Christopher McCreery,
MVOThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(born September 1975,
Kingston, OntarioKingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
,
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) is a Canadian author and historian.
Best known for his six books on the
Canadian honours systemThe orders, decorations, and medals of Canada comprise a complex system by which Canadians are honoured by the country's sovereign for actions or deeds that benefit their community or the country at large...
. A native of Kingston Ontario McCreery holds a
Doctorate in Canadian historyDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from Queen’s University. His
Master’sA Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
thesis, “Questions of Honour: Canadian Government Policy Towards Titular Honours” was the first major academic work to examine the
Canadian titles debateThe Canadian titles debate has been ongoing since the adoption of the Nickle Resolution in 1919. This resolution marked the earliest attempt to establish a Canadian government policy requesting the Sovereign not to grant knighthoods, baronetcies, and peerages to Canadians, and set the precedent for...
and the Nickle Resolution. McCreery regularly comments on matters related to the
Canadian honours systemThe orders, decorations, and medals of Canada comprise a complex system by which Canadians are honoured by the country's sovereign for actions or deeds that benefit their community or the country at large...
, the Order of Canada and the
Governor General of CanadaThe Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
.
His published works include “The Order of Canada; Its Origins, History and Development” (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2005);
“The Canadian System of Honours” (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2005);
“On Her Majesty’s Service; Royal Honours and Recognition in Canada” (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2007); “
The Maple Leaf and the White Cross; A History of St. John Ambulance and the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in Canada” (Toronto Dundurn Press, 2008);
“The Beginner’s Guide to Canadian Honours” (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2008);
and "The Authentic Voice of Canada: R.B. Bennett Speeches in the House of Lords," 1941-1947 (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2009).
He also contributed a number of Commonwealth entries to Burkes Peerage and Gentry “World Orders of Knighthood and Merit” (2006).
McCreery's latest works include "The Canadian Forces' Decoration" (Department of National Defence, 2010) a work commissioned by the Department of National Defence to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of King George VI establishing the CD and "Canadian Symbols of Authority: Maces, Chains and Rods of Office," co-authored with Corinna Pike, covers the history of the ceremonial maces and badges of office that are used throughout Canada and was released in June 2011.
McCreery is a Fellow of the
Royal Canadian Geographical SocietyThe Royal Canadian Geographical Society is a Canadian non-profit educational organization dedicated to imparting a broader knowledge and deeper appreciation of Canada — its people and places, its natural and cultural heritage and its environmental, social and economic challenges.-History:The...
, a Fellow of the
Centre for the Study of DemocracyThe Centre for the Study of Democracy is a multidisciplinary policy studies research organization which enhances the study of democracy both within Canada and abroad. Founded in the mid-1990s, CSD is a non-profit, non-partisan organization affiliated with the School of Policy Studies at Queen’s...
at Queen's University, a Director of the
Royal Heraldry Society of CanadaThe Royal Heraldry Society of Canada is a Canadian organization that promotes the art of Canadian Heraldry. Founded as the Heraldry Society of Canada, the mission of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada and its branches is to promote the art of heraldry, particularly Canadian heraldry, and to...
, member of the Champlain Society, Orders and Medals Research Society and the
Canadian Historical AssociationThe Canadian Historical Association is a Canadian organization founded in 1922 for the purposes of promoting historical research and scholarship. Marius Barbeau, the anthropologist, was its founding Secretary...
.Since 2005 he has served as the National Historian for
St. John AmbulanceSt John Ambulance, branded as St John in some territories, is a common name used by a number of affiliated organisations in different countries dedicated to the teaching and practice of medical first aid and the provision of ambulance services, all of which derive their origins from the St John...
Canada and the
Venerable Order of Saint JohnThe Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
in Canada. During the
2010 Royal Tour of CanadaCanadian royal tours have been taking place since 1786, and continue into the 21st century, either as an official tour, a working tour, a vacation, or a period of military service by a member of the Canadian Royal Family...
McCreery was appointed a Member of the
Royal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(MVO) by Queen Elizabeth II in Halifax.
In February 2009 Dr. McCreery was appointed Private Secretary to the
Lieutenant Governor of Nova ScotiaThe Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia is the viceregal representative in Nova Scotia of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the...
.
He previously served as a Senior Advisor to the Leader of the Government in the Senate The Honourable
Marjory LeBretonMarjory LeBreton, PC is Leader of the Government in the Canadian Senate, a position of cabinet-rank; and vice-chair of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Canada...
(2007-2009); Senior Advisor to the Speaker of the Senate The Honourable
Noel KinsellaNoël A. Kinsella is a Canadian politician and Speaker of the Canadian Senate.-Education:Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, he received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from University College in Dublin, Ireland. He received an L.Ph. and a Ph.D. degree from Pontifical University of St. Thomas...
(2006-2007): and Executive Assistant to The Honourable Michael J.L. Kirby (2004-2006).
In 2010, McCreery was appointed by Prime Minister
Stephen HarperStephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
to the Governor General Consultation Committee a special committee convened to recommend a successor to
Michaëlle JeanMichaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation, from 2005 to 2010....
. The Panel recommended
David Lloyd JohnstonDavid Lloyd Johnston is a Canadian academic, author and statesman who is the current Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation....
.
External links
Christopher McCreery’s website:
http://www.christophermccreery.com
Publisher's Websites for Christopher McCreery’s books:
Sources
Canadian Who’s Who, 2008