Grand Council 2014 — Toronto, Ontario
May 28, 2014
Gala Dinner Highlights the Volunteer Contributions of St. John
The evening of Wednesday, May 28, 2014, which took place at Toronto’s iconic King Edward Hotel, was invigorated by pomp and ceremony to recognize the good work by international communities of the Order of St. John. Guests were honoured to be joined by Their Excellencies the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada and Prior of the Priory of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston at the formal dinner with approximately 130 Grand Council delegates and guests. The program began amid a backdrop of bagpipes and a Fanfare by the Governor General’s Horse Guards. The Governor General then addressed and St. John volunteers in particular, citing volunteerism and philanthropy as a constant throughout Canada’s history.
Attendees also enjoyed the company of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Prior of the Priory of South Africa. With a presence in more than 40 countries, the Order of St. John is pleased to have the Archbishop amongst 350,000 volunteers carrying out its global mission of charitable service.
During the evening, guests were also invited to visit a commemorative display depicting the contributions of St. John during WWI (the Great War), the first aid volunteers and the training of St. John Ambulance that formed the backbone of the fledging Canadian Army Medical Corps.
Click here to view the speech from the governor general delivered at Grand Council 2014
Click here to learn more about Smiley the dog (PDF) »
Click here to view the governor general’s slide show of May 28, 2014 at Grand Council »
May 25, 2014
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu of South Africa enjoyed a cheerful welcome by Izak, a St. John Ambulance therapy dog.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu of South Africa enjoyed a cheerful welcome by Izak, a
St. John Ambulance therapy dog. As prior of St. John in South Africa, the archbishop is pleased to be joining his international colleagues at the meetings of Grand Council.
St. John Showcases Uniquely Canadian Therapy Dog Program to International Volunteers
Sunday, May 25, 2014 was a chance for St John Canada to show off what is distinctively Canadian to Grand Council delegates from around the world. As the second largest organization in the Order of St. John internationally, we proudly featured our community services programs, including Medical First Responders, and our uniquely Canadian Therapy Dog Program. After delegates were officially welcomed by Chancellor Mairi Arthur, they assembled for a special Therapy Dog Showcase and BBQ at the iconic St. James Cathedral Centre in downtown Toronto.
The lights went down, the music went up, and the audience lined either side of a runway, eager to see who would walk down the catwalk. Surprisingly, it was our Therapy Dogs, being led by their volunteer handlers. Leslie Jack, Provincial Therapy Dog Advisor for Ontario, described each canine and the special services it provides. About a dozen dog teams took to the runway, and the more people clapped, the more tails wagged. Delegates of Grand Council were inspired by learning about the Therapy Dog Program offered by St. John Ambulance volunteers. It was an evening celebrating all St. John volunteers and paying special homage to Therapy Dog Teams who selflessly enrich the lives of children, the elderly, the lonely and sick.
To learn more about the Therapy Dog Program,
read more.
News Releases
May 28, 2014
May 26, 2014
Press Kit
Canada Plays Host to St. John Organizations from Around the World
Senior leaders from one of the world’s oldest charitable humanitarian establishments gather in Toronto May 25-29, 2014. The international meeting of the Order of St. John - known as Grand Council – 
brings together delegates from North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand to learn more about the charitable work carried out by the Order through its charitable foundations, St. John Ambulance and the St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital.
On May 28, 2014, Their Excellencies the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada and Prior of the Priory of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston will meet with St. John volunteers from around the world. During the evening dinner, the Governor General will also be invited to address all Grand Council attendees.
Leader in First Aid
St John Ambulance is a leader in First Aid in Canada and around the world, with a presence in more than 40 countries. See the map of St John around the world. More than 550,000 certificates in First Aid and CPR are issued by St. John Ambulance each year, in Canada alone. Youth programs, disaster preparedness and relief, emergency response and other specialized services are all part of the ongoing work of the Order of St. John around the world. Learn about Order of St. John internationally, including the St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group, another important charitable activity of St. John.
Celebrating Community Service
In addition to the business meetings of the Order, St. John Canada will bring attention to its
community service programs,
with a focus on the
Therapy Dog Program. About 3000 Therapy Dog Teams provide more than 200,000 hours of services to Canadians each year. “People want to learn about how our Therapy Dogs benefit our Canadian Communities,” says Mairi Arthur, Chancellor of St. John Canada, “There is no other program like it among the St. John organizations word-wide, so it’s our chance to showcase to our international colleagues what makes us uniquely Canadian and how St. John in Canada helps to improve the lives of children, the elderly, the lonely and sick.
We are grateful to the support of our corporate sponsors, whose generosity helped St. John in Canada host its colleagues from around the world.
