12-03 Annex A - Civic Recognition Ceremony

Cadet Administrative and Training Orders (CATOs)


General

1. The details of the ceremony have to be arranged between the unit and city officials. The details may include and are not limited to:

  1. date;
  2. location;
  3. how many people will attend as participants and as spectators;
  4. if something else will be presented, in addition to the Scroll, and by whom;
  5. name of individuals that will the official representatives of the unit and the municipality during the ceremony;
  6. exact sequence of events that will take place in the ceremony;
  7. route to be taken by the parade and details about road closures by police; and
  8. media awareness.

Representation

2. The following representatives of the unit should be present, as a minimum, to receive the honour:

  1. unit CO as representative of the Canadian Forces;
  2. unit highest-ranked cadet as representative of cadets; and
  3. representative from the local sponsoring committee, for corps and squadrons.

Public Ceremony

3. If a decision is made to include a parade in the ceremony, the unit marches towards City Hall, in column of route. If the unit is receiving the Freedom of the City, its flag is cased while marching towards City Hall. The flag being cased can be that of the unit being honoured or, in the absence of the latter, the elemental flag/banner.

4. Provincial flags and the Canadian flag, if paraded, are not to be cased.

5. The city flag cannot be flown in this ceremony unless permission has been previously granted by municipal authorities.

6. As the unit approaches City Hall, a city official (preferably the municipal councillor for the riding in which the unit resides or the Chief of police) stands in the centre of the road to bar the unit from proceeding further. A symbolic light movable barrier or ribbon may be used to indicate the exact spot where the unit will stop and be welcomed.

7. The unit halts at the barrier. The city official challenges the unit on its identity by stating the following: “Identify Yourself”.

8. The unit CO responds with the following:

  1.  if the unit is receiving the Freedom of the City: “We are corps/squadron/CSTC (number and/or name), and we request permission to freely march down the streets of (name of the city)”.
  2. for other types of Civic Recognitions: “We are corps/squadron/CSTC (number and/or name), and we are here to receive the Keys to the City (or other as appropriate)”.

9. The city official then calls for the unit to “Please, advance and be recognized”. The CO, the cadet and the representative from the sponsoring committee advance to the barrier.

10. The CO, the cadet and the representative from the sponsoring committee - accompanied by the city official - then march to the doors of city hall.

11. The cadet knocks on the door three times with either his hand, the pommel of his drill cane, the pace stick or the Band Leader Mace.

12. The door to City Hall is opened by the mayor.

13. The unit CO salutes the mayor and declares: “I am rank/full name. I am here to accept (name of the CR) on behalf of cadet corps/squadron/CSTC (number and/or name)”.

14. The mayor, accompanied by the city council, forms up at the entrance to city hall. The mayor then reads the proclamation of Civic Recognition as it appears on the scroll. The scroll is presented to the unit CO.

15. If a decision is made by the municipality to officially authorize the unit to parade the official city flag, the latter is also presented at this moment by the mayor to the cadet.

16. The CO accepts the CR by stating: “On behalf of past, current and future members of cadet corps/squadron/CSTC (number and/or name), I accept this prestigious honour and solemnly declare that we will continue to pursue the highest standards of excellence and represent our city with pride”. The CO then shakes hands with the mayor as a public display of acceptance.

17. Pictures are taken by the unit, city and/or media representatives.

18. The CO, the cadet and the representative from the sponsoring committee return to the parade formation, where a city official causes the barrier to be removed.

19. In the case of Freedom of the City ceremonies, the CO orders for the flag to be uncased, thus publically officialising the CR.

20. The highest-ranking cadet then calls for a all cadets to recognize their city with a triple-hurray: “For (city name), hip hip hurray, hip hip hurray, hip hip hurray”.

21. The unit then marches past, with the mayor taking the salute.

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Private Ceremony

22. Apart from the fact that it does not include a parade, the difference between a public and the private ceremony is that the latter will take place in the City Council Meeting Room instead of the lobby of City Hall.

23. The city councillor or the Chief of police await the arrival of the unit representatives in the lobby of City Hall.

24. The CO, the cadet, the representative from the sponsoring committee, as well as a cadet carrying the unit flag (cased for Freedom of the City ceremonies) enter City Hall and stand in front of the city councillor or Chief of police. The latter challenges the cadet corps/squadron on its identity by stating the following: “Identify Yourself”. The CO replies as follows:

  1. if the unit is receiving the Freedom of the City: “We are corps/squadron/CSTC (number and/or name), and we request permission to freely march down the streets of (name of the city)”; and
  2. for other types of Civic Recognitions: “We are corps/squadron/CSTC (number and/or name), and we are here to receive the Keys to the City (or other as appropriate)”.

25. The CO, the cadet and the representative from the sponsoring committee, accompanied by the city official, then march to the city council room, in which the CR will be granted.

26. The cadet knocks on the door three times with either his hand, the pommel of his drill cane / the pace stick / the band leader mace.

27. The door to City Council Room is opened by the mayor.

28. The unit CO salutes the mayor and declares: “I am rank/full name. I am here to accept CR on behalf of corps/squadron/CSTC (number and/or name)”.

29. The mayor invites participants to the location in the room where the scroll will be read.

30. The mayor reads the proclamation of Civic Recognition as it appears on the scroll. The scroll is presented to the unit CO.

31. If a decision is made by the municipality to officially authorize the unit to parade the official city flag, the latter may also presented at this moment by the mayor to the cadet.

32. The CO accepts the CR by stating: “On behalf of past, current and future members of cadet corps/squadron/CSTC (number and/or name), I accept this prestigious honour and solemnly declare that we will continue to pursue the highest standards of excellence and represent our city with pride”.

33. In the case of a Freedom of the City ceremony, the CO turns to the flag bearer and uncases the unit flag.

34. The CO shakes hands with the mayor as a public display of acceptance. The official portion of the ceremony ends.

35. Pictures are taken by the unit, city and/or media representatives.

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