Request a Message

The Governor General sends messages of congratulations to Canadians marking a special occasion or significant milestone in their communities. 

Guidelines for requesting, receiving and publishing messages from the Governor General

  • The completed request form must be received no later than eight (8) weeks prior to the requested delivery date.
  • It is the responsibility of the requester to complete the form in full. Failure to do so may result in a later delivery date or the request being refused.
  • The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (OSGG) will assess each message request on a case-by-case basis and will notify the requester if a message cannot be provided. Due to time constraints and a high volume of submissions, we cannot accept every request. Obtaining a message one year does not guarantee obtaining one the next.
  • Messages are written in support of a designated event and will only be used for the purposes indicated on the request form and authorized by the OSGG; they cannot be used for marketing, publicity or endorsement.
  • The following requests will not be accepted: new position, promotion, retirement, personal event or achievement, annual report, annual meeting or general assembly. 
  • A maximum of one (1) message per year will be provided to any given organization.
  • Messages will not be provided to organizations that are partisan or political in nature, nor will they be given to sitting politicians.
  • Messages will be sent to the recipient organization directly and cannot be delivered via a third party (e.g. members of federal/provincial parliament, municipal offices).

Additional Criteria

Category

Criteria

Details

Anniversary – Associations, clubs, societies and national service organizations

Minimum: 25 years*

National entities and their local sections — e.g. Lions Club, Knights of Columbus, Shriners, Daughters of Isabella, Scouts, Optimist Club, Royal Canadian Legion, special interest clubs, fraternal or academic organizations

Anniversary – Community and not-for-profit groups

Minimum: 25 years*

Food banks, shelters, youth/seniors or disabled persons’ groups, cultural associations, etc.

Anniversary – Cadet corps, military units and veterans associations

Minimum: 25 years*

Army, Air and Sea Cadet corps; Regular and Reserve Force units of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force; Canadian veterans organizations

Anniversary – Commercial entities

Minimum: 50 years*

For-profit organizations, including industries, companies, small businesses and private sector unions

Anniversary – Educational institutions

Minimum: 75 years*

Elementary, secondary, college, university and specialized institutions

Anniversary – Municipal institutions

Minimum: 75 years*

Hospitals, fire stations and police services

Anniversary – Religious institutions

Minimum: 100 years*

Churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship

Anniversary – Cities, towns and parishes

Minimum: 100 years*

 

National or international conferences

*

National or international conferences organized in Canada by recognized Canadian organizations

Student conferences and parliaments

 

Events organized in Canada by recognized Canadian educational institutions

*A message can be provided every five (5) years

Request a Message for a Special Occasion Online

If you have questions or if you are unable to fill out the online form and wish to obtain a printable form, please contact Editorial Services at 613-993-2189 or 1-800-465-6890 (toll-free in Canada and the US) or messages@gg.ca.