Enrolment in a local sedentary unit was required in the French colony of
New France, and the various colonies of
British North America; with these sedentary militia units occasionally conducting drills and training exercises, as well as participating in an annual reviews. Prior to
Canadian Confederation, the
Province of Canada, and the colonies of
Atlantic Canada maintained their own militias.
New France Use of militias in Canada date back to New France. As the militias in New France were formally maintained by the
intendant of New France, the system became a basis for centralized administration in the colony. Local militia captains were appointed by the intendant, and typically assisted the civil administration with road-building, and periodic censuses. In 1669, King
Louis XIV, concerned about the colony's inability to defend itself adequately against raids, ordered the creation of a compulsory militia that would include every fit male between 16 and 60 years of age. They were organized into companies, usually one per church parish, and structured in the same way as a regular French infantry company. The Governor General,
Louis de Buade de Frontenac, arranged during the 1690s to provide all militiamen with clothing and equipment. This consisted generally of a
capote, a
breechcloth, leggings, a blanket, moccasins, a knife and two shirts, The clothing did not constitute a military uniform but was simply Canadian-style civilian wear. Since these men were not paid, this was a relatively economical way of maintaining an effective militia. The men were noted as excellent shots (most came with their own rifle, powder and bullets), and in better physical condition than regulars, because of their tough life, farming, fishing and hunting. Volunteer militiamen were used to support the regulars and their
First Nation allies on lengthy raids, where they absorbed the skirmishing tactics of the latter. However, little time was spent on conventional European drill.
British-rule and post-Confederation Following the British
conquest of New France, local militia units continued to be raised, and support British soldiers stationed in
British America/
British North America. The Canadian militia system remained largely intact under British rule, with many former officers of the New French militia receiving commissions from the British to continue their duties. The first real change was introduced in 1777, when the
Province of Quebec enacted its first militia legislation. The legislation drew upon pre-existing militia laws from New France, although it also incorporated elements from the 1758 Militia Act enacted in
Nova Scotia, such as the establishment of a defined military age. Members of the militia of the
Province of Quebec first saw service with the British during
Pontiac's War, when a battalion of three hundred volunteers took part in Brigadier-General
John Bradstreet's expedition to Detroit. The battalion was led by former members of the New French . British authorities also mustered the militia in Quebec during the
American Revolutionary War, whose members constituted most of the defenders at the
Battle of Quebec. However, militias saw little expeditionary action during the American Revolution, with
Frederick Haldimand, the
Governor of Quebec, uncertain if the militias would remain loyal should they encounter the
French Royal Army. , and
First Nations during the
Battle of the Chateauguay, 1813. While British North American colonies were expected to maintain a colonial militia, the militias were financed by the British government. Given the British government's preoccupation with Napoleonic France in the early 19th century, militias in
the Canadas saw a shortage of supplies and weapons with limited funds provided for the militias during that period. Compulsory militia service for male inhabitants aged 16 to 60 was introduced in Lower Canada in 1803 and Upper Canada in 1808. In peacetime, compulsory service was typically limited to a single annual muster. In 1811, the militia strength of
Upper Canada was approximately 11,000, although
Isaac Brock, the
Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, estimated that only 4,000 could be reliably expected to answer roll call. Early in his tenure as Lieutenant Governor, Brock passed legislation that allowed for him to train 2,000 volunteers, or men chosen by ballot, to serve as the flank companies for the Upper Canadian militia. During the
War of 1812, British authorities raised a number of
Canadian military and militia units to support the British in defending the Canadas. In 1840, the sedentary militias of the Canadas were made up of 426 battalions, with 235,000 men registered on militia rolls. Sedentary militia were also present in
Maritime colonies, with 40,997 reported in Nova Scotia's militia, while the New Brunswick militia reported 27,532 members in 1845.
Prince Edward Island fielded a militia of approximately 8,000 men in 1845. During the
Trent Affair in 1861, Nova Scotia revived compulsory militia service, enrolling 59,379 men in the Nova Scotia militia, of which 45,600 were armed. The
Militia Act of 1868 extended the sedentary militia system of the former Province of Canada to the newly formed Canadian
dominion. In 1869, the
Minister of Militia and Defence,
George-Étienne Cartier, reported that 618,896 men were enrolled with the sedentary militia or "Reserve Militia". The sedentary militia system fell into disuse during the 1870s and 1880s, as annual musters became increasingly sporadic. By 1883, the formal requirement to hold an annual muster was stricken from legislation, and in 1904, the provision that formally made every male inhabitant of military age a member of the sedentary Reserve Militia was removed. Although the Reserve Militia was an unorganized service and virtually non-existent by the early-20th century, an officers' roll for the sedentary service was maintained as late as 1921. ==Active militias==