History
A grant of Arms is an honour from the Crown and an exercise of the Royal Prerogative. In Canada, this is overseen by the Canadian Heraldic Authority, a part of the Office of the Governor General.By petition to the Chief Herald of Canada on 31st March 1998, the Monarchist League of Canada expressed its desire to bear lawful Arms granted through the Authority. On 3rd June 1998, Chief Herald Robert Watt informed the League as follows: "The Deputy Herald Chancellor has issued a Warrant authorizing me to grant arms, crest, motto, supporters, a flag and a badge to the Monarchist League of Canada".
The Dominion Chairman of the League subsequently requested that a number of members of the League with an expertise in heraldry develop ideas for the design of the Arms that might be presented in his discussions with the Chief Herald. This initiative produced a number of useful suggestions. He also invited all League members to consider an appropriate motto: many mottos were submitted in an informal competition, that chosen being the original idea of Garry Toffoli, "Loyalty Binds Us", its rendering in Latin being "Fidelitate Coniuncti".
The Arms were proclaimed by the Niagara Herald Extraordinary, R Gordon Macpherson, and presented to the League by Hilary M Weston, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, acting on behalf of the Governor General of Canada, at a ceremony in the course of a Choral Evensong of Thanksgiving for the 48th Anniversary of The Queen’s reign that was attended by over 600 League members and friends at The Cathedral Church of Saint James, Toronto, on Accession Day, Sunday, 6th February 2000. The Patent was subsequently dedicated by the Very Reverend Douglas Stoute, Dean of Toronto and Rector of the Cathedral.
