Formation | 1941 |
---|---|
Type | Youth program |
Headquarters | Ottawa, Canada |
Location |
|
Membership | 10,357 |
Official language | English, French |
Website | http://www.cadets.ca |
The Royal Canadian Sea Cadets (RCSC) is a Canadian national youth program sponsored by the Canadian Forces and the civilian Navy League of Canada. Administered by the Canadian Forces, the program is funded through the Department of National Defence with the civilian partner providing support in the local community.
Along with the Royal Canadian Army Cadets and Royal Canadian Air Cadets, the RCSC forms part of the Canadian Cadet Organization. Though the RCSC, and the other cadet programs, have a close relationship with the CF, cadets are not members of the Forces, and are not expected to join the Canadian Forces [1]. In keeping with Commonwealth custom, the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets stand first in the order of precedence, before the Royal Canadian Army and Air Cadets. This is in keeping with the Royal Navy's status as the Senior Service, a tradition common to most Commonwealth navies.
Young men and women between the ages of 12 and 18 may join the RCSC, free of charge. The organization and rank system of the Canadian Navy is used, but cadets can only attain Non-Commissioned Officer status. Adult leadership is provided by officers of the Canadian Forces Cadet Instructor Cadre, supplemented, if necessary, by contracted Civilian Instructors, authorized adult volunteers, and, on occasion, officers and non-commissioned members of other CF branches. Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) members are specially trained to deliver the Royal Canadian Sea, Army, and Air Cadet training program, and are drawn from all walks of life; however, if a generalization may be made, former cadets, former long-service Regular and Reserve CF members, and the parents of long-time cadets are the primary sources for new CIC officers.
The aim of Royal Canadian Sea Cadets is to develop in youth the attributes of good citizenship and leadership; promote physical fitness; and stimulate the interest of youth in the sea, land, and air activities of the Canadian Forces. The RCSC shares these aims with the Army and Air Cadets; however, each focuses on its own parent element.
In 1895, due to concern over the Royal Navy's ability to provide adequate naval defence, concerned citizens formed the Navy League, to promote interest in the problems of maritime trade and defence.
The League formed local branches across the Empire, as well as in Britain itself. The earliest Canadian branch was formed in Toronto. Its warrant (Warrant No. 5) dates 10 December 1895, and currently hangs in the Navy League (of Canada) National Office.
At that time, Canadian branches supported a cadet program called the Boys’ Naval Brigades, aimed at encouraging young men to consider a seafaring career and provide basic training in citizenship and seamanship, with a certain degree of success.
At the formation of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) in 1910, the organisation was renamed from "Boys’ Naval Brigade" to "Navy League Sea Cadets," to permit closer liaison with the Navy. In 1942, King George VI graciously consented to be Admiral of the Navy League’s Sea Cadets, and granted the "Royal" suffix, causing another name change, to the current "Royal Canadian Sea Cadets." Queen Elizabeth continued this Royal patronage and named His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh as the Admiral of the RCSC, a post that has since been passed to Prince Edward. Finally, in 1941, the RCN became a joint partner with the Navy League in support of the RCSC.
In 1950 the Navy League Wrenette Corps’ were established for young women aged 13 to 18 years, though some corps had trained them unofficially before that date. In 1975, it was recognized that the two programs could be amalgamated and female cadets were finally enrolled in Sea Cadets.
In 1995, the Navy League of Canada celebrated its 100th Anniversary. The League promotes the same subjects today, as at its founding: knowledge of, and support for, maritime interests. On a national level, the League supports the International Exchange Program, certain scholarships, and the National Sea Cadet Regatta, while local branches provide vital logistical support to individual RCSC Corps. [2]
Individual cadets belong to units called Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps (RCSCC), or Corps de cadet de la Marine royale canadienne (CCMRC), which are the basic operating units of the program. Each corps is composed of Canadian Forces Officers of the Reserve Cadet Instructors Cadre, often assisted by Civilian Instructors (CI), and cadets.
The entirety of a given corps organizes itself as a ship's company, employing the naval divisional system. Under this system, cadets become members of a division under a cadet petty officer (Divisional Petty Officer or DPO) and, ideally, a commissioned officer of the CIC (Divisional Officer or DivO), although the officer position is sometimes filled by a civilian. Cadets parade by divisions, and are expected to route grievances and requests through the chain of command, running either directly from the DPO to DivO to the Executive Officer (XO) to the Commanding Officer (CO) or from the DPO to the cadet Regulating Petty Officer (RPO, the second senior cadet in the unit), to the cadet Coxswain (Cox'n, the senior cadet in a unit). The chain stops at the level able to deal with a concern - for example, a cadet's request for a new item of uniform might result in the DivO giving approval, and directing the cadet to visit Stores.
All but the smallest corps staff several departments, typically including Training, Administration, and Supply, while larger units maintain training-support organisations, including Range, Boatshed, Sail, and PERI (Physical Education and Recreational Instruction).
