In thepresenceofTheirRoyalHighnessesThePrinceofWalesandTheDuchessofCornwall

FortYorkAnnoury,Toronto,Ontario

May22,2012

.+. Governmentof Canada Gouvernementdu Canada Canada

The MusterA "muster" is a general term for collecting soldiers or sailors together, and in

this case, the only one that could describe the unique and spectacular array ofregiments, both regular and reserve, represented at this event. Collected on theparade square of Fort YorkArmoury will be three bodies of troops, the largestbeing the Guard of Honour comprising soldiers ofregiments whose Colonel-in-Chief is His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales or Her Royal Highness TheDuchess of Cornwall. The Air Reserve of Canada will mount the guard's FlagParty and the guard commander will be Lieutenant-Colonel Jesse Jones of theRoyal Regiment of Canada, a reserve regiment based at Fort YorkArmoury.

Accompanying the guard will be a formation of soldiers £Tomregiments thatperpetuate the tradition of militia units called out on active service during theWar of 1812, to whom the CDS awarded the Honorary Distinction DEFENCEOF CANADA - 1812-1815- DEFENSE DU CANADA. The third formation

will be representatives of First Nations and Metis communities; in 1812, these

nations were an essential part of the British alliance that defended Canada.All of those on parade will be in formal, business or traditional attire.

Most of the regiments with an historical link to the War of 1812 embrace theservice of the volunteer and militia I,Initsraised in Upper and Lower Canada

(today's Ontario and Quebec). Among those fighting for the Crown was the

important alliance of First Nations, Metis and regular regiments of the BritishArmy, including some that had been raised in the colonies. Prominent amongthem was the British Fencible unit, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, which

now has two monuments in downtown Toronto recognizing its contribution tothe defence of Upper Canada.

The venue of this event could not be more appropriate. In the history of Toronto,

the key battle occurred on April 27, 1813, when American troops landed a fewkilometres to the west and drove the defenders back to the original Fort York, ahundred metres east of the present armoury.As the garrison withdrew in defeat,the powder magazine exploded, killing as many as 200 soldiers, including the

American commander.At that time, the shoreline of Lake Ontario was amongwhat are now the pillars of the Gardiner Expressway.Anyone in the shallow

water just off the old fort, where the parade square is now, would have had anexcellent and very dangerous view of the formative Battle of York.

The War of 1812The Government of Canada recognizes the War of 1812 as a defining moment

in the history of our nation. The 200thanniversary of the War of 1812 is an

unprecedented opportunity for all Canadians to take pride in our traditions and

our shared history.

On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on the United Kingdom and itsBritish North American colonies in what is today Central and Eastern Canada.

British regular troops assisted by English- and French-speaking Canadianmilitiamen and First Nations and Metis allies repelled American invasions over

the course of more than two years.

It took the combined efforts of the British Army and Royal Navy, English- andFrench-speaking militia volunteers, and First Nations and Metis allies to succeed

in repelling the American invasion.

These heroic efforts tell the story of the origins of the Canada we know today:

an independent and free country united under the Crown with a strong respect

for diversity. The signing of the Treaty of Ghent and other treaties that followed

confirmed the border between Canada and the United States, which is now the

world's longest undefended border, providing an example of nations coexisting

peacefully side by side.

The end of the War laid the foundation for Confederation, and Canada's

ultimate emergence as an independent nation in North America. It also ushered

in what has become two centuries of peaceful relations, mutual respect, close

cooperation and the strongest of friendship between Canada and the United States.

Commemorative medalAt the end of the War of 1812, military flags and medals were presented to

Aboriginal allies who had fought alongside the British forces as symbolic acts

of gratitude and recognition to the Crown's Aboriginal allies. The medal bore

the profile of His Majesty King George III on one side,and the British coat of arms on the other. In order to

strengthen the recognition of the Aboriginal efforts,

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

is presenting commemorative War of 1812 medals

which have an effigy of Her Majesty The Queen on

the obverse side, and the image, or device, to be usedin the commemorative banner on the reverse. This

creates a direct link between the two elements of the

recognition, the medal and the banner. These medals are7.5 cm in diameter and made of silver with a ribbon and

produced by the Royal Canadian Mint.

