A new ad hoc committee, the Protocol Committee, was struck at Grand Lodge this past June by our Grand Master, MW Bro. Douglas C. Collins. Its mandate is extensive and forward looking, specifically to examine all the protocol-related documents of this Grand Lodge and distill them into one comprehensive document.

The Protocol Committee will function as a sub-committee of the Committee on Rituals. The members are MW Bro. Bill Cave, Chairman, PGM and PGMar; RW Bro. Barry Burch, Junior Grand Warden, PDDGM and PGDofC; RW Bro. David Goddard, PDDGM and PGMar; RW Bro. Rick Money, PDDGM, PGDofC and PGMar; and RW Bro. Michael Cockerell, PGDofC and PGMar.

Your Protocol Committee first met formally in Kamloops on October 24th prior to our Grand Master’s visit to District No.3. We had an extensive first-meeting agenda that was covered during the three hour meeting. The first topic being to determine the full extent of our undertaking which will require us to review all relevant elements of the Constitutions and Regulations, the Book of Ceremonies, the Lodge Officers Guide and the current (and to date, unofficial) Protocol Manual to name just a few references while performing our task.

Your Committee recognizes the extent of this project and anticipates a fairly lengthy time horizon in producing the final document. One of the overriding principles we are determined will apply to all our work and the recommendations we ultimately present for consideration to the Brethren at Grand Lodge, is that any Protocol we propose will be well researched so that we can understand and explain why the Protocol exists as it does, what its origins are and how it properly relates to our existing rituals and ceremonies. Appropriate variances in protocol relative to our different rituals will also be considered. It is proposed that the final document will be part of the Constitutions, perhaps as an appendix to the Book of Ceremonies.

As our Grand Lodge evolved from 1871 so did our Ceremonies, Rituals and Protocol. Proximity to our Masonic neighbours plus the ease of intercontinental travel had a large influence in shaping our Protocol and Ceremonies. Some refer to this process as “cross-pollination.” It is a natural Masonic occurrence and it happens worldwide. Sometimes the cross-pollination can cause confusion and even some disharmony as Brethren from different backgrounds strive to establish protocol for their lodge.

Over the years “tid-bits” of Protocol have made their way into our Constitutions and Regulations to the point where even the most accomplished and well-researched British Columbia & Yukon Mason can find it challenging to tie the “tid-bits” together. Sometimes our reference documents may even contradict themselves. Clarifying this information is part of the Committee’s mandate.

Your new Protocol Committee welcomes all questions and comments regarding topics related to its mandate. We will beg patience in all matters before us as our final response to any query may take time to produce as we wish to ensure that any reply considers all possible implications and cross-referencing to and with all relevant rituals, ceremonies and guidelines of our Grand Lodge. In all cases we wish to ensure that harmony will prevail. As always, all correspondence to this committee should be directed through our Grand Secretary’s Office.