Citizenship

Chapter 11
Performance Objective 411

Canada is a vast and beautiful country that is connected from sea to sea by thousands of communities, from rural hamlets to metropolitan cities. Each one contributes to our identity as a nation through its unique character, history, and sense of belonging. As good Canadian citizens, we want to recognize this diversity and use it to our advantage, by promoting Canada as a bilingual and multicultural country.

Did you know that the word “Canada” is taken from the Huron-Iroquois word “Kanata”? It is the term used for a village or community.

Community Service

Citizenship remains an important and integral part of Sea Cadet training. As you recall from Phase I, one of the aims of our program is to “develop in youth the attributes of good citizenship and leadership”. This is acquired by willingly contributing your time and effort to needy organizations in your community. Helping those less fortunate can leave you with a tremendous sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction.

Phase II citizenship training requires you to complete four hours of activity that directly benefits the community by either:

• Providing a service to the community;
• Promoting attributes of good citizenship.

Different service groups can be found in the Yellow Pages of the phone book. These groups provide the following benefits:

• Helping those less fortunate;
• Training funds for research;
• Medical treatment.

Don’t forget that these services cannot be provided without the help of volunteers from the community, like Sea Cadets.

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CHAP

By now you know that harassment and abuse is not tolerated or accepted in our program. As a Sea Cadet you have rights and responsibilities with regard to harassment and abuse. This is outlined in the Cadet Harassment and Abuse Prevention (CHAP) program. Part of being a Sea Cadet involves taking part in this training and knowing what your rights and responsibilities are. They can be found on the inside back cover of this manual.

There are officers at your corps or Sea Cadet Summer Training Centre (SCSTC) that are specially trained to help answer your questions about abuse and harassment. They are there to provide you with any information that you need, including:

• the various forms of harassment and abuse;
• the difference between the two;
• what happens if you abuse or harass someone.

The Cadet Organization takes accusations of abuse and harassment very seriously. If you need to talk, there is always someone at the corps or SCSTC who will listen and help you with your options.

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Discrimination

Being a Sea Cadet means treating everyone with respect. You do not treat someone poorly because they are different from you. It is against the law to subject someone to unwelcome verbal or physical conduct that is related to the ten grounds of discrimination prohibited by law:

• sex
• age
• race
• national or ethnic origin
• colour
• religion
• disability
• marital status
• family status
• conviction for which a pardon was granted

It is everyone’s right to be treated with respect and dignity. Those of us in the Cadet Organization are committed to providing model behaviours and speaking out loudly against the exploitation of others. Be proud of being a Sea Cadet and treat everyone as you wish to be treated yourself.

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Conclusion

Being a good citizen means putting the needs of others before your own needs. It takes a selfless person to willingly give up their time and effort in order to make a difference. Remember the positive impact that your contributions have on the lives of others, whether it be helping those less fortunate or volunteering in the community. Your help is much needed and greatly appreciated, which should leave you feeling really good about your accomplishments. Keep up the good work!

Other chapters:

Table of Contents | Chapter 1: Serve with a Sea Cadet Corps | Chapter 2: Drill | Chapter 3: Marksmanship | Chapter 4: Sailing | Chapter 5: Naval Knowledge | Chapter 6 : Seamanship | Chapter 9: Outdoor Adventure Training | Chapter 10: Physical Fitness | Chapter 11: Canadian Citizenship