Canadian Acts of Parliament Relating to Scouting

The current law governing Scouts Canada

Compiled By Scouter Liam Morland, February 18, 2005

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There are five Private Acts of the Parliament of Canada which relate to Scouting. Scouts Canada is currently trying to repeal these acts and replace them with a single act which will entrench Scouts Canada's non-democratic system.

Here are the five Private Acts. The original acts can be found in the Statutes of Canada in the given year and chapter. Any law library will have copies.

1914 c.130 "An Act to incorporate The Canadian General Council of The Boy Scouts Association"
This act incorporated Scouts Canada as a branch of The Boy Scouts Association which was itself incorporated by a Royal Charter on January 4, 1912. The Royal Charter applied throughout the Commonwealth.
1917 c.73 "An Act to amend An Act to incorporate The Canadian General Council of The Boy Scouts Association"
This act added to the act section 10, which grants Scouts Canada "the sole and exclusive right to have and use" Scouting names and emblems.
1959 c.71 "An Act respecting The Canadian General Council of The Boy Scouts Association"
Section 8 of the 1914 act had forbidden Scouts Canada's total real estate holdings from exceeding $50,000. The 1959 act repealed this limitation and deemed that the limitation had never existed.
1961 c.82 "An Act respecting The Canadian General Council of The Boy Scouts Association"
This act changed the name of The Canadian General Council of The Boy Scouts Association to "Boy Scouts of Canada" and, in French, "Scouts du Canada".
1969 c.68 "An Act respecting Boy Scouts of Canada and to incorporate L'Association des Scouts du Canada"
Section 1 of this act changed Scouts Canada's French name to "Les Boy Scouts du Canada". The remainder of the act incorporates L'Association des Scouts du Canada as a Scout association "in accordance with the teachings and principles of the Roman Catholic Church". This act has not been amended.

Scouts Canada's legal name remains Boy Scouts of Canada (in French Les Boy Scouts du Canada), as stated in the acts. The Scouts Canada name and emblem was adopted in 1976.

The following is an unofficial consolidated statute. It combines into one all the acts which relate to Scouts Canada.

An Act to incorporate
The Canadian General Council of The Boy Scouts Association

Preamble. WHEREAS The Boy Scouts Association was duly incorporated in the United Kingdom by Imperial Royal Charter granted on the 4th January, AD. 1912; and thereafter a branch of the Association was established in Canada, and is governed by a Canadian General Council;

And whereas a petition has been presented praying that it be enacted as hereinafter set forth, and it is expedient to grant the prayer of the said petition: Therefore His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:— 1914 c.130

Incorporation. 1. Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Douglas Farquhar, D.S.0., Secretary to His Royal Highness the Governor-General, Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Percy Sherwood, C.M.G., Chief Commissioner of Police, William Horsley Rowlet, Justice of the Peace, Gerald Horace Brown, Assistant Deputy Minister of Labour, and Travers Lewis, King's Counsel, all of the city of Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario; Lieutenant-Colonel Albert F. Gooderham, Noel Marshall, esquire, and William K. George, manufacturer, all of the city of Toronto, in the said province; and Colonel Jeffery Hale Burland and Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Minden Cole, agent, both of the city of Montreal, in the province of Quebec, and their successors in the corporation hereby created, are hereby incorporated
Name. under the name of "The Canadian General Council of the Boy Scouts Association," hereinafter called "the Corporation." 1914 c.130

[English name changed to "Boy Scouts of Canada".] 1961 c.82

[French name changed to "Les Boy Scouts du Canada".] 1969 c.68

Purposes. 2. The purposes and powers of the Corporation shall be to promote and carry out in Canada the objects of the said Association, namely:—
  1. The instructing of boys in the principles of discipline, loyalty, and good citizenship, and otherwise as provided in and by the Royal Charter of the said Association;
  2. To promote and make, and assist in the establishment of, provincial and local associations, committees, and councils, on such terms and under such regulations as the Corporation may from time to time by by-law provide;
  3. To publish, distribute, and sell books and other information for the furtherance of the objects of the Association in Canada;
  4. Generally to do all things necessary or requisite for providing and maintaining an efficient organization for the purposes of the Association in Canada.
2. For any of the purposes authorized by this Act, the Corporation may by by-law or resolution delegate any of its powers to its executive committee. 1914 c.130
Head office. 3. The head office of the Corporation shall be in the city of Ottawa, or elsewhere as may be fixed by by-law from time to time. 1914 c.130
Provisional executive committee. 4. The five persons first named in section 1 of this Act shall be the provisional executive committee of the Corporation, and until the first general meeting of the Corporation may exercise on its behalf all the powers conferred by this Act on the Corporation. 1914 c.130
First general meeting. 5. The first general meeting of the Corporation shall be held within one year after the passing of this Act, at such place and time as the provisional executive committee may direct, by notice mailed to each of the incorporators one week before the holding of such general meeting. 1914 c.130
Executive Commmittee. 6. At the first general meeting of the Corporation, and at each subsequent annual general meeting, the Corporation shall elect an executive committee from among its members, in manner provided by the by-laws of the Corporation from time to time in force. 1914 c.130
Bylaws. 7. The Corporation, at its first general meeting, and thereafter at any annual or special general meeting, may make, amend, or repeal by-laws and regulations for all purposes of the Corporation, and for defining and regulating—
  1. the terms and conditions of membership in the Corporation, and the rights, duties, and privileges of all classes of members;
  2. the constitution, powers, duties, quorum, term of office, and method of election of the executive committee, and the numbers, powers, and duties of the officers of the Corporation;
  3. the time and place for holding in Canada annual and special general meetings of the Corporation, and the notice and other requirements thereof;
  4. the calling of regular and special meetings of the executive committee, the notice to be given thereof, and the quorum and procedure in all respects at or concerning such meetings;
  5. the administration and management of the affairs of the Corporation in all respects.
1914 c.130
Property. 8. The Corporation may receive, acquire, accept, and hold real property, by grant, gift, purchase, devise, legacy, lease or otherwise, for the purposes of the Corporation; and may sell, lease, dispose of, mortgage, invest, or otherwise deal therewith in such manner as it may from time to time deem advisable for such purposes. 1959 c.71
Powers and duties as to aid granted. 9. The Corporation may receive and distribute any gifts, grants of money, or contributions made by the Government of Canada, or by the Government of any province of Canada, or by any municipality, incorporated body, society, or persons, and shall apply the same in accordance with the terms, provisions, and conditions of such gifts, grants, or contributions; or, if there be none such, in accordance with the objects set forth in section 2 of this Act. 1914 c.130
Corporation to have exclusive right to titles, badges, etc., now in use. 10. The Corporation shall have the sole and exclusive right to have and to use all emblems, badges and decorations, descriptive or designating marks and titles, now or heretofore used by The Boy Scouts Association, and also the title "Boy Scouts", and shall also have the sole and exclusive right to have and to use any emblem, badge, decoration, descriptive or designating marks and titles hereafter adopted by the Corporation for carrying out its purposes,
How exclusive right to badges,etc., may be obtained in future. provided that a statement and description of such emblem, badge, decoration, descriptive or designating badges, mark, words or phases is filed with and approved by the Minister of Agriculture or other Minister administering the Trade Mark and Design Act. 1917 c.73