BOOK REVIEW
 AUXILIO
SEMPER - The Canadian Coast Guard 1962-2002
by Derek Smith
It is always difficult in a factual account to strike the correct balance
between interesting narrative and repetitive facts. Charles Maginley has
done an excellent, seamanlike job of work in Auxilio Semper, his account
of the activities, structure and ships of the Canadian Coast Guard since
its inception in 1962.
Aimed at those with some basic knowledge or interest in the service,
he has tried to cover all aspects of the Coast Guard's work, and the many
reorganizations which have affected it during its first forty years as
a single entity. Two brief chapters cover the growth of maritime trade
and fishing in Canadian waters and of the development of government owned,
civil marine services required to administer them and keep them safe.
The 1962 decision that all the Department of Transport's vessels would
henceforth be administered by one body and would be known as the Canadian
Coast Guard, provided the foundations of the large, multi-function organization
we have today. Subsequent chapters give a very readable insight into some
of the decisions and debates which followed as the service grew and encompassed
more, and more varied tasks.
One of the most pleasing aspects of the book is the inclusion of short
biographies of notable personalities such as the redoubtable Captain Joseph
E. Bernier, an Arctic mariner with few equals, or Captain Eric Brand and
Admiral Anthony Storrs who did so much to get the Coast Guard off to a
sound start in the '60s.
 |
| Derek
Smith is an officer of the United Kingdom Coastguard (HM Coastguard)
who is on a two year exchange with the National Search and Rescue
Secretariat. Prior to coming to Ottawa, Derek was the Regional Inspector
of Coastguards for the South East of England with responsibility for
three marine rescue co-ordination centres, the Dover Strait Traffic
Separation scheme VTS, 30 coastal rescue teams and a mix of Marine
and air SAR units. |
Training and the multitude of shore-based branches which have coalesced
with the fleet to form the present day service, its move from Transport
to Fisheries and Oceans, and the political pressures which have affected
it are covered succinctly. There are, of course, narratives covering the
birth of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary and some of the notable incidents
in which it, and its regular 'parent' have been involved, some successful,
some sadly not, but all testing to crews and ships.
I enjoyed reading Auxilio Semper, and as a newcomer to SAR in Canada,
it gave me a better understanding of how the Coast Guard, its Auxiliary
partner and its shore infrastructure got to be the way it is. The timing
of the book is particularly appropriate as a new reorganization as a Special
Operating Agency is afoot and possible involvement in marine security
looms on the horizon. I would recommend the book to all those interested
in Canada's maritime rescue and safety services.
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