High Commission of Canada in London
Encyclopedia
The High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom in London
is the diplomatic mission from Canada
to the United Kingdom
. It is housed in two buildings in London
.
, in Trafalgar Square
, became the site of the mission 1923. In 1962, Canada also acquired the former American Embassy at 1, Grosvenor Square
in London's Mayfair
district and was renamed Macdonald House
. Since then the High Commissioner
has based himself in Macdonald House.
Canada's presence in London goes back to 1869 when Sir John Rose, 1st Baronet was appointed as Canada's informal representative in Britain. This was the first Canadian diplomatic posting and the first from any British colony to the motherland. Since Canada did not have a foreign ministry, Rose acted as the personal representative of Canada's prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald
. Rose's position was retained despite a change of government in Canada and his position was given the title "Financial Commissioner for the Dominion of Canada". When Macdonald returned to power in 1878 he wanted to elevate the office to "resident minister" but this was disallowed by Britain, who offered the title of high commissioner
instead; this was the origin of the practice whereby members of the Commonwealth send high commissioners rather than ambassadors to each other, which continues to this day.
The first high commissioner was Alexander Tilloch Galt
, appointed in 1880. The office remained the most important in Canadian diplomacy and was always filled by political appointees rather than career diplomats even after Canada created a Ministry of External Affairs in 1921.
As the high commission's role grew it needed to expand its facilities, and on 29 June 1925, King George V
and Queen Mary
officiated at the dedication of Canada House on Trafalgar Square. The mission's needs continued to expand, however, and Canada acquired the former American embassy on Grosvenor Square and renamed it Macdonald House, in honour of Canada's first prime minister. Macdonald House opened on Canada Day
, (1 July), 1961.
Canada House was refurbished in 1997-98.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
is the diplomatic mission from Canada
Canada
Canada 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...
to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is housed in two buildings in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
History
The Canadian High Commission in London is Canada's oldest diplomatic posting, having been established in 1880. Canada HouseCanada House
The High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom in London is the diplomatic mission from Canada to the United Kingdom. It is housed in two buildings in London.-History:...
, in Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
, became the site of the mission 1923. In 1962, Canada also acquired the former American Embassy at 1, Grosvenor Square
Grosvenor Square
Grosvenor Square is a large garden square in the exclusive Mayfair district of London, England. It is the centrepiece of the Mayfair property of the Duke of Westminster, and takes its name from their surname, "Grosvenor".-History:...
in London's Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
district and was renamed Macdonald House
Macdonald House (London)
Macdonald House is a seven-storey building in Grosvenor Square in Mayfair, London that is part of the High Commission of Canada in London. Macdonald House hosts the trade and administrative sections of the High Commission, as well as the High Commissioner's official residence, while the cultural...
. Since then the High Commissioner
High Commissioner (Commonwealth)
In the Commonwealth of Nations, a High Commissioner is the senior diplomat in charge of the diplomatic mission of one Commonwealth government to another.-History:...
has based himself in Macdonald House.
Canada's presence in London goes back to 1869 when Sir John Rose, 1st Baronet was appointed as Canada's informal representative in Britain. This was the first Canadian diplomatic posting and the first from any British colony to the motherland. Since Canada did not have a foreign ministry, Rose acted as the personal representative of Canada's prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
. Rose's position was retained despite a change of government in Canada and his position was given the title "Financial Commissioner for the Dominion of Canada". When Macdonald returned to power in 1878 he wanted to elevate the office to "resident minister" but this was disallowed by Britain, who offered the title of high commissioner
High Commissioner (Commonwealth)
In the Commonwealth of Nations, a High Commissioner is the senior diplomat in charge of the diplomatic mission of one Commonwealth government to another.-History:...
instead; this was the origin of the practice whereby members of the Commonwealth send high commissioners rather than ambassadors to each other, which continues to this day.
The first high commissioner was Alexander Tilloch Galt
Alexander Tilloch Galt
Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt, GCMG, PC was a politician and a father of Canadian Confederation.He was born in Chelsea, England, the son of Scottish novelist and colonizer, John Galt, and Elizabeth Tilloch Galt. He was a cousin of Sir Hugh Allan.Alexander Galt is interred in the Mount Royal Cemetery...
, appointed in 1880. The office remained the most important in Canadian diplomacy and was always filled by political appointees rather than career diplomats even after Canada created a Ministry of External Affairs in 1921.
As the high commission's role grew it needed to expand its facilities, and on 29 June 1925, King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
officiated at the dedication of Canada House on Trafalgar Square. The mission's needs continued to expand, however, and Canada acquired the former American embassy on Grosvenor Square and renamed it Macdonald House, in honour of Canada's first prime minister. Macdonald House opened on Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
, (1 July), 1961.
Canada House was refurbished in 1997-98.
