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The Canadian Fellowship of Baden-Powell Guilds, the National administrative governing body for the operation of Baden-Powell Guilds throughout Canada. Some Provinces and Territories have their own Provincial Fellowships, responsible to the Canadian Fellowship, and each in turn, provide guidance and oversight of Baden-Powell Guilds within their jurisdictions.
Structure of the Canadian Fellowship:
The majority of Guild members are former Scout and Guide leaders who, while no longer active at the grass roots level of Scouting/Guiding, wish to continue in a community service capacity. They, along with other adults who subscribe to the principles of Scouting and Guiding, have a desire to continue supporting Scouting and Guiding, but at arms length from local Scout and Guide groups.
The Canadian Fellowship of Baden-Powell Guilds includes all members of the Baden-Powell Guilds in Canada. The Canadian Fellowship of Baden-Powell Guilds is affiliated with Scouts Canada, as an independent organization, and is a member of the International Scout and Guide Fellowship (I.S.G.F.) headquartered in Belgium.
Guild members have made a commitment to honour the Aims and Objectives embodied in the Scout Promise.
Aims:
- To keep alive the spirit of the Promise and Law, in a process of continuous personal development;
- To bring that spirit into the communities in which they live and work, through active service to them; and
- To actively support Scouting and Guiding in their communities within Canada and worldwide.
Objectives:
- To establish a liaison and a co-operation between the National organization of former adult Scouts and Guides;
- To establish Baden-Powell Guilds in areas where no such Baden Powell Guilds exist; and
- To promote friendship amongst former adult Scouts and Guides within Canada and throughout the world.
Even though they may perform tasks that are complementary to Scouts Canada or Girl Guides of Canada, Guild members are not automatically members of those Scouting and Guiding organizations. Guild members must register with Scouts Canada (within their respective Councils) and may register with Girl Guides of Canada contemporaneously.
History of the Baden-Powell Guild in Canada
The first mention of an organization of former Scouts in Canada was in 1948. At that time the Boy Scouts of Canada granted permission to its Provincial Councils to organize associations of former Scouts along the lines envisioned in the United Kingdom and as approved by the World Bureau.
This policy was further endorsed by the Executive Committee of the Boy Scouts of Canada, in January 1958, permitting the establishment in Canada of branches of the International Fellowship of Former Scouts and Guides (IFOFSAG) under the authority of the Provincial Councils.
There were several attempts around the country to form groups of former Scouts but none survived very long.
In 1958, a meeting was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, to discuss the possibility of forming an old Scouts group there. As several of these Scouters were of Danish origin, they followed in the steps of the Danish Old Scouts and formed the Guild of Saint George. At the first official meeting on September 27, 1960, the first thirteen members were invested. This group later changed its structure to follow IFOFSAG, and with the formation of other Canadian Guilds became known as the 1st Canadian Baden-Powell Scouts Guild, Vancouver. The 2nd Baden-Powell Guild, in Victoria, was organized in 1970 and the 3rd Baden-Powell Guild, in Duncan, shortly after.
Over the next few years, this affiliation with the International Fellowship of Former Scouts and Guides was as individual members in the Central Branch, as IFOFSAG/ISGF calls its Central Guild. (In some other countries, notably the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, Guilds are called Branches.)
At the April 27, 1974, annual meeting of the British Columbia-Yukon Council of Scouts Canada, a resolution was passed formally recognizing the Canadian Branch of the B-P Guilds as members of Scouts Canada in British Columbia. This arrangement was to slowly change in subsequent years as outlined further below.
On May 19, 1974, the British Columbia-Yukon Provincial President gave notice of motion to the Scouts Canada National Council meeting in Ottawa for the formal recognition of the B-P Guilds Nationally. This motion was adopted in November 1974.
Until 1976 all Guilds in Canada were in British Columbia, and it was not until then that Guilds were formed in Ontario and Alberta, thus giving the B-P Guilds a truly National structure. The 4th and 5th Guilds were in British Columbia, the 6th and 7th in Ontario and the 8th in Alberta.
On May 13, 1977, the Scouts Canada National Council authorized the formation of the Canadian Council of B-P Guilds to act as a coordinating body for all B-P Guilds in Canada. On that day the Council was formed in Calgary, Alberta, and was comprised of representatives from British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.
A Constitution was drawn up based upon the Constitution of the International Fellowship of Former Scouts and Guides. With this and the approval of the Scouts Canada National Council, application was made for the membership of Canada as a National member of IFOFSAG. Canada was granted membership on July 26, 1977, at the XII General Assembly of IFOFSAG held in Montreux, Switzerland.
During the years between then and now, Canadian society and its laws have changed regarding youth groups, and the Guild and Scouts Canada have since become quite separate. Membership in the Canadian Fellowship now does not include automatic membership in Scouts Canada, and Guild members must now apply separately and follow their membership requirements. (This is outlined in the Introduction to the Baden-Powell Guilds)
Despite this more formal separation than at our beginning, the Canadian Fellowship still remains affiliated with Scouts Canada, as an independent organization, and has representation at the Scouts Canada Annual General Meeting.
In 1977 when Canada became a full member of IFOFSAG, the Secretary of the Canadian Council of B-P Guilds began a National newsletter. After a few issues, he gave it a name: Mamook Papah, which means “Write Message” in the old Chinook trading language. The paper is still published and all members receive it three times a year as part of their membership.