| Aspect | Canadian Coast Guard | Royal Canadian Navy | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Civilian / Special Operating Agency | Military / Armed Forces | | Command | Master (Captain of the ship) | Commanding Officer (RCN Captain/Navy Capt) | | Top Rank | Commissioner (Head of CCG) | Admiral (Chief of Defence Staff) | | Discipline | Labor relations & Transport Canada regulations | Military Code of Service Discipline | | Uniform | Blue with gold stripes (Merchant style) | Naval white/black with executive curls | The Chain of Command Ashore On land, the ranks change slightly. The head of the organization is the Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard (equivalent to a Vice-Admiral in protocol but civilian).

Engineering officers (Marine Engineer) use the same stripe system but wear red/orange distinction cloth between the stripes or a different colored badge. Crew Ranks (Ratings) Crew members do not hold officer’s certificates but are skilled seafarers. They work under the direction of the Chief Officer.

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is a federal special operating agency within Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Unlike the Canadian Armed Forces (Navy) or police services like the RCMP, the CCG is a civilian organization. Therefore, its rank structure is unique, based on a nautical/maritime hierarchy rather than a military one.