Association History

Image of the early RNWMP Veterans Association crest

The Association has been in existence since 1886. In early years a group of Northwest Mounted Police Veterans in the Calgary area decided to form a group of old comrades, and during 1901 a convention was organized which appeared to be successful, a Constitution was drawn up and Officers elected and an Emblem drafted.

The South African War disrupted to some extent this organization so that by 1910 the Association almost died away, but when Vancouver started up with a new Division, and a delegation visited Edmonton and Calgary urging those two cities to form associations, new life was breathed into the ex Mounted Police Veterans and other cities across the country were organized over the succeeding years.

Photograph of Lawrence Herchmer – 4th Commissioner of the Force and 1st President of the Vancouver Division – RCMP Veterans’ Association

The NWMP Veterans Association began in 1913 in Vancouver when some old timers decided to place an advertisement in the local newspaper to determine the degree of interest in forming such an organization.  About 70 ex-members attended and a motion was passed unanimously that a committee be struck to study the procedures necessary to set up an association with the necessary Constitution, which was subsequently adopted as drafted.

From the beginning Vancouver was known as “A” Division right up to about 1969-1970 when Dominion Headquarters directed that all divisions should be called by their geographic name.  The Vancouver Division was recorded and registered under provisions of the Societies Act in Victoria, B.C.  The Association spread over the next couple of years.  Edmonton was at one time named Dominion Headquarters in about 1924 but, the Headquarters returned to Vancouver in 1935.  Later, Calgary  (which was known as “E” Division) held the distinction of being the Headquarters of the Association until 1950 when the Association opted for Ottawa to be the Headquarters, as it was also the seat of Government, for central and the Headquarters of the National office of the RCMP Veterans’’ Association has remained there ever since.  It was incorporated under the name Royal Northwest Mounted Police Veterans’ Association by Letters Patent under the Companies Act on January 14, 1924, and steps were taken on December 1, 1954 to change the Association’s name to reflect the present-day name of the Force.