List of Canadian High Commissioners in the United Kingdom
| High Commissioner | Start of term | End of term |
|---|---|---|
| Hon. Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt Alexander Tilloch Galt Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt, GCMG, PC was a politician and a father of Canadian Confederation.He was born in Chelsea, England, the son of Scottish novelist and colonizer, John Galt, and Elizabeth Tilloch Galt. He was a cousin of Sir Hugh Allan.Alexander Galt is interred in the Mount Royal Cemetery... |
1880 | 1883 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir Charles Tupper Charles Tupper Sir Charles Tupper, 1st Baronet, GCMG, CB, PC was a Canadian father of Confederation: as the Premier of Nova Scotia from 1864 to 1867, he led Nova Scotia into Confederation. He later went on to serve as the sixth Prime Minister of Canada, sworn in to office on May 1, 1896, seven days after... |
1883 | 1896 |
| Rt. Hon. Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal | 1896 | 1914 |
| Rt. Hon. Sir George Perley | 1914 | 1922 |
| Hon. Peter C. Larkin | 1922 | 1930 |
| Lucien Turcotte Pacaud Lucien Turcotte Pacaud Lucien Turcotte Pacaud was a Quebec lawyer and political figure. He represented Mégantic in the Canadian House of Commons from 1911 to 1922 as a Liberal member.... (acting) |
1930 | 1930 |
| Hon. Howard Ferguson Howard Ferguson George Howard Ferguson, PC was a Conservative politician and the ninth Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1923 to 1930.-Background:He was the son of Charles Frederick Ferguson who served in the Canadian House of Commons... |
1930 | 1935 |
| Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey Vincent Massey Charles Vincent Massey was a Canadian lawyer and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 18th since Canadian Confederation.... |
1935 | 1946 |
| Norman Robertson Norman Robertson Norman Alexander Robertson, CC was a Canadian diplomat and was one of Prime Minister Mackenzie King's advisers.... |
1946 | 1949 |
| L. Dana Wilgress L. Dana Wilgress Leolyn Dana Wilgress, was a Canadian diplomat.Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wilgress was educated in Vancouver, Japan, Victoria and at McGill University.... |
1949 | 1952 |
| Norman Robertson Norman Robertson Norman Alexander Robertson, CC was a Canadian diplomat and was one of Prime Minister Mackenzie King's advisers.... (second time) |
1952 | 1957 |
| Hon. George Drew | 1957 | 1964 |
| Hon. Lionel Chevrier Lionel Chevrier Lionel Chevier, was a Canadian Member of Parliament and cabinet minister.Born in Cornwall, Ontario, the son of former Cornwall mayor Joseph E. Chevrier, he was educated in Cornwall, at the University of Ottawa, the University of Montreal and Osgoode Hall. Chevrier was called to the bar in 1928... |
1964 | 1967 |
| Charles Ritchie Charles Ritchie Charles Stewart Almon Ritchie, CC was a Canadian diplomat and diarist.Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he was Canada’s ambassador to West Germany , Permanent Representative to the United Nations , ambassador to the United States during the presidencies of John F... |
1967 | 1971 |
| Jake Warren Jake Warren Jack Hamilton Warren, OC was the Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1971 to 1974 then Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 1975 to 1977.... |
1971 | 1974 |
| Rt. Hon. Paul Joseph James Martin Paul Joseph James Martin Joseph James Guillaume Paul Martin, PC, CC, QC , often referred to as Paul Martin, Sr, was a noted Canadian politician. He was the father of Paul Martin , who served as Prime Minister of Canada from 2003 - 2006.-Early life:Martin was born in Ottawa, Ontario, the son of Lumina and Joseph... |
1974 | 1979 |
| Jean Casselman Wadds Jean Casselman Wadds Jean Casselman Wadds, OC was a Canadian politician, who represented the electoral district of Grenville—Dundas from 1958 to 1968. She sat as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party.... |
1980 | 1983 |
| Hon. Donald Jamieson | 1983 | 1985 |
| Roy McMurtry Roy McMurtry Roland "Roy" McMurtry, OC, OOnt is a judge and former politician in Ontario, Canada and the current Chancellor of York University.-Early life:McMurtry was born in Toronto and educated at St. Andrew's College, graduating in 1950... |
1985 | 1988 |
| Hon. Donald Stovel Macdonald Donald Stovel Macdonald Donald Stovel Macdonald, PC, CC is a former Canadian Liberal politician and Cabinet minister.Macdonald graduated from the University of Trinity College in the University of Toronto in 1952. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1962 election as the Liberal Member of... |
1988 | 1991 |
| Fredrik S. Eaton | 1991 | 1994 |
| Hon. Royce Frith Royce Frith Royce Herbert Frith, CM, QC was a Canadian diplomat, public servant and politician.He received a BA from the University of Toronto, an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Dipl. d’études supérieures from the University of Ottawa. He was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1949... |
1994 | 1996 |
| Hon. Roy MacLaren Roy MacLaren Roy MacLaren, PC , is a Canadian politician, diplomat, historian, and author.Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia with a major in History, a Master's degree from St Catharine's College, Cambridge, a Master of... |
1996 | 2000 |
| Jeremy Kinsman Jeremy Kinsman Jeremy K.B. Kinsman is a retired Canadian career diplomat. He was the Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and the Canadian Ambassador to the European Union .... |
2000 | 2002 |
| Mel Cappe Mel Cappe Melvin Samuel "Mel" Cappe, OC is a Canadian civil servant and diplomat. Since June, 2006 he is the President and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy in Montreal. He was most recently Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom... |
2002 | 2006 |
| James R. Wright James R. Wright James R. Wright is a Canadian diplomat, and was Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from August 27, 2006 to September 14, 2011.... |
2006 | 2011 |
| Gordon Campbell | 2011 | Present |
See also
- Macdonald HouseMacdonald House (London)Macdonald House is a seven-storey building in Grosvenor Square in Mayfair, London that is part of the High Commission of Canada in London. Macdonald House hosts the trade and administrative sections of the High Commission, as well as the High Commissioner's official residence, while the cultural...
- Canada HouseCanada HouseThe High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom in London is the diplomatic mission from Canada to the United Kingdom. It is housed in two buildings in London.-History:...
- British-Canadian relationsBritish-Canadian relationsBritish–Canadian relations are the bilateral relations between the governments of Canada and the United Kingdom. London and Ottawa enjoy cooperative and intimate contact; the two countries are related through history, through language, through the Commonwealth of Nations, and their sharing of the...
- British High Commission, Ottawa