Cadets ‘creating excellent citizens’

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This article was published 04/02/2021 (1687 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A common misconception is that the cadet corps recruits youths for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Participation in the cadets might set them up well for such a career, but it also prepares them for life in general.

So described Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps Swiftsure commanding officer Lt.(N) Evelyn Gaboury.

“We call it the best-kept secret in Canada,” she said, adding young people can earn high school credits, receive various certifications and prepare themselves for various post-secondary pursuits.

“We always hope that when they’ve left, they’re taking away something … that will help them in their future.”

Last year saw the national group mark the 125th anniversary of the navy league in Canada, including a ceremony in Brandon at which Mayor Rick Chrest signed a proclamation and hosted a flag-raising ceremony at city hall.

The Brandon chapter — the Navy League Cadet Corps #4 Stan Hawitt — was founded 70 years ago, and currently accepts youths aged nine to 12.

The local sea cadet corps chapter was founded shortly thereafter, under which youths continue their lessons until they hit the age of 19. It’s one of a few areas youths can continue in with the cadets, the others being the army and air groups.

The misconception about the cadets recruiting for the Canadian Armed Forces is easy to understand, as the sea cadet corps is made free of charge to youths as a result of Department of National Defence funding.

Local navy league volunteer Mark Giroux was involved in the cadets throughout his youth growing up in Saskatchewan, and said it gave him opportunities he might not have otherwise had.

He travelled to B.C. and Whitehorse to take part in camps, and even spent time in France on an exchange.

He credits the program with giving him a head start on his career in the military, which he joined straight out of high school at the age of 17.

Although the military was his chosen career path, he stressed that his time in the cadets could have just as easily set him up for success in various other fields.

“Those core skills of being respectful, inclusive, working together as a team — those are life skills that are transferrable anywhere, really,” he said.

His son, Rylen, 11, is currently in the navy league and plans on becoming a professional hockey player.

Rylen said some skills he is learning with the cadets, such as leadership, respect, teamwork and drive to set a good example, will prove useful in his career aspirations.

Fellow navy league member Niko Borkent, 10, said he plans on becoming a police officer when he he grows up.

He said he enjoys marching in his uniform with the cadets and recently received an award for maintaining his uniform.

“He’s definitely maturing,” said his mother, Melissa McArthur. “The people who run the program are there to help him, but not completely do the uniform. There are some expectations placed on the cadets themselves because it’s a reflection of them.”

She said her son has learned the importance of rules and regulations and quite a bit about how ships operate, so he wants to visit a ship in real life at some point.

Debbie McArthur recently retired as commanding officer for the local sea cadets, and during her 18 years with the organization has travelled to Amsterdam, Japan, Halifax, Victoria, Hong Kong and Bermuda.

Aside from setting kids up for professional success, she said the organization helps them become community-minded adults with rounded worldviews.

“They take pride in their community,” she said, adding they take part in various volunteer efforts — at least, during a normal year.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown everything out of sorts and forced everything online.

Local navy league acting Sub-Lt. Amanda Slashinsky said her group’s current enrolment of approximately 25 kids is down slightly from previous years due to their online-only restriction.

The local sea cadets report a similar trend, with their current enrolment of approximately 20 youths fewer than they’d typically see.

However, Slashinsky said she expects to see enrolment spike once they’re able to meet in person again.

For the time being, they’re making the most of what they’ve got, meeting online through Google Classroom every week and having the youths take part in various classes online.

It feels somewhat counterintuitive, as the cadets typically serve to get kids off of devices, but she said at least they’re still able to learn useful skills and lessons about the importance of community.

While she said they’re still “creating excellent citizens for the city of Brandon,” it’ll be nice to meet again in the armoury and take part in various community efforts that give youths real-life experiences.

It’s unclear when this might be, but she said they’ll all continue doing the best they can with what they’ve got and that they’re always receptive to taking on more youths.

The sea cadets can be contacted at Evelyn.Gaboury@cadets.gc.ca and the navy league can be contacted at co.stanhawitt@mbnavyleague.ca

» tclarke@brandonsun.com

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