Cadet Japnaam Singh

Royal Canadian ArmyCadet Bhai Japnaam Singh in the national cadet magazine 'Proud to Be' vol. 8, spring 2000

Citizenship and football

Reaching out to their community and to their country is all part of the citizenship so highly valued by cadets across Canada.

Cadets in Pacific Region paraded their citizenship before hundreds of thousands of Canadians last fall when they unfurled the Canadian flag during Grey Cup 99 in Hamilton, ON. How did they get there? The cadets from the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island forged a partnership with the B.C. Lions football club last year, unfurling a 40 by 20-metre Canadian flag at the opening of every home game. The flag, held by 70 to 100 sea, land and air cadets, filled half the field. They did the same at Grey Cup 99.

The cadets’ affiliation with the B.C. Lions football club represented the first affiliation of cadets with a professional football team for the entire season, according to Capt Judith-Ann Jarrett, area cadet officer (air) with Pacific region. “We will be campaigning to encourage these kinds of affiliations of cadets in other cities with professional sports teams,” he says. “It’s terrific tri-service exposure for the cadets and a fitting way to pay tribute to our country and display the citizenship values cadets learn in the movement.”

The cadets have been such a hit, they’ve been asked to return this season.

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