National Search and Rescue Secretariat

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The National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS) was an independent portfolio organization within the Government of Canada's Department of National Defence, established in 1986 as one of the recommendations resulting from the Royal Commission of Enquiry into the Ocean Ranger disaster.

The Government of Canada, officially Her Majesty's Government, is the federal administration of Canada. In Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council. In both senses, the current construct was established at Confederation through the Constitution Act, 1867—as a federal constitutional monarchy, wherein the Canadian Crown acts as the core, or "the most basic building block", of its Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. The Crown is thus the foundation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Canadian government. Further elements of governance are outlined in the rest of the Canadian Constitution, which includes written statutes, court rulings, and unwritten conventions developed over centuries.

<i>Ocean Ranger</i>

Ocean Ranger was a semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit that sank in Canadian waters on 15 February 1982. It was drilling an exploration well on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, 267 kilometres (166 mi) east of St. John's, Newfoundland, for Mobil Oil of Canada, Ltd. (MOCAN) with 84 crew members on board when it sank. There were no survivors.

From 1986 to 2015, the NSS reported to the Lead Minister for Search and Rescue (LMSAR), who was the Minister of National Defence. The NSS supported and promoted the coordination of the National Search and Rescue Program. This included facilitating the work of the Ground Search and Rescue Council of Canada and the federal Interdepartmental Committee on Search and Rescue (ICSAR). ICSAR members include:

Minister of National Defence (Canada) minister in the Cabinet of Canada

The Minister of National Defence is a Minister of the Crown and is the politician within the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the management and direction of all matters relating to the national defence of Canada. The Department of National Defence is headed by the Deputy Minister of National Defence, the department's senior civil servant, while the Canadian Armed Forces are headed by the Chief of the Defence Staff, Canada's senior serving military officer. Both are responsible to the Minister. The Queen of Canada is the Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces and has final authority on all orders and laws for the "defence of the realm". The minister is responsible, through the tenets of responsible government, to Parliament for "the management and direction of the Canadian Forces". Any orders and instructions for the Canadian Armed Forces are issued by or through the Chief of the Defence Staff. The Department of National Defence exists to aid the minister in carrying out his responsibilities, and acts as the civilian support system for the Canadian Forces.

National Search and Rescue Program

The National Search and Rescue Program (NSP) is the name given by the Government of Canada to the collective search and rescue (SAR) activities in Canada. Until 2015, the NSP was administered by the National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS).

The Department of National Defence, commonly abbreviated as DND, is a Canadian government department responsible for defending Canada's interests and values at home and abroad.

Canadian Coast Guard government agency

The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue, communication, navigation and transportation issues in Canadian waters, such as navigation aids and icebreaking, marine pollution response and providing support for other Canadian government initiatives. The coast guard operates 119 vessels of varying sizes and 22 helicopters, along with a variety of smaller craft. The Canadian Coast Guard is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, and is a special operating agency within Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada department of the Government of Canada

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, frequently referred to as Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), is the department within the government of Canada that is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs in support of Canada's economic, ecological and scientific interests in oceans and inland waters. Its mandate includes responsibility for the conservation and sustainable use of Canada's fisheries resources while continuing to provide safe, effective and environmentally sound marine services that are responsive to the needs of Canadians in a global economy. The stated vision of the department is "Excellence in service to Canadians to ensure the sustainable development and safe use of Canadian waters."

NSS worked with provincial and territorial SAR authorities to develop and standardize SAR services. NSS also funded research, studies, workshops and conferences, as well as publishing the quarterly SARSCENE magazine. The NSS also coordinated the Canadian contribution to the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite alerting system, and for several years managed the Canadian registry for distress beacons.

Another recommendation from the Ocean Ranger disaster was to establish the "SAR New Initiatives Fund" (NIF), a federal contribution program that provides funding for new projects or initiatives that will improve the National Search and Rescue Program.

In July 2015, the National SAR Secretariat was moved out of the Defence portfolio and incorporated into the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. It is no longer managed as a separate portfolio organization with dedicated corporate functions (communications, finance, grants/contribution programs).

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