Elks of Canada is a
fraternal organization
A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, " brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity i ...
that was founded in 1912. It is not directly affiliated with
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order founded in 1868, originally as a social club in New York City.
History
The Elks began in 1868 as a soci ...
, the American organization founded in 1868, but the two "share a common history and enjoy a friendly relationship".
Early history
The organization was founded in
Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The ...
by three men from
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
. It appeared that they were only in it for the money, but early applicants were able to seize control of the organization and begin building it in earnest. The first Grand Exalted Ruler of the Grand Lodge of Canada was Charles Edward Redeker, from
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the southe ...
.
In 1979 it had 300,000 members.
In 2018 "The Elks of Canada consist of nearly 300 Lodges with 11,000 members located in almost every province and territory"
In popular culture
*Winnipeg-based indie rock group
The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans are an award-winning and Juno-nominated Canadian indie rock band from Winnipeg. The band, led by John K. Samson, has released four studio albums and is currently inactive.
History
The band was formed in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manito ...
have a song entitled "Psalm for the Elks Lodge Last Call".
See also
*
Order of Royal Purple, the Elks of Canada former auxiliary group
*
Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World
The Improved Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of the World (IBPOEW) is an African-American fraternal order modeled on the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. It was established in 1897 in the United States. In the early 21st century, it ha ...
References
External links
Elks of Canada
Clubs and societies in Canada
Organizations established in 1912
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
1912 establishments in Canada
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