Queen's Printer
Encyclopedia
The Queen's Printer is a position defined by letters patent
under the royal prerogative
in various Commonwealth realm
s. Typically, it is a bureau of the national, state, or provincial government, charged with producing all official documents issued by the Queen-in-Council
, ministers of the Crown
, or other departments.
, so titled as to distinguish it from the equivalent position in each of the Canadian provinces
, is the individual in Ottawa
responsible for the publishing
and printing
requirements of the Queen-in
-federal-Council
. The Minister of Public Works and Government Services
is empowered by the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act to appoint the Queen's Printer for Canada on behalf of the sovereign.
Queen's Printer is the position, created in 1906, that oversees the administration of Crown copyright
in the province, as well as publishing and distributing copies of legislation, regulations, and related material, including the Alberta Gazette, in both hard copy
and electronic forms. Such print and digital media is also distributed by the Queen's Printer to libraries around Alberta, as well as being sold at a dedicated bookstore in Edmonton
and via the Internet
. The Queen's Printer him or herself is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
-in-Council
.
, the office of the Queen's Printer and Comptroller of Stationery for British Columbia, is a branch of the province's Procurement and Supply Services department, and not only supplies paper and electronic copies of all legislation, regulations, and related materials, including the British Columbia Gazette, but also operates a book and gift store called Crown Publications, and provides to the public printing, copying, and binding services. Once legislation in has been granted Royal Assent
, the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly must provide to the Queen's Printer a certified copy of the new law, as well as the journals of all sessions of the legislature.
on the advice of his or her Executive Council
, and thereafter publishes the regulations, acts of the provincial parliament, and The Royal Gazette, and supplies them to libraries across the province and for sale to the public.
.
appoints a Queen's Printer for the province, who is an officer of the Department of the Provincial Treasury and is overseen by the minister of the Crown for that department. The Queen's Printer is required by law to publish the Royal Gazette, as well as copies of all legislation, journals of the legislature, and other material printed as the cost of the Queen in Right of Prince Edward Island
.
is based in Regina
and has the duty of publishing and distributing official copies of all legislation, regulations, and related material, including the Saskatchewan Gazette, and any other publications ordered by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
-in-Council
. The Queen's Printer also holds Crown copyright on behalf of the Queen in Right of Saskatchewan
, and has the ability to release, in exceptional circumstances, such copyright on a one-time basis. The Queen's Printer him or herself is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
-in-Council
. Once legislation in has been granted Royal Assent, the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly must provide to the Queen's Printer a certified copy of the new law, as well as the journals of all sessions of the legislature.
within the United Kingdom's jurisdiction. There are three exceptions which apply to this right. One is that the office of Queen's Printer only extends to England
, Wales
and Northern Ireland
. Within Scotland
the rights to the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer are administered for the Crown by the Scottish Bible Board. The other two exceptions are that separate sets of letters patent grant the Oxford University Press
and Cambridge University Press
the right to print and distribute the King James Bible and Book of Common Prayer regardless of who holds the office of Queen's Printer.
The current holder of the office of Queen's Printer is Cambridge University Press.
The Controller of HMSO
is appointed by Letters Patent to the office of Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament.
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
under the royal prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
in various Commonwealth realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s. Typically, it is a bureau of the national, state, or provincial government, charged with producing all official documents issued by the Queen-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
, ministers of the Crown
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
, or other departments.
Federal
The Queen's Printer for CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, so titled as to distinguish it from the equivalent position in each of the Canadian provinces
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
, is the individual in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
responsible for the publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
and printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
requirements of the Queen-in
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
-federal-Council
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
. The Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Minister of Public Works and Government Services (Canada)
The Minister of Public Works and Government Services is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's "common service organization" , an expansive department responsible for the internal servicing and administration of the federal...
is empowered by the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act to appoint the Queen's Printer for Canada on behalf of the sovereign.
Alberta
The AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
Queen's Printer is the position, created in 1906, that oversees the administration of Crown copyright
Crown copyright
Crown copyright is a form of copyright claim used by the governments of a number of Commonwealth realms. It provides special copyright rules for the Crown .- Australia :...
in the province, as well as publishing and distributing copies of legislation, regulations, and related material, including the Alberta Gazette, in both hard copy
Hard copy
In information handling, a hard copy is a permanent reproduction, or copy, in the form of a physical object, of any media suitable for direct use by a person , of displayed or transmitted data...
and electronic forms. Such print and digital media is also distributed by the Queen's Printer to libraries around Alberta, as well as being sold at a dedicated bookstore in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
and via the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. The Queen's Printer him or herself is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta is the viceregal representative in Alberta of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the nine other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
-in-Council
Executive Council of Alberta
The Executive Council of Alberta is the cabinet of that Canadian province.Almost always made up of members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the Cabinet is similar in structure and role to the Cabinet of Canada while being smaller in size...
