The office of the Primate was created in 1893 at the first session of the General Synod of the Church of England in Canada. The Primate is the President of the General Synod and the senior Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Canada. At the beginning, the Primate was the President of General Synod, the Metropolitan of their Ecclesiastical Province and Archbishop of their diocese. The Primate was elected from the Metropolitans by the House of Bishops until 1931 when it was changed to election by the members of General Synod. In 1969, a new Commission on the Primacy recommended that Canon III regarding the Primate be amended to require the Primate to maintain an office at the national headquarters of the Church, with a pastoral relationship to the whole Church, but no fixed Primatial See. The first Primate to work from the national office was the Most Rev. Howard Hewlett Clark.
The Primate exercises a multi-faceted ministry within the Anglican Church of Canada. Overall, the Primate is responsible for leading the church in discerning and pursuing the mission of God. The Primate’s sacramental role includes participating in the consecration of new bishops and presiding at liturgical events of General Synod. The Primate participates in ordinations and confirmations at the invitation of the local diocesan bishop.
On an administrative level, the Primate serves as president of the General Synod, chair of the Council of General Synod, and chair of the House of Bishops. The Primate also serves as chief executive officer of General Synod staff, most of whom work at the national office in Toronto. The Primates who have served the church from the General Synod Church House are: Howard Hewlett Clark, 1959-1970; Edward Walter Scott, 1971-1986; Michael Geoffrey Peers, 1986-2004; Andrew Sandford Hutchison, 2004-2007; Frederick James Hiltz, 2007-2019; Nicholls, Linda Carol, 2019- .
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of appointment calendars, addresses, correspondence, subject files, graphic materials, and audiovisual materials created by or accumulated by the following Primates:
Walter Foster Barfoot, 1951-1958
Derwyn Trevor Owen, 1934-1947
Howard Hewlett Clark, 1959-1970
Edward Walter Scott, 1971-1986
Michael Geoffrey Peers, 1986-2004
David Perry Crawley, February-June, 2004
Andrew Sandford Hutchison, 2004-2007
Frederick James Hiltz, 2007-2019
Nicholls, Linda Carol, 2019-
Associated Material
Walter Foster Barfoot, 1951-1958 - Diocese of Edmonton Archives and Diocese of Rupert's Land Archives
Derwyn Trevor Owen, 1934-1947 - Diocese of Niagara Archives and Diocese of Toronto Archives
Howard Hewlett Clark, 1959-1970 - Diocese of Ottawa Archives
File consists of oversize copies of the register of marriages.
Places of residence include: George River, Fort Chimo, Whale River, Port Burwell, Koolotomsek, Tuktutak, Leaf River, Kowksoak [Koksoak], Taesukalick, Taeskallak, Makkelik.
File consists of oversize copies of the register of marriages.
Places included are Fort Chimo, Leaf River, George River, Makalik (Whale River), Lower Koksoak, Aupaluk, Fort Mackenzie, Payne Bay, Great Whale River, Kokapic, Upper Koksoak River, Tameruseak, Mukalik, and Diana Bay.
File consists of oversize copies of the register of burial records.
Places include: Ungava, George River (Kangiqsualujjuaq), Fort Chimo (Kuujjuaq), False River, Kootlotook, Koksoak, Aloleek, Kotaluk (Leaf River), Port Burwell, Kasegeaksevik, Mukalik, and Payne Bay.