‘Ready, aye ready,’ yesterday, today and tomorrow

OTTAWA—Mottos are, by design, inspiring. From where I sit, there are none more so than the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) credo: “Ready, Aye Ready!” This motto is a lot more than a collection of words. Canada’s Navy has a rich history of excellence at sea, both at home and abroad, to back it up. On Sunday, May 1, the RCN will nationally commemorate the longest campaign of the Second World War—the Battle of the Atlantic. On April 28, the annual Battle of the Atlantic Gala, held at the Canadian War Museum, will reflect, with our veterans, their Navy’s accomplishments, past and present. By looking to the past, we seek inspiration from the brave men and women who sacrificed so much in service to Canada. We can see echoes of the RCN’s contributions to global peace and security throughout the decades. We see how the Canadian government has, over and over again, called upon its Navy as the instrument of “first resort," responding in times of crises and threats to global instability. In World War II, when the Allies’ backs were literally against the ocean, Canada signalled its steadfast commitment and deployed HMC Ships Skeena, Restigouche, and St. Laurent from Halifax on May 24, 1940, while HMCS Fraser deployed from Bermuda. This modest—but tangible—contribution to what would become known as the Battle of the Atlantic grew exponentially and Canada would eventually have one of the largest fleets in the world, which helped to turn the tide of the war. Shortly after the Second World War, when the recently-established United Nations called for its members to provide forces to repel the attack on the Korean Peninsula, the Canadian government responded swiftly. To restore peace and security, HMC Ships Cayuga, Sioux and Athabaskan sailed from Esquimalt, B.C., on July 5, 1950. When the United Nations condemned the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq on Aug. 2, 1990, in only 10 short days, HMC Ships Protecteur, Athabaskan and Terra Nova, updated with new weapons systems, were deployed with their air detachments as a strong signal of Canada’s commitment to global stability. After the tragic and terrible terrorist attacks of 9/11, when NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time in its history, the Canadian government directed HMCS Halifax to re-deploy from the Mediterranean Sea. In a very visible manner, prime minister Jean Chrétien signalled our nation’s support to our closest ally by personally bidding farewell to the Canadian Task Group comprised of HMC Ships Iroquois, Charlottetown, and Preserver, and their respective air detachments as they sailed from Halifax. RCN ships have also been instrumental “first responders” providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief worldwide. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit the American south with such devastation that it displaced thousands of families, the Canadian government sent HMC Ships Athabaskan, Toronto, and Ville de Québec, in addition to the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir William Alexander, to provide Canadian support and assistance. In 2008, HMCS Ville de Québec provided a naval escort to 10 ships under contract to the World Food Program in order to protect them from piracy off the coast of East Africa. After the horrific earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, HMC Ships Athabaskan and Halifax were deployed within three days as the government reacted quickly to provide relief to pain and suffering being experienced by the Haitian population. Today’s RCN remains faithful to the spirit of our motto “Ready, Aye Ready." The importance of being prepared for anything is reinforced daily. Whether in counter-trafficking missions in the Caribbean, keeping tonnes of drugs off the streets in North America, or NATO security operations in Eastern Europe, adaptive and flexible naval capabilities continue to enable Canada to play its desired role in the world. As our commemoration of the Battle of the Atlantic approaches, I invite Canadians to reflect on your Navy’s rich past, to celebrate its excellence at sea today, and to join us in building the RCN of the future. Yours Aye. Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is the commander of the Royal Canadian Navy. The Hill Times

Books, Big Ideas, Q&As

‘Ready, aye ready,’ yesterday, today and tomorrow

By looking to the past, we seek inspiration from the brave men and women who sacrificed so much in service to Canada. We can see echoes of the RCN’s contributions to global peace and security throughout the decades.

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Books, Big Ideas, Q&As

‘Ready, aye ready,’ yesterday, today and tomorrow

By looking to the past, we seek inspiration from the brave men and women who sacrificed so much in service to Canada. We can see echoes of the RCN’s contributions to global peace and security throughout the decades.

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