Scouting in Quebec

Scouting in Quebec has a long history, from the 1900s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.

Anglophone Scouting in Quebec

Quebec is administered by the Quebec Council of Scouts Canada, which includes the "Quebec Rover Round Table".

Areas

Abenaki Area, Eastern (Montreal) Area, Ohiyo Area, Stoney Point Area,Laval Larentians Area,Chavalla Area,St. Lawrence Cartierville Area,Kebec Area,St. Lawrence Appalachians Area,Saguenay Lac St-Jean Area,North Shore Area,Gaspé Area.

Local Groups and sections

Among Quebec's varied Scouting groups are Scouts, Sea Scouts, Beavers, Cubs, Rovers and Venturers.

Tamaracouta Scout Reserve

Tamaracouta Scout Reserve is a Scout camp located near Mille Isles, Quebec. The camp, which claims to be the oldest continuously-operating Scout camp in the world, is situated on 1000 acres (4 km²) of forest in the Laurentian Mountains. It is owned and operated by Scouts Canada, Quebec Council. The camp is open year-round and offers a staff summer camp program.

The camp opened in 1912 with funds provided by a group of generous citizens led by Colonel E.A. Whitehead. Originally a farm, the property formerly belonged to the Dawson family of Mille Isles. The name "Tamaracouta" comes from two sources. There are a large number of Tamarack trees located on the property. The word "couta" meaning body of water in a First Nations language.

After World War I, the camp decided to adopt a Hudson's Bay Company theme. Since that time, campsites have been named after the HBC Trading Posts. Staff positions also take HBC names, such as Camp Factor instead of Camp Director.

The Tamaracouta Scout Reserve will host the 11th Canadian Scout Jamboree, in July 2007, with 8,000 campers expected.

Knights of Tamara

The Knights of Tamara is an honour camping society formed in 1933. The Knights recognize outstanding campers at summer camp. As of 2005, over 3500 campers have become Knights. To become a Knight, a camper must meet certain requirements, such as having camped at TSR for a certain amount of time, being at least 14 years old by the end of the calendar year in which they are being knighted and be nominated by their peers. If their nomination is approved, they become a squire at a ceremony near the beginning of their week of camp. During the week, they must complete a work vigil, and an overnight vigil which consists of sleeping out alone one night in the woods, and also learning the words to a traditional song among other tasks. Squires are easily recognized by the purple ring of indelible mystery ink (referred to as squire juice) painted on the face in a circle passing between the eyes and the hairline, between ears and eyes, and circling through the uppermost part of the chin. Squires must present themselves for "ringing" each morning at a very specific time; being late one day earns the squire a purple dot on the nose and two days earns them a purple chinstrap followed by one of many other decorations such as a second inner ring, a fully purple nose or any design of the ringer's discretion. If a squire misses a "ringing" for a poor reason, break camp rules, or act in a fashion unbecoming of a squire, they may be stripped of their squire status.

At the end of the week, squires are presented for the last time in a special public ceremony followed by the "Second Ceremony", which is for Knights only. Knights wear a bracelet with a large black bead tied with a piece of leather string around the right wrist. After ten years, the knight is entitled to wear a silver bead. Only a silver bead knight can become a Grand Knight (master of ceremonies). At founding in 1933, and for several decades thereafter, knights were given a colored bead reflecting the season in which they had become knighted.

National issues

Members of Scouts Canada are upset with the national organization's governance structure which no longer includes locally-elected councils [ [http://sunshine.scouts.ca/bpp/BYLAW2.pdf Boy Scouts Of Canada ] ] . In response, Scouter Mike Reid from Montreal, Quebec founded in August, 2004 an organization called SCOUT eh! which is a group of "registered Scouts Canada members from across Canada dedicated to transforming Scouts Canada into a democratic association".

Francophone Scouting in Quebec

WOSM member association

* Association des Scouts du Canada

UIGSE member association

* [http://www.fourarrows.ca/ Canada FSE Explorers]

Independent associations

There are also a number of independent Scouting associations active in Quebec. Among them are

* Association de Scoutisme d'Actions
* Association Québécoise des Aventuriers de Brownsea
* Association Evangélique du Scoutisme au Québec

Girl Guiding in Quebec

Guides are served by the Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada.

ee also

*Association des Scouts du Canada
*Union Internationale des Guides et Scouts d'Europe

References

External links

* [http://www.qc.scouts.ca/ Quebec Council]
* [http://www.tamaracouta.com/ Tamaracouta]
* [http://www.guidesquebec.ca/ Girl Guides of Canada- Québec Council]