by Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Apr 10/98) - They'll be missed.

Fort Simpson RCMP Cpl. Tonia Enger and her partner Steve Palfry, of Canadian Helicopters, will soon be off to a new life in British Columbia.

As soon as the ferry comes in after breakup, they'll be off to new jobs in Williams Lake, B.C. Enger -- who has spent four years policing in the North -- will be working as a RCMP corporal in the B.C. community of about 20,000 while Palfry will be working with Northern Mountain Helicopters.

Interviewed Monday, Enger said that Fort Simpson will always have special memories for the two of them. After all, she says, they met here after Enger was transferred from Yellowknife.

"Our romance started here," Enger says. "That's one of my fonder moments. We met on a snowmobile ride after I ran into the back of his machine."

The romance of the North.

Asked for her favorite Fort Simpson memories and Enger -- an 11-and-half-year veteran of service as a Mountie -- mentions a couple of things.

"My first week here, the Sgt. (Dean Taylor) was away and the sewer (at the detachment) backed up," Enger says with a laugh. "It was my first shift but all these people came over to help. I'll never forget that."

"(And) I'll miss the 9 p.m. coffees with everyone at the Nahanni Inn and pizza from Momma."

Enger, who started off praising all her colleagues in the Fort Simpson RCMP detachment, also said that time here since her arrival during the summer of 1996 has helped her professionally.

"I was certainly able to work and hone my leadership skills both with the other (RCMP) members and the community," she says. "The community justice committee has been excellent. It's been off the ground for three years and it is being run by people other than the police. That shows that the community cares."

Enger says she's excited by her new policing duties in Williams Lake. Here, there are seven Mounties. At her new job, there will be 40 members for the corporal to work with.

"It will be my first large municipality," she says. "There's a whole new concept there."

On the personal side, it will also mean that Enger will be close to her family in nearby 100 Mile House.

The pair will be greatly missed by their friends and colleagues in the Deh Cho.