Levee tradition lives on

It’s a tradition that dates back to the mid-1600s, and one that George Kearney hopes continues for the foreseeable future.

Kearney, a longtime naval reserve veteran, was one of a few dozen hearty souls who braved the wintry New Year’s Day weather to attend the annual levee at the upper deck mess hall at HMCS Griffon’s Algoma Street headquarters.

It’s important to maintain connections between the military and the community at large, and the levee is one way of doing that, Kearney said.

“You get to meet the younger members of the service, as well as many members of the community,” he said. “I think it’s important that the service carries on, the tradition of levees, and maintains the contacts with the community.

“It’s one of the few occasions that the public are invited to come over to the establishment, and I understand the army does much the same.”

The practice of hosting New Year’s Day levees dates back to 1646, when Charles Hault Montmagmy, the governor of New France, chose the first day of the year to welcome civilian and military officials at Chateau St. Louis.

He also used the occasion to tell his guest about significant affairs within the community and the tradition has lived on throughout the Commonwealth in an annual New Year’s Day message from either the Queen or the governor general.

Cmdr. Peter Fleming of HMSC Griffon said like many things in the recently rechristened Royal Canadian Navy, tradition is a big part of what they do.

“We depend on tradition to remember where we came from and to help us go to where we’re going forward,” Fleming said.
“Part of the tradition of things like the levee is to get together with our friends, our military family and our shipmates to welcome in the new year and to celebrate the new year together and have a toast to the Queen and military families.”

MP Bruce Hyer, MPP Michael Gravelle and Red River Coun. Brian MacKinnon were among the dignitaries on hand Sunday for the annual event.

Fleming said the Royal Canadian Navy has built 101 years of tradition in its own right, and has a proud history.
The year that just past was especially significant for some its members, he said.

“We recently got back our executive curl on our naval uniform, and it’s a proud tradition to talk about and celebrate when we enter 2012. But it’s also a good chance for us military families … to remember our veterans and what they’ve done for us.”

A similar service was also held Sunday at the Thunder Bay Armouries, home of the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment.