The Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy (
French: ''Commandant de la Marine royale canadienne'') is the institutional head of the
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...
. This appointment also includes the title Chief of the Naval Staff and is based at
National Defence Headquarters in
Ottawa,
Ontario. This individual reports to the
Chief of the Defence Staff, who then responds to the
Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces
The commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces (french: Commandant en chef des Forces armées canadiennes) exercises supreme command and control over Canada's military, the Canadian Armed Forces. Constitutionally, the command-in-chief is ves ...
.
History of the position
The appointment was entitled Director of the Naval Service from 1910 to 1928 and then Chief of the Naval Staff from 1928 to 1964. In August 1964 the position of Chief of the Naval Staff was abolished. Responsibility for naval matters was split between the newly established Defence Staff in Ottawa and operational headquarters in Halifax (for
Flag Officer Atlantic Coast) and Esquimalt (for
Flag Officer Pacific Coast). The appointment was entitled Commander of Maritime Command from 1966 to 1997 and Chief of the Maritime Staff from 1997 to 2011. In 2011 Maritime Command was renamed the Royal Canadian Navy at which time the appointment was renamed to its present incarnation.
Appointees
The following table lists all those who have held the post of Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy or its preceding positions. Ranks and honours are as at the completion of their tenure:
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Director of the Naval Service
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Chief of the Naval Staff
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Principal Naval Adviser
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Commander of Maritime Command
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Chief of the Maritime Staff
, -style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=6, Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy
See also
*
Chief of the Defence Staff, the second most senior member of the
Canadian Forces
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The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Forc ...
after the
Commander-in-Chief
*
Commander of the Canadian Army, the institutional head of the
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also res ...
.
*
Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force
The Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force (French: ''commandant de l'Aviation royale canadienne'') is the institutional head of the Royal Canadian Air Force. This appointment also includes the title Chief of the Air Force Staff and is based a ...
, the institutional head of the
Royal Canadian Air Force.
Notes
References
{{Chief of the navy by country
Military appointments of Canada
Commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.
...
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...