The District

Founded as District 12 on 30 May 1917, the Northern Lights District is constituted under the Grand Lodge of Alberta, AF&AM and holds jurisdiction over nine lodges: seven in Edmonton that meet at various times in Freemasons’ Hall downtown and one at the Al Shamal Shrine Centre, as well as two country lodges that meet in Whitecourt, and Yellowknife, NWT.  All the lodges practice the Canadian Rite working.  The geographical area covered by the District constitutes one of the largest in the history of Freemasonry.

The District Deputy Grand Master

The district is headed by the District Deputy Grand Master (DDGM), who is titled “Right Worshipful Brother”, and who represents the Grand Lodge on his official and fraternal visits to the lodges.  A new DDGM is elected at the annual district meeting in October with his term beginning at the official installation of the Grand Lodge officers at the Communication in June.  To be nominated, the brother must have served as Worshipful Master of a regularly constituted lodge.

Official Visits

The DDGM is required to visit all lodges in the district (with exception) and receive standard report returns from the lodge secretaries.  The DDGM and District Secretary inspect the lodge, its register, and other documentation to ensure it adheres to proper Masonic regularity.  The DDGM is received “in form” by the lodge after the opening of the lodge.

Executive Committee

The DDGM appoints an executive committee comprising of brethren from the district lodges:

• District Secretary
• Masonic Research and Education Coordinator
• Masonic Higher Education Bursary Representative
• Masonic Foundation Representative
• Chairman of the District Nomination Committee
• Chairman Special Events Committee

Annual District Meeting and Elections

The annual district meeting is usually held on a Saturday in October, hosted by a lodge within the district.  To vote on motions and in the election of the District Deputy Grand Master, all Masters Masons from the district lodges are allowed to vote.  Each lodge gets a minimum of 3 votes at the meeting if one of the Worshipful Master, Senior Warden, or Junior Warden is in attendance, and if only the Worshipful Master or a Warden is in attendance and the other senior officers are not, then the attending senior officer can vote on their behalf.

The meeting is chaired by the DDGM and other normal officer positions are held by the hosting lodge, except for secretary.

The standard agenda for the day of the meeting is as follows:

10:00 am – Registration
11:00 am – Education Presentation
12:00 am – Lunch
1:00 pm – Tyled Meeting:  Memorial, District Reports, Lodge Reports, and Elections
5:00 pm – Dinner (optional)

All Master Masons and lodge representatives are strongly encouraged to attend.