Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Apr 21/99) - The cadet program in Repulse Bay has enjoyed substantial growth during the past four years and, next month, 10 local cadets and an officer will be travelling to Vancouver as part of a cadet exchange program with that city.

Tusarvik school principal Leonie Aissaoui has been one of the driving forces behind the Repulse cadet program. The 3055 RCCC in Repulse now has two platoons and recently won the drill competition for Zone 6, covering the entire Keewatin Region.

"We have our annual inspection coming up on May 10 and Col. Pierre Leblanc,

commander of the Canadian Forces in the Northern Area, will be coming to Repulse for that. The actual exchange will be from May 14-21 and 10 Vancouver cadets and two officers will be here for that.

"I planned the exchange with 2nd Lieut. Rick Ciccone of the 72 RCCC in Vancouver, who are The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. There is also the possibility that five marine corps cadets from the U.S. will be joining the program."

Aissaoui says the Repulse Bay program was officially approved 14 months ago after operating for about 30 months. She says Sara O'Malley had been involved in the west with cadets in both Fort Good Hope and Norman Wells and, when she heard O'Malley had moved to Coral Harbour, she contacted her to help with the Repulse program.

"I wrote a proposal to Brighter Futures to bring her here once a month to help get the program up and running. It was approved and she came in and helped us get our approval in February, '98."

The Repulse program first started with a solitary Red Star or First Platoon which consisted mainly of boys. As the program grew, it expanded to include a Green or Second Platoon and now boasts 47 cadets aged 12 to 17 years.

"In our Green Platoon we actually have more girls than guys," says Aissaoui. "Red Platoon was to basic camp in Whitehorse last year and, this year, we have one cadet going to take the six-week Leadership Instructor Course and we will have eight cadets taking the Leadership Course.

"Our Green Platoon will be going to basic camp for two weeks in Whitehorse this year, as well."

Aissaoui says she had no actual experience with the Armed Forces before becoming involved with the cadet program, but has loved the army since she was a kid. She says she kept the program running by reading manuals, phoning Yellowknife for drill instruction and imposing upon visiting corps for practical demonstrations at every opportunity.

An earlier cadet program had been unsuccessfully attempted in Repulse Bay by Priscilla Tungilik and Alex Stewart, who couldn't get enough local participation. Aissaoui says with almost 50 kids involved now, and more on the way, that shouldn't be a problem again.

"We have many kids just not quite old enough, but they are waiting, rather impatiently I suspect, to join, so the corps should continue quite strongly."