Royal Canadian Army Cadets
The Royal Canadian Army Cadets (RCAC; French: Cadets royaux de l’Armée canadienne) is a national Canadian youth program sponsored by the Canadian Armed Forces and the civilian Army Cadet League of Canada. Under the authority of the National Defence Act, the program is administered by the Canadian Armed Forces and funded through the Department of National Defence. Additionally, the civilian partner of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets, the Army Cadet League of Canada, also ensures financial, accommodations and transportation support for RCAC programs and services at a community level.
Royal Canadian Army Cadets
July 25, 1879 – present
Quasi-Military youth organization
Help Develop Good Citizens, Develop Physical Fitness, And Sustain An Interest In The Canadian Forces
424 Corps (19,000+ Army Cadets)
Acer Acerpori (As the Maple, so the Sapling)
"Quick March"
Brigadier-General Dominique Brais
Vacant
Many Royal Canadian Army Cadet corps receive logistical assistance and administrative support from their affiliated Regular Force or Reserve Force unit.
While cadets may wear the badges and accoutrements of their affiliated unit, cadets are not members of the Canadian Armed Forces.[2]
With roots in the early drill associations authorized in 1861, Royal Canadian Army Cadets is Canada's oldest youth program.
As of 2016, there are approximately 18,920 army cadets in about 429 corps which are spread across the country.
Together with the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and Royal Canadian Air Cadets, it forms the largest federally funded youth program which is known as the Canadian Cadet Organization.
Members of the Royal Canadian Army Cadets are encouraged to become active and responsible members of their communities.
The Royal Canadian Army Cadets are the rough equivalent to the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps in the United States, the Army Cadet Force in the United Kingdom and the Australian Army Cadets in Australia.
History[edit]
Early history[edit]
The Royal Canadian Army Cadets (RCAC) can trace its history to the creation of drill associations or militia companies in 1861, predating confederation by six years.[4] These early militia companies and drill associations were not cadet corps but were militia sub-units formed in educational and other public institutions. Enrolment was limited to men between the ages of 13 and 60. The drill was not only a parade square and discipline exercise, but a skill that was necessary for the defence of the Colony. The American Civil War and the threat of the Fenian Raids motivated their creation in Canada East and Canada West.
In 1866, when the Fenians threatened Ontario, the Upper Canada College Rifle Company was called to active service, along with its parent regiment. While the regiment marched to Ridgeway to confront the Fenian invaders, the UCC Rifle Company guarded the port, armouries and government buildings of Toronto. For this deed, the student company proudly carried the battle honour “FENIAN RAID 1865-66” on its drums and colours from that day forward. Students in the battalion who stood guard also were entitled to receive the Canadian General Service Medal, with their names inscribed on the medal’s edge and the “Fenian Raid 1866” bar on its red and white striped ribbon.
Trinity College Volunteer Rifle Company was formed on June 1, 1861 in Port Hope, Ontario. Bishop’s College Drill Association was formed in Lennoxville, Quebec, on December 6, 1861. Another 14 of the early "Drill Associations" or "Rifle Companies" stood up in Ontario and Quebec. Canada's oldest continuously-active cadet corps is No. 2 Bishop's College School Cadet Corps in Lennoxville, Quebec (Nov. 1879), and No. 7 Royal Canadian Army Cadets in St. Thomas, Ontario (Feb. 1880), both having roots firmly in the previous drill associations.
In 1904, the allocation of numbers to cadet corps was instituted and the Quarterly Militia List, correct to April 1, 1904, lists Cadet Organizations from 1 to 104. The earliest date of organization shown is November 28, 1879, four months after Militia General Order 18 of July 25, 1879 allowed the formations of 74 "Associations for Drill in Educational Institutions" for young men. These cadets were taught drill and marksmanship, but were not required to be employed in active service. The 74 associations included 34 in Ontario, 24 in Québec, 13 in the Maritimes, two in Manitoba, and one in British Columbia.
The origin of the term "cadet corps" is debatable, as some believe it was first used in 1898, in Ontario, bundled in a provision that the corps' instructors would be members of the local school teaching staff, and not from the local militia unit.
Public support[edit]
Increased support, motivated in part by the Northwest Campaign during the Riel Rebellion of 1885, allowed improved issue of uniforms, weapons and other equipment to schools providing military training.
Cadet Instructor Cadre[edit]
The first authority for cadet instructors to hold rank in the Militia was established by Special General Order Oct. 21, 1903. The appointment was 2nd Lieutenant and the officer was permitted to retain the rank only as long as he remained an instructor and the cadet corps remained efficient. This followed the High School Cadet Instructor's Certificate, established in 1898 through the Canadian Militia.
On May 1, 1909 a cadre of commissioned officers, as a Corps of School Cadet Instructors was established. It was composed of qualified male school teachers. On May 1, 1921 the Corps was reorganized on Jan 1, 1924 and designated the Cadet Services of Canada. It was a component of the Canadian Army Non-Permanent Active Militia and the forerunner of the current Cadet Instructor Cadre.
With the integration of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, the officer cadre was designated as the Cadet Instructors List, a sub-component of the Reserve Force of the Canadian Armed Forces.
In July 1994, it was re-named to the Cadet Instructor Cadre.
In 2009, the Reserve Force sub-component was re-named to the Cadet Organization Administration and Training Service and includes the CIC Branch and former members of the Primary Reserve and Regular Force who retain their previous branch affiliation while serving the Cadet Organization.