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Captain Edward Walter, a retired officer of the British Army, founded The Corps of Commissionaires in England in 1859.
His aim was to provide dignified and worth-while employment for veterans who were without pension or prospects.
Convincing friends and acquaintances that the exemplary discipline, loyalty and dedication
to service that veterans possessed could be put to excellent use in business,
he succeeded in finding jobs for seven veterans and thereby launched the Corps of Commissionaires.
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"The Original 8"
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The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires was established in 1925 for Canadian ex-servicemen in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
Today there are over 18,000 Commissionaires of many nationalities serving in seventeen Divisions from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island
with a National Office in Ottawa.
All Divisions of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires are private, self-supporting, non-profit corporations.
In the early days of the organization, the primary role of a Commissionaire was security work.
In the intervening years high technology has had an impact on the type of services provided by the Corps.
The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires has continued to grow in strength over the years and it is with great pride
that we have Her Majesty the Queen heading the list of Life Governors. With the Governor General as our Chief Patron,
the pride and traditions of the Commissionaires remain a distinct part of our Canadian heritage.
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