Behchoko soldier earns Tlicho Government Award
Master Cpl. Bryan Laing recognized for public service
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Monday, August 21, 2017
BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO
A missed voicemail meant Master Cpl. Bryan Laing was especially surprised to discover he was was one of this year's Tlicho Government Award recipients.
"When I found out, it was the day of the award. My mother told me," he said. "She asked me if anyone contacted me so I thought I'd check my voicemail, there was a voicemail from two months ago saying I was nominated for the award."
Laing lives in Yellowknife but was visiting his hometown of Behchoko for his mother's wedding and the annual Tlicho Assembly.
He received his award for Public Service, Politics, Law and Justice along with four other award recipients during the assembly on Aug. 3.
Laing joined the military in 2009 and said it had always been his goal.
"It was always a childhood dream, it always piqued my interest," he said. "There are a lot of opportunities you don't get anywhere else."
Laing quickly climbed the ranks and was recently promoted to Master Corporal in June of this year.
His career has brought him to places throughout Canada, but Laing said the highlight of his career was the four years he spent with the the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Edmonton, Alta.
"It's got a rich background and history," he said.
While with the battalion, he participated in airborne exercises that involved parachute training.
"I'm a mechanic by trade but I did a lot of what the infantry guys did," he said. "Every time the boys would jump, I'd jump and carry a tool bag with me."
Laing received a medal and a certificate as part of his award and said his mother, Monique Beaulieu-Rabesca, has already given them a special home.
"She has this little section in her living room that she likes to hang all my stuff, so I told her she could hang it there," Laing said.
Because he didn't know he was going to be receiving an award, Laing said he didn't have a long speech prepared during the ceremony, but said he was honoured to have been selected.
"I just wanted to say thank you," he said. "It was a proud moment."
The other Tlicho Government Award winners were fellow Behchoko resident Elizabeth Rabesca, Charlie Zoe Nitsiza from Whati, Therese Zoe from Gameti and Mary Adele Football from Wekweeti.