Training, Administration, and Supply operate under the direction of a CIC officer, possibly with an adult assistant, and a senior cadet, while the others, with the exception of Range, are often run by a senior cadet. Units generally adhere to the school schedule, meeting weekly for mandatory training, and carrying out additional training on weekends and other weeknights. The primary meeting is referred to as a parade night, while overnight weekend training conducted at the unit's home is called a live-aboard. Anything taking the unit away from its home is generally termed an exercise.
Each corps generally relies on some community group to provide funding for items not covered by DND. Typically, this will be an NL branch - essentially a parent committee - but may be a Royal Canadian Legion branch, or some similar service club; i.e. Lions, Rotary, etc. Navy League branches generally rely on community support, in the form of direct donations of money and goods, trusts, and various forms of fund-raising efforts. These last include sale of various items, much like bake and chocolate bar sales, street-corner pin and tag sales by cadets, and funds raised through the attached cadet unit's own canteen.
Items funded by the sponsoring group include:
For a more complete discussion of RCSC Winter Training, please see Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Training
In accordance with QR and O Cadets 4.11 the following are the rank badges of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets [3] [4]: In addition to the rank-specific criteria given below, all appointments are subject to the approval of the cadet's Commanding Officer, who generally promotes based on the advice of Divisional Officers and unit training staff.
As a note, the official phrasing for the Petty Officer and Chief Petty Officer ranks is "Petty Officer Cadet First (or Second) Class," and "Chief Petty Officer Cadet First (or Second) Class." However, outside of Cadet Administrative and Training Orders (CATO), and Queen's Regulations and Orders (Cadets) (QR&O(Cdt)), custom omits "Cadet" in casual reference. Thus, Petty Officer First Class is the customary rendering. Generally, where there is a need to distinguish between cadets and Canadian Forces members, the NCO ranks will be written or spoken as Cadet Petty Officer First Class, abbreviated as C/PO1.
Additionally, while it is customary within the organisation to refer to a cadet receiving a rank as being "promoted," the official documentation refers to such an act as an "appointment."
The rank system changed this year. It goes as such
NE - New Entry OS - Ordinary Seaman AS - Able Seaman MS - Master Seaman LS - Leading Seaman PO2 - Petty Officer Second Class PO1 - Petty Officer Second Class CPO2 - Chief Petty Officer Second Class CPO1- Chief Petty Officer First Class
For a more complete discussion of RCSC Summer Training, please see Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Training
Summer Training Centres, officially termed as either Sea Cadet Summer Training Centres or Establishments, and referred to colloquially year-round as "camps," and, by their ship's company over the summer, as "the base," provide additional training intended to support or complement that offered at the home unit from September to June. Across the board, cadets applying for summer training must have 75% attendance over the winter training year, as well as meeting certain course prerequisites.
Summer training facilities are staffed by members of the Canadian Forces, primarily members of the CIC, but also including other branches of the CF, and senior cadets selected for employment as staff cadets. Sea Cadet STCs are commanded by a CIC officer of the rank of Commander. Most employ staff cadets at the ranks of Petty Officer Second Class through Chief Petty Officer First Class, with a CPO1 being appointed as Cadet Cox'n. Additionally, some employ staff cadets at the rank of Leading Cadet for support positions. Staff cadets are paid at a percentage of a CF Naval Cadet's (officer trainee) basic pay.
The centres are commissioned as " stone frigates," which is to say, naval shore establishments granted much the same standing as a seagoing unit.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Additionally, cadets may apply for a number of tri-service courses, some hosted by Sea Cadet Summer Training Centres - as Athletic Instructor is at HMCS Ontario - and others held on Army or Air Cadet facilities. Currently, Athletic Instructor and various forms of music training are offered as tri-service to some extent. In past years the Air-heavy Introduction to Aerospace course was offered as tri-service; however, this seems to have lapsed.
The Sea Cadets used a variety of flags in their history: some corps flew the White Ensign until 1929; they then used the Canadian Blue Ensign and the flag of the Navy League of Canada until 1953. In that year, the Chief of Naval Service approved a design for the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Flag: a white flag with the Union Flag in the canton, and, on the fly, the badge of the Cadets, a gold anchor on a blue roundel surrounded by red maple leaves and surmounted by a Naval Crown. In 1976, the Sovereign approved a new design which replaced the Union flag in the canton with the Maple Leaf Flag.
The first Admiral of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets was George VI, King of Canada, assuming the role in 1941, when the Navy League Sea Cadets became the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as a member of the Canadian Royal Family, was appointed Admiral of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets in 1953; this appointment has continued, while his appointment as Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps in the United Kingdom has lapsed.
![]() |
![]() |
Chief - Reserves and Cadets
Since late 2004, this post has been filled by Major General H.M. Petras, CMM, CD. MajGen Petras' biography
Director General Reserves and Cadets
Since 2006, this post has been filled by Commodore J.G.V. Tremblay, CD. Cmdr Tremblay's biography
Director of Cadets
Since late 2003, the post has been filled by Colonel R.J.A. Perron, CD. Col Perron's biography
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Category:Canadian Cadet organizations Category:Youth organizations based in Canada