By Greg Scott
Recruitment
The First World War had provided a structure for recruiting for the RCN due to the issues and problems encountered with many sailors during that conflict. It was not enough as in the old days to accept any able-bodied seaman which was a result of a more technical and demanding Naval Service. The Canadian Navy had devised an entire recruitment process which filtered out anybody with potential mental or physical issues. The racial issue was present and black recruits were not accepted until 1943. Indigenous people were also not accepted into the navy as a rule but a project to use them in the Fisherman’s Reserve was attempted. Canadian born Japanese were also refused enlistment into the Navy due to security concerns.
By 1941 the process required volunteers to enter the Volunteer Reserve for a period to insure their suitability for the Navy. Only after that period and training were, they allowed to enter the regular navy. The two main induction bases were Naden or Esquimalt Naval Base on the West Coast and Stadacona or Halifax Naval Base on the East Coast. The recruitment centres were in Victoria, Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Montreal, Quebec City, Charlottetown, and Halifax.
Recruits were required to have a minimum of Grade 8 education but by 1943 a M test was used which was deemed to be more evaluative of their likelihood of doing well in the Navy.