Neils Christensen
Northern News Services

Eureka (Apr 12/04) - For Joe Moosenose, the chance to travel to Eureka on Ellesmere Island was something he couldn't pass up.

A resident of Wha Ti, Moosenose was one of 15 Rangers selected to take part in the longest-ever one-way sovereignty patrol. In all, 20 Rangers and soldiers who had a simple message for the rest of the world: "this land belongs to Canada."

The group stopped at this remote outpost during a $500,000 sovereignty patrol that began April 1 in Resolute Bay and was to end today in Alert.

Only seven of the 20 members were to continue on to Alert and complete the 1,300 km journey. Moosenose was to return home from Eureka.

"It's amazing how open the land is," he said. "It's almost indescribable.

"When I get back home I will be telling everyone what it was like to travel here."

Lt.-Col. David Wheeler, chief of staff for Canadian Forces Northern Area, said the patrol is to reaffirm Canada's sovereignty in the North.

"Without patrols in this area we wouldn't have sovereignty," he said.

Wheeler said it is important for the military to have a strong presence to make sure other nations don't make any claims for the natural resources.