Orange Order in Canada

The Grand Orange Lodge of British America, more commonly known as the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada or simply Orange Order in Canada, is the

It is a matter of deep regret that political differences should have run high in this place, and led to most discreditable and disgraceful results. It is not long since guns were discharged from a window in this town at the successful candidates in an election, and the coachman of one of them was actually shot in the body, though not dangerously wounded. But one man was killed on the same occasion; and from the very window whence he received his death, the very flag which shielded his murderer (not only in the commission of his crime, but from its consequences), was displayed again on the occasion of the public ceremony performed by the Governor General, to which I have just adverted. Of all the colours in the rainbow, there is but one which could be so employed: I need not say that flag was orange.

— Charles Dickens, commenting on 1841 Toronto Orange violence in American Notes for General Circulation, 1842

The Orange Lodges have existed in Canada at least since the

The Grand Orange Lodge of British America was established in Toronto in 1830, and it expanded steadily so that there were over 20 lodges in 1860, 31 in 1880, and 56 by 1895. At the turn of the century Toronto was nicknamed "The Belfast of Canada". Historian Hereward Senior has noted that the Orange Order's political ideal was expressed in the word "ascendancy." "This meant, in effect, control of the volunteer militia, of much of the machinery of local government, and substantial influence with the Dublin administration.^[clarification needed] Above all, it meant the ability to exert pressure on magistrates and juries, which gave Orangemen a degree of immunity from the law. Their means of securing ascendancy had been the Orange lodges which provided links between Irish Protestants of all classes. This ascendancy often meant political power for Protestant gentlemen and a special status for Protestant peasants."^[4] In the context of Toronto, such ascendancy was sought through the Corporation (as the administration of the city of Toronto was known). By 1844, six of Toronto's ten aldermen were Orangemen, and over the rest of the nineteenth century twenty of twenty-three mayors would be as well.^[5]

Control of 'the Corporation'

The Orange Order became a central facet of life in many parts of Canada, especially in the business centre of

Electoral riots

"Ascendancy," or control of this legal and political machinery, gave the Orange Order a monopoly on the use of "legitimate" violence. Between 1839 and 1866, the Orange Order was involved in 29 riots in Toronto, of which 16 had direct political inspiration.^[8]

Ottawa

The Orangemen, members of the various Ottawa, Westboro and Billings Bridge Lodges as well as lodges from outlying towns paraded from the Orange Hall, Gloucester Street to St. Matthew's Anglican Church (Ottawa) on 10 July 1938.^[9]

In the rest of British America

The Orange Lodge was a centre for community activity in

The Orange Order was also a force in New Brunswick, such that riots surrounding Orange marches occurred in the 1840s (a period of Irish mass immigration) in New Brunswick. Even tiny Woodstock, New Brunswick, experienced a riot in 1847 on The Twelfth (12 July, the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne), near a now-vanished Orange Hall at the corner of Victoria and Boyne streets. The height of conflict was a riot in Saint John, New Brunswick, on 12 July 1849, in which at least 12 people died. The violence subsided as Irish immigration declined,^[10] though even in 1883, 5 were killed in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in the "usual" "collision" "between Orangemen and Roman Catholics", in an event that became known as The Harbour Grace Affray.^[11]

After 1945, the Canadian Orange Order rapidly declined in membership and political influence. The development of the welfare state made its fraternal society functions less important. A more important cause of the decline was the secularization of Canadian society: with fewer Canadians attending churches of any sort, the old division between Protestant and Catholic seemed less relevant. Perhaps even more important was the decline of the British Empire and consequently the reduced value of maintaining the 'British Connection' which had always underpinned the Order. The Twelfth remains a provincial holiday in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador under the name

Orangemen and war

Orangemen played a big part in suppressing the Upper Canada Rebellion of William Lyon Mackenzie in 1837. Though the rebellion was short-lived, 317 Orangemen were sworn into the local militia by the Mayor of Toronto and then resisted Mackenzie's march down Yonge Street in 1837.

They were involved in resisting the

Orangemen in western Canada helped suppress the rebellions of Louis Riel in 1870 and 1885. The killing of abducted Orangeman Thomas Scott was a turning point in the 1870 Red River Rebellion which caused the Dominion government to launch the Wolseley expedition to restore order. The first Orange warrant in Manitoba and the North-West Territories was carried by a member of this expedition.

In 1913, the Orange Association of Manitoba volunteered a regiment to fight with the Ulster Volunteers against British forces if Home Rule were to be introduced to Ireland.^{[citation needed]}

Prominent members

Four members of the Orange Order have been

Edward Frederick Clarke, a prominent editor and publisher, served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1886 to 1904 and as a Member of Parliament from 1896 to 1905.^[6]

Orangeman^{[citation needed]} Alexander James Muir (Ontario) wrote both the music and lyrics to the Canadian patriotic song "The Maple Leaf Forever" in 1867. The song was considered for the role of national anthem in the 1960s.

Angus Walters^{[citation needed]} was the skipper of the Bluenose.

The 17th governor general, Lord Alexander of Tunis was reputedly a member of the Orange Order as noted by the Grand Orange Lodge of British America,^[19] although the source reference notes that he was born in Ulster, which is incorrect.^{[citation needed]}

Until the late 1960s, almost all mayors of Toronto were Orangemen with William Dennison being the last Orangeman to serve in office (1967-1972).^{[citation needed]}

Hockey Hall of Fame inductee George Dudley was an Orangeman, and served 43 years as Midland, Ontario's town solicitor.^[20]

See also

• Orange Order
• Royal Black Preceptory
• The Loyal True Blue and Orange Home
• Anti-Quebec sentiment

Notes