..

Commemorative bannerThe Canadian Forces War of 1812

Commemorative Banner was developed to permit

units, bases, and formations of the Canadian

Forces, as well as First Nations and Metis

communities, whose heritage embraces service in,

or a contribution to, the defence of British North

America during the war, to display that heritage.

Canada's military tradition has long accepted the

presentation of banners as a mark of favour, but this is the first Canadian Forces

banner as such. Its design is based on the red and white of the Canadian Flag, with

the anchor, crossed swords, and tomahawks symbolizing the fact that fightingin the service of the Crown took place on land, at sea, and on the Great Lakes in

concert with our Aboriginal allies. The design itself was rendered by the Canadian

Heraldic Authority and approved by Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada.

Five snare drumsThe five snare drums are commemorative items created to visually represent theawards made to historic Canadian militia units for their service during the War

of 1812and the recent perpetuation of more than one hundred of these units bytwenty-nine currently-serving units of the Canadian Army. Three of the drums

represent regions and provinces -Atlantic, Quebec, and Ontario -and depictthe names of the perpetuating units and their Honorary Distinction. The fourth

drum depicts the names of the fourCanadian Army regiments whichjointly perpetuate the wartime

Battalion of Incorporated Militiaof Upper Canada and their inheritedbattle honour "NIAGARA"as well as the War of 1812

Honorary Distinction DEFENCEOF CANADA-1812-1815-DEFENSE DU CANADA.

The fifth drum depicts the names of the six Fencible regiments of the BritishArmy raised in British North America which saw service during the War of

1812. Soldiers from The Halifax Rifles and The Royal Newfoundland Regimentare on parade today to reflect the service of the Fencible Regiments raised inNova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Commemorative ceremonyThe five drums and the commemorative War of 1812 medal, which represent the

Canadian Forces regiments as well as the First Nations and Metis communitieswho perpetuate a heritage linked to the War of 1812,are placed on the dais toboth symbolically and physically bring these groups and their valour together ina striking visual and symbolic manner.

The commemorative War of 1812 banner, which will be awarded to the

regiments, and First Nations and Metis communities, enfolds the drums and

medal together, symbolizing the unity of effort in the conflict. The Aboriginal

blessing by an Elder and the prayers by the Chaplain General shift the focus

to all those who have gone before; the elements and the alliance between the

regiments and First Nations are thus blanketed in a spiritual sense.

The passing of the banner to the Heir to the Throne is a symbolic gesture

that directly associates the Crown with the banner, and all that it represents.

The marching of the banner in front of the Canadian Forces regiments, and FirstNations and Metis representatives, can be understood as a symbolic receipt of

the Commemorative banner on their behalf by the Colour Guard. The distinctionof honour and gratitude on behalf of a grateful people and country is furtherunderlined by this symbolic marching.

During the War of 1812 Canada was defended through the combined efforts

of British regulars, Fencible regiments and militia from Ontario and Quebec,

regiments from the Atlantic region and First Nation and Metis allies of the

Crown. Together these early Canadians of all linguistic backgrounds,

ethnicities and regions helped ensure that Canada was later able to emerge

as an independent nation in North America.

First Nations and Metis communities witha heritage linked to the War of 1812

· MississaugasoftheNewCredit· Mohawksof theBayofQuinte· SixNationsoftheGrandRiverElectedCouncil· BkejwanongTerritory

(WalpoleIslandFirstNation)· Munsee-DelawareNation· DelawareNation- MoravianoftheThames· OneidaFirstNationoftheThames· Chippewasof theThamesFirstNation· ChippewasofNawashUncededFirstNation· ChippewasofKettleandStoneyPoint· SaugeenFirstNation· CaldwellFirstNation· MetisNationofOntario· BatchewanaFirstNationofOjibways· GardenRiverFirstNation· ThessalonFirstNation· M'ChigeengFirstNation· SheguiandahFirstNation· SheshegwaningFirstNation· Aundeck-Omni-KaningFirstNation· WhitefishRiverFirstNation

