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On February 16, 1916, Andrew Bonar Law, the British Colonial Secretary, formally asked the Duke of Connaught, Governor-General of Canada, if Canada would provide the manpower necessary to cut and process timber in England. By March 1, 1916, the Canadian Government had responded by creating the 224th Battalion, dedicated to harvesting and processing timber resources overseas. RCS Regional Chair Judith Elson tells us more about these unsung heroes of the First World War. Read more!

Nikolas Robert Shymko spent the month of February 2018 in India, volunteering with Venture2Impact, a Canadian organization founded to help communities break the cycle of poverty. The Royal Commonwealth Society Nova Scotia Branch was proud to support Nikolas with his campaign. A recent Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Economics graduate from Saint Mary’s University, Nikolas will be spending June and July volunteering in India with V2I before attending McGill University in September to begin the integrated B.C.L/LL.B law program. Nikolas…

The second annual CHOGM on the Rock youth conference in St. John’s, NL was held on March 10th and 11th to great success. Despite a snowstorm and delayed opening, we had 29 delegates representing 17 Commonwealth countries, with board members filling in for partners who dropped out last minute. Delegates debated food security and discussions focused on sustainable agriculture, food exports and transport, intellectual property rights to food, and agricultural education. Read more!

The Vancouver Island Student Commonwealth Conference gathered for it’s annual meeting this past November, providing a fantastic opportunity for local youth to engage in meaningful, and enriching debate about the effects of climate change. The event was held at St. Michael’s University School in Victoria, British Columbia, organized by St. Michael’s teachers Tony Goodman and David Lynch (himself an alumnus of the National Student Commonwealth Forum). Read more!

December 11, 2016 marked the 85th anniversary of the passing of the Statute of Westminster. After the enactment of the Statute, the British Parliament ceased to legislate on behalf of the dominions (Commonwealth Realms) without their consent. Additionally, changes to the Royal Succession required the consent of the dominions, paving the way for the creation of the independent crowns of each dominion. By recognizing the legislative independence of the dominions, the Statute of Westminster was a key moment in the…

Early in November 2016, the BC Legislature hosted the 8th Commonwealth Youth Parliament (CYP). Young people aged 18-29 from across the Commonwealth participated in the 5-day event, acting as Members of Parliament for the fictional country of Commonwealth Land. They learned about the common form of government that links most Commonwealth nations as well as formed connections with like-minded people across the globe. RCS British Columbia Mainland member, Stefanie Panesar had the great opportunity to participate and reflects on her…

Stephen Cooper and members from RCS Nova Scotia very kindly organized a student bus tour to enjoy the beautilful and scenic views of the South Shore of Nova Scotia.

On June 28, 2016 Joshua Mazur and Alison Bloom attended the Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Youth Consultation on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to gain an insight into where youth believe Canada should focus its international development efforts. This consultation involved youth around Ottawa, the Minister of International Development, the honourable Maria-Claude Bibeau and her private secretary, along with other GAC employees. This was a chance for youth to speak on their expertise on how they believed Canada should assist…

To celebrate the International Day of the African Child, on June 16th, 2016, several recent National Student Commonwealth Forum alumni, (from l-r) Isabella Orozco, Gillian Hollebone, James Myles, Ammani Hanafe, and Ana Paula Sanchez, had the opportunity of attending the launch of an exhibit “Girls Voices: Speaking out against Child Marriage”. The event was held at the Global Affairs Canada building in Ottawa, and was hosted by The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, in collaboration…

RCS Canada and local RCS Ottawa Branch attended a Civil Society Roundtable meeting with Commonwealth Secretary Designate, Baroness Patricia Scotland, on March 24th at Global Affairs Canada in Ottawa to discuss the views of Canadian civil society organizations in regards to the Commonwealth and its goals after CHOGM 2015. Pictured left to right: Carolyn McMaster, RCS Canada Alison Bloom, Co-Chair National Student Commonwealth Forum, RCS Ottawa Judith Elson, President RCS Canada Baroness Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General Designate Basil Crozier, Vice-President…