Air cadets parade at HMCS York to practise for a Remembrance Day ceremony at Toronto City Hall on Wednesday.Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail
The 618 Queen City Royal Canadian Air Cadets are practising marching inside a military building near Toronto’s lakefront.
The squadron practises every week on Thursday evenings, and around this time of year, it is more important than ever to get it right.
On Wednesday, the squadron of cadets will march in the Remembrance Day ceremony at Toronto City Hall – a way of honouring the past and keeping its traditions alive.
Benjamin Ivany, a 14-year-old cadet, said a lot of his friends don’t understand just what it is that cadets do. “They think we’re little soldiers, but we’re not,” he said.
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One thing they certainly are is popular. Participation in the federally sponsored youth organizations – with squadrons spanning sea, land and air – is at a record high.
The Cadets are funded by the Department of National Defence, but they aren’t members of the military. The program focuses on youth development, fostering their skills in leadership, fitness, seamanship, expedition and aviation.
As of September, there are more than 72,000 Canadians aged 12 to 18 participating in the Cadet and Junior Canadian Ranger programs. That is 34 per cent more than a decade ago. There are more than 16,000 kids on wait-lists to get into these programs.
Commanding Officer of the 618 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, Major Anthony Vukojevic, high fives new recruits to make them feel like they belong.Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail
Air Cadets are by far the most popular, with more than 38,000 young people currently enrolled in the program. It offers courses and training in the field of aerospace and aviation.
“Everyone wants to get their pilot’s licence, and it’s more academic focused, so a lot of parents gravitate towards that,” said Major Anthony Vukojevic, the 618 Squadron’s commanding officer.
The chance to fly a glider or airplane, and get a pilot’s licence free of charge through cadet scholarships, is a compelling sales pitch for many young people.
“I love flying planes. It just brings me joy,” said 14-year-old Angelina Jassal, a flight corporal in the 618 Squadron. She went gliding last summer thanks to her participation in the Cadets, beaming as she recalled the experience.
Angelina Jassal, top, says being an air cadet has made her more disciplined.Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail
With so much interest in aviation, the program is moving toward popularizing programming that would help develop careers in science, technology, engineering and math, Major Vukojevic said.
“The aviation industry is beyond pilots. There’s aircraft maintenance, there’s mechanics – so we’re trying to go in that direction,” he said.
Air Cadets also take part in many non-aviation-related activities. This squadron has a marksmanship team, for example. The band gets together for practice every Saturday.
Benjamin had never played an instrument before joining the Cadets, but given the opportunity, he decided this was his chance to learn alto saxophone.
“When I joined, I had zero musical experience, and thanks to the program, I learned everything,” he said.
Some nights, the squadron will play sports or watch a movie. Last year, they had a robotics night. There are also classes on leadership and other life skills.
Jeremy Kinnear, a 16-year-old who has been in the Cadets ever since a classmate back in Grade 7 recommended it, has improved his speaking and debate skills through the program, said his mom, Maggie.
“The debate skills honestly have been good and bad, because he’s a lot better with arguing with me now,” she said, watching as her son received a medal after marching practice for his four years of service.
Air Cadet Jeremy Kinnear is recognized for four years of cadet service.Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail
Gazelle D’Souza’s 13-year-old son, Ethan, wanted to join to learn leadership skills and for the chance to go gliding, she said.
“They do a lot of fun activities, and he gets to make new friends,” she said.
Many parents gravitate toward the program because there are no barriers to joining and everything is free, Major Vukojevic said.
Considering youth sports programs can cost families thousands of dollars, becoming a cadet is often a welcome alternative, he said.
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Personal improvement is another big motivator for those who take part.
“It’s definitely made me more disciplined,” Angelina said. “If I didn’t join Cadets, I’d probably have been goofing off a bit more.”
Benjamin put it this way: “In Cadets, there’s a standard that you have to meet. And before, I might not have met that standard.”
After the cadets finish marching practice on this particular Thursday evening, there are more than 20 new recruits to be welcomed into what Major Vukojevic calls “the broader Cadet family.”
The new recruits line up, and Major Vukojevic has them swear an oath to serve their sovereign and be a good citizen.
Then he tells them to hold their hands out, and he runs down the line, giving all of them a high five.
“It’s something I like to do just because it’s fun and it makes them feel like belonging in the bigger picture,” he said.