The year 2022 will mark the Queen's 
70th year on the throne of Canada. It 
is customary for medals marking a 
jubilee to be given out to deserving 
​Canadians during the jubilee year. 
However, it was learned earlier this 
year that no such medal is planned 
to be issued for the Queen's Platinum 
Jubilee. This is made all the more 
unfortunate by the pandemic having 
produced a long list of people who 
are deserving of special recognition 
of the type a periodic medal would 
​be well-suited to provide.

April 9th: Before this decision became public knowledge a
petition was already being posted on the House of Commons
website by MP Cheryl Gallant.
April 29th: Chairman Finch of the Monarchist League of
Canada informed the membership that he has learned there
are no plans for a platinum jubilee medal. A call for a letter
writing campaign was made at this time. 
May 14th: Chairman Finch posted an update noting he has 
had several good conversations with various individuals, in
and out of public life.
May 19th: NDP MP Daniel Blaikie called one League
member stating he was surprised to learn no medal was being
considered and noting, "I've known many that have received
the Diamond Jubilee Medal and it was a wonderful
encouragement to them."
May 29th: The League released a simple infopic for posting
to social media:

June 13th: Two League members shared excepts from their
conversations with their MPs. They were MPs Nelly Shin and
Michael Chong and both expressed support for, at the very
least, a platinum jubilee medal.
June 16th: Chairman Finch provided an update on the fight.
The government was reviewing the costs associated with the
issuing of a jubilee medal. It was also revealed several
premiers had been privately advocating for the medal.
June 19th: Monarchist League details the social media reach
of a single League member. Currie Dixon, the Leader of the
Official Opposition in the Yukon Legislature thanked the 
League for its efforts and informed them Motion 77, urging
the federal government to issue a platinum jubilee medal, had
been added to the order paper.
June 28th: A League member in Ontario was thanked for his
letter writing campaign which has seen hundreds of letters go
out.

And this is where the jubilee medal campaign stands today. It
is possible with MPs returning home for the summer and the
pandemic restrictions lifting it will be easier to do the sort of
in-person advocacy that greatly benefits these sorts of
​endeavors.​

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

I have previously written about the 
hereditary chief traditions of certain 
West Coast First Nations. Little did I 
know at the time that the East Coast 
also has at least one comparable 
position. The position in question is 
​the Grand Chief (of the Mi'kmaw). The 
position of Grand Chief has gone 
through many changes through the 
years both in its selection and its role. 
This is to be expected. Societies change 
as their needs change but through it all 
the Grand Chief has been an important 
office to the Mi'kmaw. This article is a 
brief overview of the office of Grand 
Chief along with the related institution 
of the Grand Council.

Henri Membertou (born 1507, Grand Chief 1550-1611)
Chief Membertou is an important figure in the history of
relations between the French and the Mi'kmaw on whom I
will need to do a dedicated article at some point. It is not clear
whether the office of Grand Chief (Kji-Saqmaw) had existed
prior to Chief Membertou being appointed to it in 1550, was
always an active position, or whether he was the first leader of
the Mi'kmaw to be appointed as such by the consensus of the
regional chiefs. His long life and conversion to Christianity
​helped cement an alliance between his people and the French.

Louis Membertou
The process for choosing a new Grand Chief after the death of Henri Membertou is not clear in this early period. Hereditary succession was practiced among the Mi'kmaw and in later times the position was hereditary. From this we can assume
that Louis Membertou, as eldest son, succeeded his father. It
is known he was being trained to take over Henri's other roles.

The position of Grand Chief disappears from the historical
record (the Grand Council only slightly less so). During this
'dark age' it is thought both institutions continued to exist but
the pressures of advancing European settlement, break down
in traditional social structures, and depopulation had led the
Grand Council to meet rarely or in secret.

