State Ceremonial and Corporate Events Directorate

The mandate of this Directorate is to co-ordinate a variety of events ranging from national ceremonies, such as Royal Visits, to conferences and forums for the whole of the Department. The main priority is to attend to the Minister and to lead events intended for VIPs. It is also responsible for the promotion and protection of our national symbols. The Directorate is composed of three programmes. They are:

State Ceremonial and Canadian Symbols

This office is responsible for: the organization and delivery of national ceremonies (e.g. Royal Visits, the installation of new Governors General and state funerals); the provision of ceremonial and protocol advice; the administration of the table of precedence and the Table of Titles for Canada; the half-masting of the National Flag of Canada; the administration of federal responsibilities for Lieutenant Governors; the coordination of a gift bank for use by the Governor General, members of the Canadian Ministry and deputy heads; the coordination of use of Parliament Hill for activities; and, the ongoing communication and liaising with provincial and territorial government protocol offices.

The mandate of this group also includes the identification, promotion and protection of our national symbols through various activities such as the National Flag of Canada Day and the development of information and educational material. A wealth of information about the various areas of responsibility of State Ceremonial and Corporate Events can be accessed on the internet site http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/index_e.cfm.

The Conferences and Forums Bureau

The Conferences and Forums Bureau is responsible for providing a wide range of logistical support services to all sectors of the Department in the planning and delivery of conferences, forums and special events. This centralized organization, accordingly, provides a range of services from consultation to planning and co-ordination of all of these activities.