The 7th Canadian B-P Guild (Bytown) was founded in Ottawa, Canada, at a meeting held in Scouts Canada, at the Boy Scouts of Canada National Council Headquarters building on January 27th 1982, which was the 150th Anniversary of the building of the Rideau Canal System by Colonel John By. At that time the City of Ottawa was also known by its founding name of "Bytown" and it was felt that this was the name to be used by the 7th Guild. The name "Bytown/Ottawa" can also be used when people may not know our local history. The Guild is currently located in Scouts Canada Voyageur Region (formerly known as the National Capital Region).
The first Constitution and Bylaws were compiled by Arthur C. Humphries founding Chairman of the 7th Canadian B-P Guild (Bytown) at the request of the executive committee in May of 1983. They were approved at a meeting held at the National Capital Regions Headquarters, Ottawa, Canada on November 21st 1983, with Orville O'Brien, Guild Master in the chair. Additional amendments were approved at a following meeting held on January 17th 1994, with David Ridge, Guild Master, in the chair.
It was decided by the founding members (and then placed in the Bylaws), that the 7th Guild would be administered by an Executive Committee made up of; the immediate past Guild Master, Guild Master, Secretary, Treasurer, Herald, Historian, and Chaplain and that there would be a number of Standing Committees with appointed Chairpersons. They were Telephone, Refreshments, Visiting and Care, Program, Publicity and Public Relations, Official Guild Photographer, Special Events, Scouting and Community Services.
Our founders also thought about Fund Raising Activities and listed in the Bylaws were: an Annual Craft Fair or Bazaar to raise funds or one major fund raising event per year if funds were required. They also listed Guild projects such as; an Annual National Capital Scouters' Reunion on or near St. George's Day (April 23rd); provide assistance in meal preparation for Scouter Training Courses, etc.; consider ways and means of assisting Scouts from a third world country to attend a World or Canadian Jamboree; and finally to provide hospitality for visiting Scouts, Scouters or Groups to the National Capital.
The name was subsequently officially changed after a directive from the Canadian Fellowship of B-P Guilds that henceforth the name of all Guilds were to use the full spelling for Baden-Powell. Thus the new name for the 7th became The 7th Canadian Baden-Powell Guild and ‘Bytown’ was unofficially dropped. (The date that this change took place is unknown at this time but it was before March of 2017.)