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Canadian honorifics

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Honorifics in Canada are accorded to various office holders in government—in the federal, provincial, and municipal jurisdictions—as well as judges, members of the armed forces, and religious figures. Two styles—the Right Honourable and Honourable—are considered formal, while others, such as Your Excellency, are regarded as honorific and complimentary to the formal styles.[1] Honours stem from the Canadian Crown.

Royal and governmental honorifics

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"Honorific Accorded to Notes
His/Her Majesty
(FR: Sa Majesté) 		Canadian king and queen, or queen consort So styled for life (including widowhood in the case of a queen consort), but lost if the monarch abdicates.
His/Her Royal Highness
(FR: Son Altesse Royale) 		Children and male-line grandchildren of the current or a former reigning monarch So styled for life.
Wives of the children and male-line grandchildren of the current or a former reigning monarch So styled for the duration of marriage and any subsequent widowhood, but lost in cases of divorce.
Husband of a queen regnant (unless he is also a monarch) So granted by the monarch, for life unless otherwise provided for.
His/Her Excellency
(FR: Son Excellence) 		Governor General of Canada So styled while in office; thereafter, only styled as the Right Honourable.
Consort of the governor general So styled for the duration of spouse's time as governor general.
Ambassadors So styled only in the country of accreditation.
The Right Honourable
(FR:Le/La très honorable) 		So styled for life
(Since 1963 a right associated with the offices)

Other individuals as determined by the King-in-Council, or as appointed to Privy Council of the United Kingdom prior to 1963 (see list below)

So styled for life, right granted at pleasure
His/Her Honour
(FR:Son Honneur) 		Lieutenant governors So styled while in office; thereafter, only styled as The Honourable.
Consorts of lieutenant governors So styled for the duration of spouse's time as lieutenant governor.
The Honourable
(FR: L'honorable) 		Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada, consists of:
  • all ministers of the crown in the federal governments, by practice upon their appointment
  • other persons appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister
 So styled for life, by nature of their membership in the King's Privy Council for Canada (subject to removal from council)
So styled for life, by practice

Members of the Executive Council (provincial ministers) of three provinces

  • Nova Scotia (since 2009, initially only those who ended their ministerial service after 2009. In 2010 the privilege was extended to all living former ministers who ended their service earlier. In 2014 the privilege was further granted to six living former speakers[4])[5]
  • Saskatchewan (since 2019)[6]
  • Alberta (since 2022) [7]
 So styled for life, by nature of being honorary members of the Executive Council pursuant to specific legislations, subject to removal upon conviction of certain offences

Federally appointed judges

So styled for life, by practice
(all federally appointed judges upon retirement are granted the right to maintain the title by the governor general)
So styled while in office, unless otherwise authorized to maintain the style for life.
His/Her Worship
(FR: Son Honneur) 		So styled while in office.

Right to be styled the Right Honourable

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Prior to 1963, the right to be styled the Right Honourable was associated with the membership of the Imperial Privy Council of the United Kingdom.

  • Three prime ministers - Alexander Mackenzie, John Abbott and Mackenzie Bowell - were never members and thus were not entitled to be styled as such
  • Tupper was appointed after he was no longer Prime Minister.
  • Lord Byng was not a member, but was entitled to be styled as such by nature of being a viscount.

The following Canadians were granted the right to be styled the Right Honourable without having been prime minister, chief justice or governor general of Canada, or minister in the UK government.

Upon appointment to the Imperial Privy Council
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Since 1963
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Military honorifics

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Officers and non-commission members within the Canadian Armed Forces use ranks in accordance with the ranks and insignia of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, or the Royal Canadian Air Force, depending on which element they are a part of.[8][9] Although all of the rank structures of the separate services were abolished with the unification of all three into one Canadian Forces in 1964, distinctive uniforms, insignia, and rank names have been gradually restored since then. Former members who were honourably released after serving a minimum of 10 years may continue to use the rank title held at the time of release with the word "(Retired)" or abbreviation "(Ret'd)".[10] Similarly, members of the Supplementary Reserve sub-component of the Reserve Force may use their rank in the same manner as former members, unless on duty or engaged in military activities.[11]

Religious honorifics

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Religions are free to use their own titles and honorifics, provided they do not contradict those used elsewhere in Canada. This is seen in the use of the style His Excellency by Roman Catholic archbishops and bishops, which is not recognized by Canadian civil authorities.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Government of Canada (16 October 2017), Styles of address, King's Printer for Canada, retrieved 20 August 2023
  2. ^ Heritage, Canadian (2017-10-16). "Table of titles to be used in Canada". aem. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  3. ^ Heritage, Canadian (2017-10-16). "Styles of address". aem. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  4. ^ https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2014/10/10/former-speakers-appointed-honorary-members-executive-council
  5. ^ Executive Council Act, RSNS 1989, c 155
  6. ^ The Provincial Emblems and Honours Act, SS 1988-89 as amended by the Provincial Emblems and Honours Amendment Act, 2019, SS 2019,
  7. ^ Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Recognition Act, SA 2022, c Q-0.7
  8. ^ Defence, National (2014-08-08). "QR&O: Volume I - Chapter 3 Rank, Seniority, Command and Precedence". aem. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  9. ^ Heritage, Canadian (2017-10-16). "Styles of address". aem. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  10. ^ Defence, National (2014-08-08). "QR&O: Volume I - Chapter 15 Release". aem. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  11. ^ Defence, National (2014-08-08). "QR&O: Volume I - Chapter 15 Release". aem. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  12. ^ "Styles of address » Religious dignitaries". Government of Canada. 16 October 2017. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
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