SISIP Financial  Esquimalt Team Children of all ages notice how you manage money, so take this as an opportunity to teach financial literacy and smart money habits.  Start early by teaching age-appropriate financial habits, lead by example, and use real-life experiences to help children build long-term money management skills.   - Whether it’s how you handle stress, treat others, or react when the bill arrives, children notice everything — including how you manage money. Here’s how to set a great financial example for kids. Teach a Five Year Old Children don’t read stock market reports, but they do understand cause and effect. Teach basic money habits by: Explaining: Children can think money is endless if they only see a card tap. Try to narrate as you pay with “I’m using my card, but I have to pay this money back soon.” Allowing choice: If a child wants a toy at the store, allow them to buy it or save for something better in the future. This teaches children about avoiding impulse purchases. Talk to an 18-Year Old At this age, things get real with your child’s first job, first car, and possibly their first taste of credit card debt. Teach smart money tips by: Having the credit card talk: Explain how a strong credit score can help rent apartments and secure loans, but paying minimum balances can quickly lead to financial stress. Reiterating the concept of interest: If they charge $500 on a credit card with 20 per cent interest and make minimum payments, it will take over nine years and $584 in interest to pay off. Encourage investing and saving: Help open a Tax-Free Saving Account (TFSA) and support them in starting to consistently invest a small amount. Have Open Conversations Children can sometimes grow up thinking finances are a...

Archana Cini Lookout Newspaper A historical look at significant Royal Canadian Navy events at CFB Esquimalt during the 1970s  Highlights include NATO-led antisubmarine warfare exercises, an international Naden Band tour, the commissioning of HMCS Huron, and the founding of the base’s Naval and Military Museum.  - Curious what life was like at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt 50 years ago? From local modernization projects to multinational exercises, the 1970s were a time of tradition and transformation for CFB Esquimalt and the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). As national priorities evolved, community focus deepened, and defence technology advanced, the base played a critical role in shaping Canada’s naval readiness. Here’s a look back at some key local naval moments from five decades past: 1975-1980 saw several destroyers and frigates (including HMCS Algonquin) from CFB Esquimalt’s Pacific Fleet participating in critical North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-led anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercises. A countermeasure against submarine activity in the Pacific Rim, these exercises reaffirmed the RCN’s naval readiness and strengthened Canadian alliances. A society was formed in the late 1970s to plan and build what would eventually become CFB Esquimalt’s Naval and Military Museum. Until this point, the entire museum’s “collection” was housed in a two-door metal cupboard at the back of the base’s library. École Victor G Brodeur is built in 1973 to teach French-speaking children from military families. Nicknamed “la petite école rouge” or “little red schoolhouse,” the building housed up to 80 elementary students at a time until 1985, when the school moved to a larger building off base. HMCS Huron is commissioned at CFB Esquimalt in 1972. This Tribal class destroyer became a key RCN asset, deployed on several anti-terrorism operations throughout the Pacific Ocean, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea. Eventually, Huron was decommissioned and sunk 100 kilometres west of Vancouver...

Rear-Admiral Christopher Robinson, OMM, CD Maritime Forces Pacific As I pass over command of Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) and Joint Task Force Pacific ( JTFP) to Rear-Admiral David Patchell, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the extraordinary team that has stood watch with me during these past three and a half years. With your unwavering support and dedication, MARPAC has stood strong as Canada’s leading presence on the Pacific Coast. Through challenging times, your resilience, agility, and professionalism has ensured that we not only met our operational commitments but also advanced efforts to reconstitute and strengthen our force. Together, we navigated a global pandemic while continuing to support overseas operations, domestic disaster response through Operation (Op) LENTUS, and vital regional search and rescue missions. Our ships — His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Ottawa — deployed to the Indo-Pacific under Ops PROJECTION, NEON, and HORIZON, reinforcing Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. Meanwhile, HMCS Saskatoon, Yellowknife, and Edmonton deployed in support of Op CARIBBE, interdicting thousands of kilograms of illicit narcotics into North America. In 2024, clearance divers from Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) deployed to the Solomon Islands under Op RENDER SAFE, continuing their vital mission to remove explosive remnants of war from the world’s oceans. Closer to home, they responded on short notice to assist in the recovery of a Royal Canadian Air Force CH-147F Chinook helicopter that had tragically crashed in the Ottawa River. Their expertise and professionalism under challenging conditions were instrumental in the safe, successful recovery of the aircraft. At home, our Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) team supported British Columbia’s 2023 record-breaking wildfire season by responding to countless search and rescue callouts — each one a testament to courage and commitment. We also saw the arrival and return of several key capabilities that will shape...

A/Slt Melanie Mallet Assistant to Public Affairs RCSU Pacific welcomed Cdr Benjamin Seaby as its new Commanding Officer following a Change of Command ceremony presided over by BGen Dominique Brais.  Cdr Paula McHale concluded her tenure as Commanding Officer of RCSU Pacific, having led the unit since July 2022. She will transition to command the CAF Transition Unit BC later this month.  RCSU Pacific oversees British Columbia’s Cadet Program, supporting 5,500 cadets  with guidance from over 1,000 dedicated COATS members  - The Regional Cadet Support Unit (RCSU) Pacific recently observed a Change of Command (CoC) ceremony presided over by Brigadier-General Dominique Brais, Commander of the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers Group. RCSU Pacific, responsible for the British Columbia Cadet Program, transitioned command from outgoing Commanding Officer (CO) Commander (Cdr) Paula McHale to incoming CO Cdr Benjamin Seaby. Cdr Seaby will now assume regional leadership of one of Canada’s top youth development programs. Born in Ottawa and raised in Aylmer, Quebec, Cdr Seaby graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree from the Royal Military College of Canada. After completing his Naval Warfare Officer Training, Cdr Seaby joined His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Halifax as a Bridge Watchkeeper. Cdr Seaby has also participated in several international deployments during Operation (Op) SEXTANT in 2007, Op SAIPH in 2009, and Op NEON in 2023. Additionally, Cdr Seaby has also held several key staff positions including Recruit Division Commander at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School, N31-1 MARLANT Fleet Scheduler, Military Assistant to the Minister of National Defence, Career Manager, Commanding Officer of the Personnel Coordination Center (Pacific), and, most recently, Deputy Commander Submarine Sustainment. Cdr McHale served as Commanding Officer for RCSU Pacific from July 12, 2022 to July 7, 2025, and will assume command of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Transition Unit BC...