SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A gathering of soldiers at the Ceremonial Circle beside Frame Lake marked the establishment of Yellowknife's first army reserve unit on Monday, with Peter MacKay, minister for National Defence, there to review it.

Minister of National Defence, Peter MacKay, inspected the Loyal Edmonton Regiment during the stand-up parade marking the establishment of Yellowknife's first reserve unit. - Charlotte Hilling/NNSL photo

The Yellowknife Company were born out of the federal government's Northern Strategy and Canada's First Defence Strategy - which will devote $490 billion to rebuilding and modernizing the Canadian Forces over the next 20 years.

"This is a very important strategic location, we hope to be able to recruit from not only the community of Yellowknife but across the Arctic, and continue to have a very real and very important presence here, protecting this very valuable and critically important region of our country," MacKay said in his speech.

The Yellowknife Company, the NWT's first army unit to be stationed and staffed in the territory, will be part of the 41 Canadian Brigade Group's Loyal Edmonton Regiment - which was present and took part in the ceremony.

The new unit will give recruits the opportunity for full or part-time employment, with training taking place in and around Yellowknife, and a special emphasis on training for the harsh Arctic environment.

MacKay enthused about the role reservists play in the Canadian Forces.

"Reservists represent the best of our community from coast to coast ... And that is true here in Yellowknife," he said.

"It may surprise some of you to know, that over 30 per cent of some of the units serving in Afghanistan are made up of reserves."

The ceremony provided the opportunity to register interest or sign up to the Yellowknife Company and it is hoped that about 100 recruits from Yellowknife and the rest of the territory will be fully trained by 2019.

Several people took advantage of the opportunity. Andreas Tesfaye being one of the first Yellowknifers to sign up. Tesfaye said he was looking for a part-time job that wouldn't take him out of Yellowknife and would provide him with a physical challenge.

"I've always supported the military, and it's something I don't have to go to Edmonton to do," he said. "I'm not afraid to put my body on the line."

Sarahrose Minina said she is considering signing up for the reserves because she was looking for a third job and wanted to do her bit for Canada.

Originally from Ontario, Minina has been in Yellowknife for the last two years, and said as the first person in her immediate family to be born in Canada, just being a citizen was enough of a reason to join the Yellowknife Company.