested in the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Since the Letters Patent, 1947 were signed by King George VI, the governor general of Canada – presently Mary Simon – executes most of the duties of the sovereign, including in her role as commander-in-chief; consequently, the governor general also uses the title Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces. By protocol, the title used within international contexts is Commander-in-Chief of Canada.

Constitutional provisions, title, and delegation[]

The Constitution Act, 1867, states that:^[1]

"The Command-in-Chief of the Land and Naval Militia, and of all Naval and Military Forces, of and in Canada, is hereby declared to continue and be vested in the Queen."

However, beginning in 1904, the exercise of the duties of the commander-in-chief were delegated to the governor general of Canada, the monarch's representative in the country. The Militia Act from that year stated that:

"the Command-in-Chief of the Militia is declared to continue and be vested in the King, and shall be administered by His Majesty or by the Governor General as his representative."

Following this, in 1905, the letters patent constituting the Office of the Governor General were amended to read the "Letters Patent constituting the Office of the Governor General and Commander-in-Chief."

Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, in her role as Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Militia and Naval and Air Forces, pictured with the crew of HMCS St. Laurent in Stockholm, Sweden, 11 June 1956

Throughout the development of the armed forces, the monarch has remained vested with command-in-chief,^[2][3] while the governor general's title altered to suit the changes in the militia's structure. Following the passage of the Naval Service Act establishing the Royal Canadian Navy in 1910, the viceroy was styled Commander-in-Chief of the Militia and Naval Forces and, after the creation of the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1918, as Commander-in-Chief of the Militia and Naval and Air Forces. Following this, the Letters Patent, 1947 by King George VI referred to the Office of Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada.^[4][5] In 1968, following the unification of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force, the commander-in-chief became the most senior officer of the Canadian Armed Forces.

As all executive power is legally reposed in the Crown, the role of commander-in-chief is the only constitutional means by which decisions are made over the deployment and disposition of the Canadian Armed Forces.^[6] Under the Westminster system's conventions of responsible government, the Cabinet—which advises the sovereign or her viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers—generally exercises the Crown prerogative powers relating to the Canadian forces.^[6][7] Still, all declarations of war are issued with the approval, and in the name, of the monarch, and must be signed by either the sovereign or the governor general, as was done with the proclamation that declared Canada at war with Nazi Germany, issued on September 10, 1939; it stated: "Whereas by and with the advice of Our Privy Council for Canada We have signified Our Approval for the issue of a Proclamation in the Canada Gazette declaring that a State of War with the German Reich exists and has existed in Our Dominion of Canada as and from the tenth day of September, 1939."^[8]

The banner of the Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation

In exercising the duties of commander-in-chief, the governor general appoints the chief of the Defence Staff, as well as royal colonels-in-chief of Canadian regiments (save for the Queen herself), approves new military badges and insignia (except for those bearing St. Edward's Crown, which may only be sanctioned by the monarch), visits Canadian Forces personnel within Canada and abroad, bestows honours, and signs commission scrolls.^[4] Since 2000, the governor general also awards the Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation to units in the Canadian Forces and allied militias that have performed extraordinary deeds or activities in highly hazardous circumstances in active combat. An insignia pin is presented to members and the unit receives a scroll and may fly a special banner.^[9][10]

Rank insignia[]

Unique commander-in-chief rank insignia is displayed on the applicable Canadian Armed Forces uniforms which the commander-in-chief may choose to wear on occasion. In accordance with the Canadian Forces Dress Instructions, the commander-in-chief may wear a flag officer's navy uniform or a general officer's army or air force uniform with, as appropriate or desirable, a flag or general officer , a special flag or general officer sleeve braid embellished with the commander-in-chief's badge (the crest of the royal arms of Canada), and a large embroidered commander-in-chief's badge on the shoulder straps or shoulder boards with the badges facing forward.^[11]

Service	Insignia
Canada
Canada
Canada

Commanders-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces[]

Year	Sovereign	Year	Represented by Governor General
Commanders-in-Chief of the Canadian Land and Naval Militia
1867 – 1901	Queen Victoria	1898-1904	The Earl of Minto
1901 – 1910	King Edward VII	1904 – 1910	The Earl Grey
Commanders-in-Chief of the Canadian Militia and Naval Forces
1910 – 1919	King George V	1910 – 1911	The Earl Grey
		1911 – 1916	Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
		1916 – 1919	The Duke of Devonshire
Commanders-in-Chief of the Canadian Militia and Naval and Air Forces
1919 – 1936	King George V	1919 – 1921	The Duke of Devonshire
		1921 – 1926	The Viscount Byng of Vimy
		1926 – 1931	The Marquess of Willingdon
		1931 – 1935	The Earl of Bessborough
		1935 – 1936	The Lord Tweedsmuir
1936	King Edward VIII	1936
1936 – 1952	King George VI	1936 – 1940
		1940 – 1946	The Earl of Athlone
		1946 – 1952	The Viscount Alexander of Tunis
1952 – 1968	Queen Elizabeth II	1952
		1952 – 1959	Vincent Massey
		1959 – 1967	Georges Vanier
		1967 – 1968	Roland Michener
Commanders-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces
1968 – present	Queen Elizabeth II	1968 – 1974	Roland Michener
		1974 – 1979	Jules Léger
		1979 – 1984	Edward Schreyer
		1984 – 1990	Jeanne Sauvé
		1990 – 1995	Ramon John Hnatyshyn
		1995 – 1999	Roméo LeBlanc
		1999 – 2005	Adrienne Clarkson
		2005 – 2010	Michaëlle Jean
		2010 – 2017	David Lloyd Johnston
		2017 – 2021	Julie Payette
		2021 – present	Mary Simon

See also[]

• The Canadian Crown and the Canadian Forces
• Colonel-in-Chief

References[]

External links[]

• Department of National Defence: Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada
• Commander-in-Chief | The Governor General of Canada