Canadian Cadet Organizations

Cadet corps and squadrons exist in communities large and small from coast to coast to coast.[2] Cadets are not members of the Canadian Armed Forces, nor is the program a prerequisite for military service. Adult leadership is provided primarily by the Cadet Organization Administration and Training Service, a sub-component of the Canadian Forces Reserve. Members of the Cadet Instructors Cadre Branch are assisted by Regular Force, Primary Reserve and retired members of all Branches, as well as Civilian Instructors and volunteers who have gone through a thorough screening process.

All elements of the CCO are under the command of the Commander National Cadet and Junior Canadian Rangers Support Group. The Commander is directly responsible to the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff.

Cadets from 655 Richmond Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron marching during their ACR.

In 1862, five years before Confederation, "drill associations" were set up in Canada as a response to the Fenian Raids and the American Civil War. These early drill associations served to train militia and were open to people over the age of 13.

In 1879, the government authorized the creation of 74 "Association[s] for Drill in Educational Institutions", drill associations that were open to male youth over the age of 14 and which did not entail active service in the military. The Riel Rebellion of 1885 motivated increased support to these youth drill associations. By 1887, they were called the cadet corps and were open to boys over the age of 12.[3]

It was not until July 30, 1970 (the result of a change in legislation) that girls were officially permitted to join Government supported cadet corps and squadrons. Until then, girls paraded as "Wrennettes" supported by the Navy League and Air "Cadettes" supported by the Air Cadet League. On rare occasions, girls paraded unofficially with army cadets.

Cadet musicians of the 226th Air Cadet Pipeband at their annual review at the Colisée de Trois-Rivières in Quebec in May 2008.

An Army Cadet band during a parade in Vancouver in 2014.

The three Cadet organizations maintains a number of volunteer bands, typically assisted by members of Canadian military bands in the Regular Force and Primary Reserve. The bands are primarily staffed by cadets from their respective organizations. The music program of Cadet Canada supports only three types of marching bands: military bands, bugle bands, and pipe bands. The drum major of these bands use a different command style from their counterparts in the CF, with different commands including countermarch and marktime.

In the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, a squadron that chooses to create a cadet marching band must consult with their sponsoring committee which responsible for the maintenance of their instruments.

• Royal Canadian Sea Cadets
• Royal Canadian Army Cadets
• Royal Canadian Air Cadets
• Junior Canadian Rangers
• Canadian Forces
• Other Sea Cadet organisations
• History of the Cadet Instructors Cadre
• JROTC

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cadet organizations of Canada.

• Canadian Cadet Organizations
• National RCSC Unit Directory