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Terry Kruger
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (July 30/01) - Keeping watch over Canada's arctic treasure chest is a thin line of fewer than 2,000 men and women.
This relative handful of citizen soldiers and full-time regulars guard almost four million resource-rich square kilometres that many believe are critical to this country's future. Col. Kevin McLeod, CFNA's commanding officer, describes it as "a huge, vast area."
 Rangers and elders Andrew Anaktak and John Akana test their marksmanship during an April exercise at Lake Aptalok, 70 kilometres from Kugluktuk. - DND photo courtesy of Sgt. Dennis J. Mah |
"(There) you had a very clear lane in which to stay," says McLeod. At CFNA, he must ensure Canada maintains a presence to preserve the country's claim on the vast Arctic Archipelago.
"My vision of the military in Canada's North is it is a symbol of Canada's commitment to the people of the North and a symbol to other nations that Canada has a claim to the Arctic."
Much of the time that role falls to the Rangers. They're sent on sovereignty patrols to remote areas, where they set up camp and take a GPS reading to document they have been there.
It is a simple mission, but one that McLeod and others at CFNA see as increasingly important.
There is a lot of wealth in the North, from oil and gas to diamonds and minerals, resources that are increasingly in demand.
Add in increased commercial aircraft over-flights and the possibility that global warming will open up the Northwest Passage to commercial shipping, and the military presence in the Arctic is vital to ensuring Canada's claim to the land and sea remains strong.
Patrols and training by rangers and regular soldiers, aircraft patrols and intelligence and information gathering around the territory is part of how CFNA does its job.
"This is sovereignty because when you move troops, you show Canada is interested in that territory," says Major Yves Laroche, commanding officer of 1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group.
He has been given authority to beef up his ranks to 1,800. Added to that is a host of new gear, from GPS units to binoculars.
He says it shows the Department of National Defence recognizes the importance of the military in the North.
"In the last two years, we've been successful with National Defence headquarters," says Laroche.
"Our budget has almost doubled to a little more than $5 million a year, including the Junior Ranger program."
Operations officer Major Bob Knight says reasons for the renewed interest in Northern defence are simple.
"What has happened now is that the North has risen higher on the national priority list," he says. "The vulnerability of the North has moved higher on the priority list."
A Dec. 1, 2000 Arctic Capability Study helped hammer home the needs.
What happens in the future depends a lot on what McLeod and his personnel have to say.
CFNA is unique in that it reports directly to the chief of defence staff, Canada's top soldier. "This is done so we hold the North to be an extremely vital part of Canada," says Capt. Brian Martin, public affairs officer for CFNA.
The message seems to be getting through.
New staff are being added to the headquarters and rangers are expanding and getting new gear. The cadet program has the resources it needs.
McLeod will have to prove to his superiors that the threats CFNA sees to Canada's ownership of the Arctic must be met with a greater presence.
"No commander is ever satisfied with the level of resources," he said. "You're always looking for greater capability."
Next week: Security concerns and what the military proposes.
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