On November 27, 2024, the minister responsible for Parks Canada announced the designation of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires as an event of national historic significance under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration.
The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires was founded with the aim of reintegrating veterans of the First World War into civilian life. The Corps was initially established on July 25, 1925, when five Montréal lawyers received federal authorization to launch an employment assistance program for veterans. This first modest division of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires in Montréal was followed by other divisions in Toronto and Vancouver in 1927. Reorganized into a Canada-wide body in 1937, Commissionaires offered war veterans preferred employment status and, over time, focused increasingly on providing security guards for federal installations.
During the Second World War, many of the Corps members left to serve overseas in the various branches of the Canadian Armed Forces or joined other organizations supporting the home front such as the Veterans Guard of Canada that provided security at prisoner-of-war camps and military infrastructure such as armament plants. Toward the end of the war, Commissionaires successfully lobbied the federal government for the Right of First Option (later called the Right of First Refusal Policy) on public service security, requiring federal government departments to obtain their security guard services from Commissionaires, guaranteeing quality jobs for its members and their ability to serve the Government of Canada.
The Government of Canada, through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and Parks Canada, recognizes significant persons, places, and events that have shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past. By sharing these stories, we hope to foster understanding and reflection on the diverse histories, cultures, legacies, and realities of Canada’s past and present.