Introduction
The history of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces is linked to the history
of our nation.
The Canadian Armed Forces of today draws on the traditions and heritage of colonial militias dating back to the earliest French and British settlements in North America.
The first regular units of what constitutes today’s Canadian Armed Forces were formed shortly after Confederation, white the Department of National Defence was not created until much later.
1867
The Constitution Act of 1867 assigned the deference function in Canada to the federal government.
1871
After Confederation the British government decided to withdraw most of its forces from Canada. This decision left the Dominion government in need of professional soldiers to maintain the armament of Canada’s two great fortresses:
The Citadel in Québec City, Québec and
Fort Henry in Kingston, Ontario.
The federal government formed a small regular force during the period of 1871-1887. The Regular Force (originally called the Permanent Active Militia) began on October 20, 1871 with the formation of two independent garrison batteries of artillery, which were designated A Battery and B Battery.
1880
Regular infantry and cavalry regiments were formed in the 1880s
as schools of instruction for the Non-Permanent Active
Militia, (The Reserve Force).
1910
In 1910 the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was created.
1923
On January 1, 1923 Parliament passed legislation creating the Department
of National Defence on the recommendation of General Sir Arthur Currie,
who had commanded Canada’s forces in France during World War I.
The Department of Defence was intended to incorporate three previous
divisions – the Militia, the Naval Service, and the Air Board, but during the
Second World War the three services in practice operated independently of
each other.
1924
King George V promulgated the prefix “Royal” in 1923 for the Canadian Air Force and made it official in 1924. The new title Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF)
officially came into being on April 1, 1924.
1968
After the wars, Canada began to work seriously toward unification of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Force. As a result,
on February 1, 1968, the three services were amalgamated under the Canadian
Forces Reorganization Act and the government established the Canadian
Armed Forces.
1972
The Government decided that the most effective way to provide advice and
support to the Minister of National Defence and leadership to the Department
of National Defence and recently unified Canadian Forces was through an
integrated National Defence Headquarters.
The military and civilian branches merged to form a single Department of
National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ). The military and civilian personnel
now work side by side in the management of Canada’s defence activities.
2005
In the face of new security threats, the Canadian Armed Forces is transforming to become more relevant, responsive and effective. As these changes occur, the Department of National Defence’s civilian departmental functions must remain coherent and properly aligned to a transformed Canadian Armed Forces and to ongoing DND and Government of Canada change initiatives.
2011
The Government of Canada restored the historic names for the Canadian Armed Forces: the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army, and the Royal Canadian Air Force.