Grand Chiefs Tomah Denys & Jean Baptiste Cope
When the position of Grand Chief is next mentioned in the
mid-1700s there are two contenders. It may be that the
French recognized one while the British recognized the other.
The question of which was the more legitimate candidate is an
interesting one. Tomah Denys resided on Cape Breton Island, which has special significance to the Mi'kmaw. The family
name of Denys is also common among later Grand Chiefs.
Finally, he was allied with the Mi'kmaw's traditional friends, the French. Jean Baptiste Cope lived on the mainland and was
often referred to by the military rank of Major. He did seek a
treaty of peace and friendship with the British in 1752 which
was presented to, and accepted by, the Grand Council. It is
clear that Mi'kmaw society was becoming divided with
different groups siding with one colonial power or the other.

By the end of the 1700s Mi'kmaw society seems to have
stabilized somewhat and a more complete list of Grand Chiefs
is known. However, it should be noted that several contenders
continued to be named Grand Chief during this period but we
will stick with the more recognized line.

Francis Peck (Grand Chief 1792-1818)
Michael Tooma (Grand Chief 1818-1842)
Frank Tooma Jr. (Grand Chief 1842-1869)
John Denys (Grand Chief 1869-1887)

John Denys Jr. (born 1851, Grand Chief 1887-1918)
The greatest change to the office of Grand Chief would occur
during John Denys Jr.'s time as Grand Chief. He instructed
his successor be elected for life rather than appoint his son.
There are varying accounts of whether this was supposed to
be a permanent change or a temporary measure until his son
was a bit older. John Denys Jr. is said to have felt the pressure
of the position would be too much for his son at the time.

Gabriel Sylliboy (born 1874, Grand Chief 1918-1964)
The first of the elected Grand Chiefs. He would fight for the
Mi'kmaw's historic treaty rights to be recognized and was the
first to invoke the treaties in a court of law.

Donald Marshall Sr. (born 1925, Grand Chief 1964-1991)

Benjamin Sylliboy (born 1941, Grand Chief 1991-2017)
As Donald Marshall Sr. neared the end of his life he asked
Benjamin Sylliboy if he would take over for him as Grand
Chief. Benjamin Sylliboy's time as Grand Chief would be a
renaissance for the Grand Council as a traditional governing
body of the Mi'kmaw.

Norman Sylliboy (Grand Chief 2019-Present)
Descended from Gabriel Sylliboy and the current Grand Chief.
Norman Sylliboy has been asked by the Denys family to once
again make the position hereditary in their line. Norman is
said to be considering this.

While the position of Grand Chief is currently elective, in
early periods it was hereditary with an important caveat; an
unworthy heir could be by-passed with other candidates from
the Grand Chief's family being considered. In this way the
position of Grand Chief has always had elements of both
hereditary and elective succession.

The Grand Council, of which the Grand Chief is a member,
is the highest governing body of the Mi'kmaw. Its power and
role have fluctuated wildly throughout its history. Early on it
had a role in resolving disputes and making treaties. The
long periods in which the Mi'kmaw were not served by a
Catholic priest led to members of the Grand Council often
having to fulfill a priestly role. This adopted role may have 
kept the Grand Council relevant as its political role
diminished almost to nothing in the 1800s. In recent years
the Grand Council is once again resuming its historic role of
being the body that represents the Mi'kmaw people. 

Membership on the Grand Council has shifted over time but it
broadly had a three person executive (Grand Chief, Grand
Captain, Putus) and a representative from each of the seven
regions that made up the Mi'kmaw territory.

Further Reading:
- Mi'kmmey Mawio'mi: Changing Roles of the
Mi'kmaq Grand Council From the Early Seventeenth
Century to the Present
- The Mi'kmaq Grand Council

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

The Monarchist League of Canada
 is at the forefront of the
promotion, education, and non-
partisan defence of the Canadian
Crown. It was founded in February
of 1970 by supporters of the
monarchy who were concerned about "creeping
republicanism" by successive governments at the federal &
provincial level.