· ZhiibaahaasingFirstNation· SerpentRiverFirstNation· SagamokAnishwawbek· AtikamekshengAnishwawbek· MohawksofAkwasasne· MohawksofKanesatake· KahnawakeFirstNation· KitiganZibi· NationHuronneWendat· Abenakisd'Odanak· NationMetisQuebec· MetisNationalCouncil· DakotaTipiFirstNation· SiouxValleyDakotaNation· WhitecapDakotaRrstNation· WahpetonDakotaFirstNation-StandingBuffaloFirstNation· DakotaPlainsFirstNation· BirdtailSiouxFirstNation· CanupawakpaDakotaFirstNation· ManitobaMetisFederation· MetisNation-Saskatchewan

Current Canadian Army Units to PerpetuateWar of 1812 Militia Formations

UNIT

NovaScotia84thIndependentFieldArtillery,RCA

1stBattalion,TheNovaScotiaHighlanders

TheWestNovaScotiaRegiment

New Brunswick

3'dFieldArtilleryRegiment,RCA

8thCanadianHussars(PrincessLouise's)

TheRoyalNewBrunswickRegiment

Quebec

2ndFieldArtilleryRegiment,RCA

12eRegimentblindeduCanadaTheBlackWatch(RoyalHighlandRegiment)ofCanadaTheCanadianGrenadierGuards

LesFusilliersduSt-Laurent

LesFusilliersMont-Royal

LeRegimentdelaChaudiere

Royal22eRegiment

TheRoyalCanadianHussars(Montreal)TheSherbrookeHussars

LesVoltigeursdeQuebec

COLONELIN CHIEF

HerMajestyTheQueen

HerMajestyTheQueen

HerRoyalHighnessThePrincessRoyal

HerMajestyTheQueen

HerMajestyTheQueen

HisRoyalHighnessThe PrinceCharlesPrinceof Wales

HerMajestyTheQueen

HerMajestyTheQueen

HerMajestyThe Queen

Ontario7thTorontoRegiment,RCA

31CombatEngineerRegiment(TheElgin's)

56thFieldArtilleryRegiment,RCATheBrockvilleRifles

TheEssexandKentScottish

TheHastingsandPrinceEdwardRegiment

TheLincolnandWeilandRegiment

ThePrincessof Wales'OwnRegiment

The Queen'sYorkRangers(151AmericanRegiment),RCAC

TheRoyalCanadianRegiment

TheRoyalHamiltonLightInfantry(WentworthRegiment)

Stormont,DundasandGlengarryHighlanders

HerMajestyTheQueen

HerMajestyTheQueen

HerMajestyTheQueen

HisRoyalHighness,PrinceMichaelof Kent

HisRoyalHighnessThePrinceEdwardTheEarlofWessex

HerRoyalHighnessTheCountessof Wessex

The DukeofYorkPrinceAndrew

HisRoyalHighnessThePrincePhilipDukeof Edinburgh

HisRoyalHighnessThePrincePhilipDukeof Edinburgh

Regiments linked to War of 1812 FencibleUnits recruited in North America

REGIMENT

TheRoyalNewfoundlandRegiment

TheHalifaxRifles,RCAC

The RoyalNewBrunswickRegiment

Royal22eRegiment

Stormont,Dundasand GlengarryHighlanders

COLONELIN CHIEF

HerRoyalHighnessThePrincessRoyal

HerMajestyTheQueen

HerMajestyTheQueen

OFFICIALPROGRAMME

Musical Interlude by a composite band of the CanadianAnned Forces

Guard of Honour, representatives of First Nations' andMetis communities and 1812 Regiments take positions

Arrival of Their Royal Highnesses

Royal Salute

Inspection of the Guard of Honour

Royal Anthem

Guard of Honour marches off / Musical Interlude

War of 1812commemorative ceremony

National Anthem

Royal Salute

March Past

Official Party departs

TheWarof 1812

Laguerrede1812II

1812.gc.ca