6 days ago
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sponsored Content Commissionaires 100th Anniversary
It's a celebration marked by a century of service to Canadians and shaped by a desire to provide meaningful employment for those who stood on guard for thee.
You might recognize the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires as those smartly-dressed security officers serving in a variety of locations across the country.
But you might not realize the backstory worth celebrating or the ongoing commitment that will take the Corps into its next century of service to Canadians.
So, let's return to its roots in the years following the First World War, when many returning home from the battlefield were struggling to find meaningful employment or were finding it difficult to transition to civilian life. Based on the British Corps of Commissionaires founded in 1859, the Canadian model was officially launched in 1925.
The Second World War added to the Corps' importance, as many members left to serve overseas in various branches of the Canadian Armed Forces or took on roles with organizations supporting the home front, such as the Veterans Guard of Canada. Upon their return, the Corps once again offered meaningful employment to a new generation of veterans. By 1950, Commissionaires was a truly a coast-to-coast operation, protecting and providing security to Canadians whenever and wherever needed – including royal visits.
The Manitoba Division of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires was established in 1938. The province's first commissionaire was Henry S. Bennett, a retired member of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Today, the Manitoba Division is a security force 1,200 members strong.
True to its motto — 'Best Team, Best Led, Best Cared For' – the Division commits to supporting its employees, their families, and the communities it serves. For example, the Division has partnered with community groups to build raised community garden beds on its property. It has also achieved certification from With Glowing Hearts, a military leave-friendly HR policy program. In addition, the Division works with the Military Family Resource Centre and the Military Spouse Employment Network to help military spouses who otherwise may find it difficult to maintain employment due to the challenges faced because of their spouse's career.
As commissionaires mark their centennial, they can take pride in remaining true to that mission born in the years after the Great War. The original marching orders have created the country's largest not-for-profit security provider with over 20,000 employees from all walks of life, including retired RCMP officers, first responders and civilians who share the same sense of service.
The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires have helped keep us true, north, strong, and free for 100 years. That's a record of service we can all consider worthy of saluting.