The first League meeting in Ottawa attracted over 600 people
to discuss ways to counter Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's
moves to weaken the monarchy. Since then the League has gone from strength to strength in its defence of the Canadian Crown. The Monarchist League of Canada maintains its own
chronology of activities but here are some highlights:

1971 Campaigned successfully for Royal Arms of Canada to
remain on Canadian passports. Campaigned successfully to
retain the Crown on Ontario licence plates.

1973 Pressure from the League resulted in Canada Post
issuing two large stamps of the Queen for a Commonwealth
Conference held in Ottawa.

1975 After campaigning, received assurance from Ontario
Premier Bill Davis of his government’s opposition to an
Ontario Advisory Committee report suggesting Queen be
dropped from Canadian Citizenship Oath. Branches
encouraged as six lieutenant governors become League 
patrons.

1976 Lobbied and ran advertising to make sure that the
Queen opened 21st Olympics in Montréal as Canada’s head of state.

1977 Newfoundland Branch obtained signatures of over
three-quarters of the province’s population on a Declaration
of Loyalty for the Silver Jubilee.

1978 Testified before Joint Committee of Commons and
Senate against the republican provisions of Bill C-60 (a new
Constitution for Canada), waged a large public opinion
campaign helping to secure unanimous provincial opposition
to the bill and its eventual withdrawal.

1982 Sponsored a national speaking tour by British MP and
Monarchist Sir John Biggs-Davison.

1984 Assisted the CBC in production of video history of
Canada’s monarchy, The Maple & The Crown. Co-hosted
study conference on monarchy held at the University of
Toronto. Toronto Branch participates in Royal Tattoo in
presence of The Queen.

1985 Submitted to the new Mulroney government a brief,
Canada’s Monarchy, Authentic Evolution, containing
department-by-department recommendations for full
expression of the nation’s monarchical identity.

1987 Defeated attempt by Secretary of State David Crombie
to remove Queen from Canadian Citizenship Oath.

1988 Began research and lobbying activities to encourage
MPs to request, and Government to erect, the Equestrian
Statue of The Queen on Parliament Hill (unveiled in 1992).

1989 Assisted Alberta Provincial Museum in mounting
exhibit on the 1939 Royal Tour.

1990 Issued first bilingual pamphlet about the value of the
monarchy and the work of the League.

1991 Blocked announcement of government’s new Gallantry
Decorations which would have eliminated the Victoria Cross
as a Canadian decoration. Subsequently waged successful campaign resulting in Queen’s creation of a Canadian Victoria Cross in 1993.

1993 Contacted every member of new House of Commons to solicit responses of loyalty to Crown and offer material on the
monarchy for MPs’ offices and constituents.

1996 Becomes first loyal society site on the internet at
www.monarchist.ca; free trial memberships attract many
new supporters.

1997 Established nationwide Red Box program to furnish
monarchical materials and teaching aids at no charge to
school and youth groups. Supplied first annual summer
student intern to Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Assisted in
presentation of the Five Hundred Years of Royal Canada
mural to The Queen at Rideau Hall.

1998 Campaigned successfully for Oath of Citizenship to
remain Oath to Queen. Testifies before Senate Legal and
Constitutional Affairs Committee on proposed Royal Assent
changes.

1999 Released first comprehensive Survey on Cost of the
Canadian Crown (74 cents per citizen yearly). Exposed
Premiers’ near-unanimous opposition to leaked prime
ministerial millennium project to make Canada a republic.

2000 Received Armorial Bearings containing two Royal
Crowns by the Queen’s permission, presented by the
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario acting on behalf of The
Governor General and proclaimed at Accession Day service.
Testified before the House of Commons Committee and
Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee on
Citizenship Oath.

2001 Joined commentators and his Cabinet colleagues in
rebuking Foreign Affairs Minister Manley’s call for a republic.
Testified before Senate Rules, Procedures and Rights of
Parliament Committee on Royal Assent procedures. Ottawa
branch successfully campaigned to prevent designer logo from replacing Armorials in amalgamated city.

