EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Explanatory Note was written as a reader’s aid to Bill 31 and does not form part of the law. 
Bill 31 has been enacted as Chapter 5 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2024.

The Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2024 is enacted. The Act provides that the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Air Cadet corps, Royal Canadian Army Cadet corps and Royal Canadian Sea Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Bill 31 2024

An Act to provide for an award for exceptional cadets

Preamble

Although First Nations persons were exempt from conscription, more than 4000 such persons enlisted in World War I and more than 3000 enlisted in World War II. Many lost their Indian status because they were away for more than four years. Despite this, many continued their community service and gave back to their communities their entire life. Murray Whetung was a Curve Lake First Nations veteran who continued to serve his community after returning from service overseas.

Therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Award, Royal Canadian Air Cadet

1 The Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Air Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Award, Royal Canadian Army Cadet

2 The Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Army Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Award, Royal Canadian Sea Cadet

3 The Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Sea Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Commencement

4 This Act comes into force on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor.

Short title

5 The short title of this Act is the Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2024.

This reprint of the Bill is marked to indicate the changes that were made in Committee.

The changes are indicated by underlines for new text and a strikethrough for deleted text.

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EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2023 is enacted. The Act provides that the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Air Cadet corps, Royal Canadian Army Cadet corps and Royal Canadian Sea Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Bill 31 2023

An Act to provide for an award for exceptional cadets

Preamble

Although First Nations persons were exempt from conscription, more than 4000 such persons enlisted in World War I and more than 3000 enlisted in World War II. Many lost their Indian status because they were away for more than four years. Despite this, many continued their community service and gave back to their communities their entire life. Murray Whetung was a Curve Lake First Nations veteran who continued to serve his community after returning from service overseas.

There is a long history of Indigenous communities voluntarily serving in the Canadian Armed Forces.  During the First and Second world wars, more than 7,000 First Nations people as well as a similar number of Metis and Inuit people voluntarily enlisted to protect Canada.  Many of the First Nations volunteers lost their Indian status upon returning from fighting overseas.  Despite the mistreatment the Indigenous veterans received, many veterans continued to give back through volunteer service to their communities for their entire lives.  Murray Whetung was one such Curve Lake First Nation veteran who continued to serve his community after returning from service overseas.

Therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Award, Royal Canadian Air Cadet

1 The Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Air Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Award, Royal Canadian Army Cadet

2 The Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Army Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Award, Royal Canadian Sea Cadet

3 The Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Sea Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Commencement

4 This Act comes into force on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor.

Short title

5 The short title of this Act is the Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2023.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2022 is enacted. The Act provides that the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Air Cadet corps, Royal Canadian Army Cadet corps and Royal Canadian Sea Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Bill 31 2022

An Act to provide for an award for exceptional cadets

Preamble

Although First Nations persons were exempt from conscription, more than 4000 such persons enlisted in World War I and more than 3000 enlisted in World War II. Many lost their Indian status because they were away for more than four years. Despite this, many continued their community service and gave back to their communities their entire life. Murray Whetung was a Curve Lake First Nations veteran who continued to serve his community after returning from service overseas.

Therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Award, Royal Canadian Air Cadet

1 The Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Air Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Award, Royal Canadian Army Cadet

2 The Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Army Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Award, Royal Canadian Sea Cadet

3 The Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism shall provide for an award to be given each year to a cadet in each local Royal Canadian Sea Cadet corps who is selected by their corps for demonstrating exceptional citizenship and volunteerism within their community and their corps.

Commencement

4 This Act comes into force on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor.

Short title

5 The short title of this Act is the Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act, 2022.