Patricia Greber has written a good article on her blog, My Genealogy Life, about Canadian Orders-in-Council records, from 1867-1924, that are available on Library and Archives Canada’s (LAC) website.
First time I have read that something as seemily dry as an Order-in-Council could be of value to family historians.
Privy Council Chamber, Parliament Buildings, after 1886, Ottawa, Ontario. Credit: William James Topley/Library and Archives Canada/PA-008388.
What I like in particular about Patricia’s blog post is how she explains why we should look beyond names on our family tree to uncover a gem in these records.
But first, let’s look at what an Order-in-Council is.
By definition
The explanation on LAC’s website about what an Order-in-Council is didn’t help me much. Here it is:
A federal Order-in-Council is a legal instrument made by the Governor in Council pursuant to a statutory authority or, less frequently, the royal prerogative. All orders in council are made on the recommendation of the responsible Minister of the Crown and take legal effect only when signed by the Governor General.
Canadian Encyclopedia has a slightly clearer explanation:
Order-in-council, at the federal level, is an order of the GOVERNOR GENERAL by and with the advice and consent of the Queen’s PRIVY COUNCIL for Canada. In fact, it is formulated by CABINET or a committee of Cabinet and formally approved by the governor general. Some orders simply make appointments. About a third are legislative, forming part of the law and enforceable by the courts.
Less-than-stellar attempts
I searched in LAC’s Orders-in-Council database for several of my family names.
A search of the surname Young resulted in too many hits. A second attempt of James Young produced ten times more hits. Then, I used quotation marks — “James Young” — as I do in Google, which narrowed down the hits to a manageable 12. I also tried Patricia’s other tips.
In the end, I found not one ancestor and not one Order-in-Council that would have directly impacted any of my ancestors’ lives.
But my lack of success shouldn’t discourage you from trying. You may be as lucky as Patricia was, and I’ll be envious of you too.
I always appreciate your analysis of a site, thanks for the mention!
To really oversimplify it, an Order In Council is simply a form of legislation or administrative decision enacted by way of a resolution made by Cabinet (either federal or provincial). It is formalized by signature of the Governor General or Lieutenant Governor.
For my own research, years ago I obtained an OiC from 1891 regarding one of my wife’s elusive Nova Scotia ancestors, regarding his professional endeavours. It was an OiC appointing the individual as a Temporary Consular Agent for the German Empire for a business transaction that occurred in Pictou.
Thanks for simplifying. Re your own discovery, it is hard to imagine there was a connection between Pictou and the German Empire, and that you found the the OiC. Nice discovery.