Royal Military College Saint-Jean - History

History

In Fall 2007, the federal government reopened the military college at Saint-Jean. The military college was slated for closure in 1995. On July 9, 1994, the federal and provincial governments agreed to maintain it as a non degree-granting college.

The reopening of RMC Saint-Jean in 2007 greatly differs from the original college which opened in 1952 and from the RMC of Canada located in Kingston. The new RMC Saint-Jean emcompasses the Canadian Forces Management and Development School, one of the oldest CF training establishments in the country. It is also the home to the Non-Commissioned Member Professional Development Centre, which develops the prospective future senior leaders of the Canadian Forces NCM Corps.

Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, inaugurated the Royal Military College Saint-Jean on May 24, 2008, and she presented the new college coat of arms to the Commandant, Colonel Francois Pion.

The Commandant of Royal Military College Saint-Jean reports to the Commander, Canadian Defence Academy (CDA). RMC Saint-Jean also has its own board of governors. Cadets at RMC Saint-Jean are issued scarlet uniforms. The first-year program at RMC Saint-Jean is freeing up beds at RMC allowing more Regular Officer Training Program (ROTP) cadets to attend RMC rather than civilian universities.

Year Significance
1948
  • In the post-war re-organization of the Canadian Forces, the Canadian Military Colleges Circle (CMC) was formed with RMC, Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) and Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean(CMR) (now known as RMC Saint-Jean)
1950
  • The Old Brigade, alumni celebrating 50 or more years since they entered one of the military colleges, are inducted.
1952
  • CMR (now RMC Saint-Jean) was established in order to conduct tri-service cadet training within the Canadian Forces. It was a classical college, with the initial purpose of providing a more equitable representation of French Canadians in the three services of the Canadian Forces. During the Spring of 1952, Louis Saint-Laurent, Prime Minister of Canada, made the decision to found a bilingual military college in Quebec, to open in September. In 1952 the Governor General of Canada officially opened Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean (CMR).
1968
  • Pavillon Lahaie was built, featuring laboratory, library and office space
1971
  • CMR established a formal partnership with the University of Sherbrooke, after which CMR cadets were able to obtain a bachelor's degree without leaving Saint-Jean.
1973
  • The CMR March (music), "La marche du Richelieu" composed by Madame Denise Chabot (wife of head of French department LCol C.A. Chabot) in 1954 became the official college march. "La Gaillarde" is the slow march.
  • To honour the academic staff of Canadian Military Colleges, the bands play “March of the Peers: from Iolanthe” (1881) words Sir William S. Gilbert, music Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (1842-1900), arrangement Bryceson Treharne which opens with a fanfare leading to a swaggering march from Sullivan’s ‘Iolanthe’.
1 October 1977
  • The College is granted the Freedom of the City
1977-1991
  • 15th Anniversary celebrations 8 October 1977.
  • Plaque presented to Collège Militaire Royal de Saint-Jean by the RMC Club 8 Oct 1977
1983-4
  • 1st Terry-Fox run in Saint-Jean 1983; 2,000 runners attended the 2nd race held Sun 9 Sept 1984
1984
  • Honour Guard of 114 cadets at the depart of Pope Jean-Paul II 20 September 1984
  • Saturday May 12, 1984, the band performed at the CMR graduation for the first time
1985
  • The Quebec government passed an act granting CMR its own university charter.
1988
  • CMR was authorized to grant master's and doctorate degrees.
1992
  • The College is granted the Freedom of the City
1995
  • The College is granted the Freedom of the City
  • Following the end of the Cold War and massive government cutbacks on defence spending, the Department of National Defence closed Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) and Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean (CMR).
  • CMR now operates as part of ASU Saint-Jean as Campus Saint-Jean where preparatory year ("prep year") cadets acquire the necessary academic standard needed to attend RMC.
  • RRMC is no longer a military institution, and is now maintained by the Government of British Columbia as Royal Roads University.
  • The loss of CMR and RRMC along with their many traditions and history as military colleges still remains a bitter event for many cadets and alumni.
2007
  • The reopening of CMR was discussed during the Debates of the Senate (Hansard) 1st Session, 39th Parliament, Volume 143, Issue 93 on Thursday, May 3, 2007.
  • The reopening of CMR was announced in July 2007 for the fall term 2007.
2008
  • Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, inaugurated the Royal Military College Saint-Jean (RMC St-Jean) on May 24, 2008, and she presented the new college coat of arms to the Commandant, Colonel Francois Pion.
2012
  • Royal Military College Saint Jean celebrates 60th anniversary 1952-2012
  • 22 April -The College is granted the Freedom of the City

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