.
British Columbia
In British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, the office of the Queen's Printer and Comptroller of Stationery for British Columbia, is a branch of the province's Procurement and Supply Services department, and not only supplies paper and electronic copies of all legislation, regulations, and related materials, including the British Columbia Gazette, but also operates a book and gift store called Crown Publications, and provides to the public printing, copying, and binding services. Once legislation in has been granted Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
, the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly must provide to the Queen's Printer a certified copy of the new law, as well as the journals of all sessions of the legislature.
New Brunswick
A Queen's Printer for New Brunswick is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of New BrunswickLieutenant Governor of New Brunswick
The Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick or Lieutenante-gouverneure du Nouveau-Brunswick) is the viceregal representative in New Brunswick of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada...
on the advice of his or her Executive Council
Executive Council (Commonwealth countries)
An Executive Council in Commonwealth constitutional practice based on the Westminster system is a constitutional organ which exercises executive power and advises the governor or governor-general. Executive Councils often make decisions via Orders in Council.Executive Councillors are informally...
, and thereafter publishes the regulations, acts of the provincial parliament, and The Royal Gazette, and supplies them to libraries across the province and for sale to the public.
Ontario
The Queen's Printer for Ontario holds Crown copyright in that province, and all material hence bears the mark © Queen's Printer for Ontario. The department must, by law, print the Ontario GazetteOntario Gazette
The Ontario Gazette is the official publication of the Government of Ontario, Canada, first published in 1868. Publications are available online, as far back as January 2000. Prior publications are found at the Archives of Ontario and depository librariesand published every Saturday....
.
Prince Edward Island
The Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward IslandLieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island
The Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island is the viceregal representative in Prince Edward Island of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her...
appoints a Queen's Printer for the province, who is an officer of the Department of the Provincial Treasury and is overseen by the minister of the Crown for that department. The Queen's Printer is required by law to publish the Royal Gazette, as well as copies of all legislation, journals of the legislature, and other material printed as the cost of the Queen in Right of Prince Edward Island
Monarchy in Prince Edward Island
By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, the Canadian monarchy operates in Prince Edward Island as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy...
.
Saskatchewan
The Office of the Queen's Printer in SaskatchewanSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
is based in Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
and has the duty of publishing and distributing official copies of all legislation, regulations, and related material, including the Saskatchewan Gazette, and any other publications ordered by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
The Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan is the viceregal representative in Saskatchewan of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the...
-in-Council
Executive Council of Saskatchewan
The Executive Council of Saskatchewan is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
. The Queen's Printer also holds Crown copyright on behalf of the Queen in Right of Saskatchewan
Monarchy in Saskatchewan
By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, the Canadian monarchy operates in Saskatchewan as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy; As such, the Crown within Saskatchewan's jurisdiction is referred to as the Crown in Right of Saskatchewan, Her Majesty in Right...
, and has the ability to release, in exceptional circumstances, such copyright on a one-time basis. The Queen's Printer him or herself is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
The Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan is the viceregal representative in Saskatchewan of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the...
-in-Council
Executive Council of Saskatchewan
The Executive Council of Saskatchewan is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
. Once legislation in has been granted Royal Assent, the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly must provide to the Queen's Printer a certified copy of the new law, as well as the journals of all sessions of the legislature.
United Kingdom
The holder of the letters patent has the nearly exclusive right of printing, publishing and importing the King James Bible and Book of Common PrayerBook of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
within the United Kingdom's jurisdiction. There are three exceptions which apply to this right. One is that the office of Queen's Printer only extends to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Within Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
the rights to the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer are administered for the Crown by the Scottish Bible Board. The other two exceptions are that separate sets of letters patent grant the Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
and Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
the right to print and distribute the King James Bible and Book of Common Prayer regardless of who holds the office of Queen's Printer.
The current holder of the office of Queen's Printer is Cambridge University Press.
The Controller of HMSO
Office of Public Sector Information
The Office of Public Sector Information is the body responsible for the operation of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and of other public information services of the United Kingdom...
is appointed by Letters Patent to the office of Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament.
See also
- Office of Public Sector InformationOffice of Public Sector InformationThe Office of Public Sector Information is the body responsible for the operation of Her Majesty's Stationery Office and of other public information services of the United Kingdom...
- United States Government Printing OfficeUnited States Government Printing OfficeThe United States Government Printing Office is an agency of the legislative branch of the United States federal government. The office prints documents produced by and for the federal government, including the Supreme Court, the Congress, the Executive Office of the President, executive...