was the first woman to receive an
honorary degree in Canada. She is shown here in
Queen's University robes, photographed by
William James Topley, in May 1897.
Lady Aberdeen, wife of
Canadian Governor General Lord Aberdeen, visited
Vancouver,
British Columbia, in 1896. While there, she heard many stories of women and children alone in remote areas of Canada as their husbands had to travel great distances for
medical help. At a meeting of the
National Council for Women in
Halifax,
Nova Scotia, she was asked to create an order of visiting nurses in Canada. It was to be a memorial for the 60th anniversary of Queen Victoria's ascent to the
throne of the
British Empire. At
Rideau Hall on February 10, 1897,
Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier hosted an
inauguration to create the Victorian Order of Nurses "as a mode of commemoration by the
Dominion of Canada (Canada) of the Queen's
Diamond Jubilee". In 1898, the first nurse training program was established for the Victorian Order of Nurses in Ottawa, Ontario. In 1898, one of the first high-profile projects for the VON was a call to women to join the Victorian Order of Nurses'
Klondike contingent. Candidates had to be unmarried, at least twenty-eight years old, and be a graduate of a recognized nursing school. They were warned they would have to dress very plainly and not curl or crimp their hair. Four nurses were selected, three Canadians and one recent immigrant from England. They reached
Dawson one month after the
Sisters of Saint Anne and found their skills desperately needed to care for the many victims of the
typhoid epidemic that was raging through the Klondike. The VON has helped Canada through many incidents including
World War I, the
Halifax Explosion and
World War II. More importantly, VON has been an important element of building community, creating opportunities for people to work together to meet their needs and those of their friends and neighbours. , the VON, as it is almost universally known in Canada, was still the largest single, national
homecare organization. With a staff of more than 7,000 supported by more than 14,000 volunteers, they touch the lives of many Canadians daily. VON Canada is structured into a national service provider and local charities. Both are governed by volunteer Board members. The National Board is composed of dedicated volunteers from across Canada elected by the representatives of the local branches. The local branches operate in each of their communities, raising funds and lobbying to meet specific needs. On November 25, 2015, VON suddenly shut down all their operations outside of Ontario and Nova Scotia. The order was lacking in funding, and could no longer support operating offices in other areas. It will restructure to determine what services will continue to be offered while being financially viable. ==Arms==