Terry Kruger
Northern News Services
Kugluktuk (Aug 06/01) - Jack Himiak is typical of the North's Rangers.
He leads a busy life as common-law husband and father, holds down a full-time job with the hamlet housing authority, volunteers for the town's search and rescue group and commits as much of the rest of his time as possible to the Rangers.
Himiak, 41, has belonged to the Kugluktuk Patrol since 1996 and joined because "it seemed like it was something to do to help out with the community."
He has gone on "six or seven" security patrols to North Warning System sites, participated in the Trans Canada Trail journey from Kugluktuk to Bay Chimo and is involved with the Junior Rangers.
"It's a good feeling," he said. "You really feel like you're helping."
It's that dedication that Sgt. Dave McLean really appreciates. He came North in July 1997 to work as a Ranger instructor and has travelled extensively around the NWT and Nunavut.
"They're pretty proud Canadians," said McLean.
"They're the people that make this Canada, that make this territory part of Canada."
Training goes both ways, said McLean. While the 18-and-a-half-year regular force veteran helps the Rangers learn and understand military procedures, they help the full-time soldiers understand how to work and live in the North.
His tour ended July 20, and he considers his time here as a "plum posting."
"It's been a lot of work," he said. As a trainer, he travels 12 days a month for eight months of the year, but "working with Rangers is awesome. Period."
The man in charge of 1 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, Maj. Yves Laroche, shares McLean's love of Canada's "citizen soldiers."
"They are well-respected and dedicated," said Laroche. "Without them we cannot do anything."
The senior levels of the Canadian Armed Forces are starting to recognize that.
It approved some recommendations from a December study of Ranger capabilities that called for issuing patrols more equipment, additional training and expanding the number of personnel.
Authorization was given to increase the number of Rangers to 1,800 by 2008.
"My goal is to have a Ranger patrol in every community in the North," he said, citing Bathurst Inlet and Dettah as two priorities.
The Arctic Capability Study suggests expanding the Rangers could prove to be a challenge. Four of CFNA's Ranger patrols are in communities south of 60 and are expected to be transferred to Land Forces Western Area command by October 2002.
"To replace these patrols, and reach our mandated target, will be difficult," said the study, compiled in Dec. 2000.
"There are only eight potential communities ... where a Ranger Patrol could be viable. Moreover, none of the communities identified for expansion are in the vulnerable Arctic Archipelago."
In the North
- In Nunavut, 57 per cent of the rangers work part-time; 35 per cent work full-time.
- Nunavut Rangers counted seven MLAs and three cabinet ministers among their ranks.
- They have to be able to operate in a 300-km radius around their home communities.
- Rangers are paid $90 per day during training and are compensated for any "official CF taskings." They are also reimbursed for wear and tear on personal vehicles used in support of activities.
- Training days have increased from 10 days a month to 12 and are expected to go to 14 in the near future.
- Each ranger is issued a red ball cap or toque, red sweat shirt and T-shirt, armlet and orange safety vest, No. 4 Lee Enfield rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition.
- Equipment issued to patrols includes a tent, Coleman stove, lantern, ground-to-air radio, two-way radios, Global Position System receivers, binoculars, strobe lights for setting up runways or helipads.
- Rangers go on two long-range patrols each year and 30 sovereignty patrols annually.
- Cost of each sovereignty patrol (SovPat) estimated at $10,500. For each patrol to conduct one SovPat annually to a maximum distance of 300 km from their community, the estimated annual cost is $610,000. Additional patrols in the Arctic Archipelago would boost annual costs to about $810,000.
