Girl Guides of Canada

Girl Guides of Canada - 1

Please help! If you know anything about these pins or other items, please email. I know very little about Canadian Girl Guides and I would love to learn

A very special thanks to Louise St. Germain, Kathy Stephen, Mia Haddard and Kaitlyn Frank for the images and information they sent! Also to the very nice ladies who work at the Girl Guide Shop at 938 Mason, Victoria B.C. Canada. On my recent visit to B.C., they helped me identify the new changes to the programs, new pins being introduced and some special award pins. There was also a very nice lady from the Trefoil Guild who showed me some of the archives. I learned so much!

French Canadian Guides

Guides Catholiques du Canada (secteur francais) started in 1962 for French speaking Catholic Canadians. They were formally affiliated with Canadian Girl Guides in 1995. However, they are a separated program.

Older French-Canadian Guide pin

Jeannettes Pins (current version on right)

Current Age Levels:

Etincelles - 6,7 years old

Jeannettes - 8,9,10 years old

Guides - 11,12,13 years old

Kamsok - 14, 15, 16 years old

Guides-ainees - 17,18,19

Might be a French-Canadian Pin

2 Versions of the Canadian Girl Guide Ring - left is the older CGG emblem, right is the GGC version.

All Round Cord, Gold Cord and Canada Cord Pins

The All Round Cord was revamped in 1957 (for the Centennial Year) with all new requirements. It was noted that the All Round Cord was not a requirement for earning the Gold Cord. If the Gold Cord was earned, the All Round Cord would no longer be worn on the uniform.

Girl Guides could earn the All Round Cord by being a First Class Guide, holding the Little House emblem and several other badges. The Gold Cord could be earned after the guide turned 15, completing several requires and be recommended by the Court of Honor of her company, her Captain and the Guider-in-Charge of the Guide Camp (1962 requirements). Rangers could also earn these pins as well (1962).

The Pathfinder Age Level started in 1979.

Early Felt All Round Cord

Older All Round Cord Pin

All Round Cord Pin, discontinued

Possibly an older Gold Cord Pin, predecessor of the Canada Cord Pin

Louise St. Germain's Canada Cord Pin

Pathfinder Canada Cord Pin, image donated by Louise St. Germain

1957 Centennial Celebration

Special B-P badge could be worn by everyone

B-P Star was earned by doing the following →

and could be worn in and out of uniform. It was still allowed in 1962.

Carry out BP's last message " It is your business in life to be happy, and to make others happy - by making happy homes."
A project outside the home to last at least one month in response to BP's challenge " to leave the world a little better than when you found it."
Baden-Powell Time at meetings to learn more about the founder.

War Service Insignia

What little I know about Canadian Girl Guide pins, etc:

There appears to be 3 eras of the Girl Guide membership pins, and I just call them early, mid and current. I imagine prior to that their pins were the same as the ones used in the United Kingdom (?). If anyone can narrow the dates down - please email!!!!!!

Michelle Jermy writes -

The three periods are:

c.1935–1964

1964-1984

1984-present

Before c.1935 we used the same pins as in the UK. All branches, the trefoil, badges, uniforms, etc. were changed in 1964. The most recent change in the trefoil was in 1984, and that design is still in use.

Enrollment Pins - 1935-1964

In 1937, the Salvation Army's girl programs (Life Saving Guards and Sunbeam-Brownies) formally joined Girl Guiding. They continue today, wearing a Salvation Army badge on their Girl Guide uniform

King George IV and Queen Elizabeth visited Canada in 1939

1939 Catalog

1959 Guide Handbook

Guide

Land Ranger

1961

Lone Guide

Sea Ranger, Air Ranger , a white pin would be for Cadets

Unknown Level, however the UK guides used mauve in the First Class Award for girls with disabilities.

Enrollment Pins - 1964-1984

1967 Patch

Louise St. Germain writes that there are 2 versions of the 1964-1968 pin, and the difference has to do with the font used for the "G.G.C.". She sent in this image of the two pins for comparison.

This style of Guide Enrollment Pin has been found as early as 1965 and as late as 1984.

1965 Handbook

Pathfinder Enrollment Pin

Ranger Enrollment Pin

Blue Version 1

Blue Version 2

Blue Version 3

In 1971 the Canadian Ranger program merged with the Sea and Air Rangers. The color of the pin changed to a pale blue. In 1983 the color returned to red.