2002 Revised and updates survey on Cost of Canadian
Crown: $1.10 per Canadian yearly. Bilingualized main League
website. Teen and Young Adult Monarchist interest groups
formed in response to surging youth membership.

2003 Campaigned against Bill C-25 to remove allegiance to
Queen from Public Service Oath.

2004 Defended Governor General in media over spending
and travel controversy. Ontario members participated in
Lieutenant Governor’s book drive for First Nations
communities. Exposed federal government's confusion as to
the roles of The Queen and the Governor General, as
demonstrated at Canadian 60th anniversary of D-Day
commemoration in Normandy.

2005 Mounted national campaign in opposition to deletion
of Queen’s name from Canadian diplomatic Letters of
Credence and to demonstrate dangers of creeping
republicanism vested in a Governor General nominated,
advised and budgeted by the Prime Minister. Released third
comprehensive study of the Cost of the Canadian Crown: $1.54 per Canadian annually.

2006 Produced The Canadian Monarchy, full-colour
educational booklet about the Maple Crown, and began distribution to parliamentarians, schools and youth groups.
Revised website to incorporate contemporary education
section.

2007 After decades of lobbying, Canada Post issued the first
permanent (non-denominated) definitive stamp of The Queen for first class letters.

2008 Lead successful public and media campaign to reverse
BC Ferries’ decision to remove pictures of Queen from its
vessels. Protested downgrading of Royal portrait at Rideau
Hall.

2009 Becomes first organization to Tweet a Royal Visit.
Issues fourth triennial study, The Cost of the Canadian
Crown: $1.53 per Canadian yearly.

2010 Celebrated 40th anniversary of founding with complete revamping of website. Campaigned for restoration of “Royal
Canadian Navy” title.

The League has had a proud history. Whether in victory or
defeat it will continue to loyally support our Canadian
sovereign and fight against those who would undermine it.
Congratulations on 45 years!

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Monarchs have ruled Canada since before Canada was a recognizable entity. This article is an overview of Canada's monarchs which is, as I will explain in a second, by necessity incomplete. Note that below if both the king and the queen are listed it means they ruled as co-sovereigns. Also note that I am defining 'Canada' as the geographic area of the current country. Finally, note that I have used the dates for the reign of each monarch rather than birth-death.

It is often overlooked that many of the aboriginal tribes that inhabit Canada at one time had hereditary chiefs. In fact some still do on a formal or informal basis. However, with 600+ recognized nations and fragmentary records from pre-contact civilizations it is nearly impossible to include a complete overview of native kingship in the context of this article. In the future I will attempt an article outlining a history of Canada's hereditary chiefs. Sufficed to say at present that hereditary and elected kingship has a long history in Canada.

The French Crown ruled over the parts of Canada now comprising of the Provinces of Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, & Nova Scotia. Two French dynasties ruled Canada before the colony was ceded to the British in 1763.

   Francis I (1534–1547) 
     House of Valois

Henry II (1547–1559) 
House of Valois

The English Crown ruled parts of what would become the provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and northern Ontario. It would gain areas ruled by the French Crown in 1763.

Until 1707 it is correct to refer to the English Crown. After March 6th of that year England and Scotland united into a single kingdom called Great Britain.    

   Henry VII (1497–1509) 
     House of Tudor

Henry VIII (1409–1547) 
House of Tudor

Edward VI (1547–1553) 
House of Tudor

Anne (1702–1714) 
House of Stuart


-Kingdom of Great Britain established, 1707

Victoria (1837–1901) 
House of Hanover

-Dominion of Canada established, 1867

The Canadian Crown became separate from the British Crown in 1931 due to the Statute of Westminster. More than 3/4th of the intervening period has been reigned over by a single sovereign.

George V (1931–1936 as Canadian sovereign)
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (until 1917)
House of Windsor (after 1917)

Well I hope you enjoyed this timeline as much as I enjoyed putting it together. 

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour