Navy ships sail the bay

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Aug 29/05) - Canadian warships returned to Hudson Bay for the first time in nearly three decades this past week.

After crossing Hudson Bay to Churchill, Man., the Kingston class HMCS Shawinigan and HMCS Glace Bay, based out of Halifax, N.S., made stops in Arviat, Rankin Inlet and Coral Harbour, as well as splitting up for visits to Chesterfield Inlet and Whale Cove.

Rankin Inlet Mayor Lorne Kusugak presented Lt.-Col. Andrew Artus with an Inuit carving and a hamlet memento during the visit of the HMCS Glace Bay and HMCS Shawinigan to the community this past week. The two ships toured the Kivalliq as part of a sovereignty exercise.

The two ships have moved on to take part in a combined search-and-rescue operation with the RCMP and the Canadian Coast Guard near Cape Dorset this week.

The Chief of Staff for the Canadian Forces Northern Area, Lt.-Col. Andrew Artus, said showing both an air force and a naval presence in the Arctic is extremely important to Canadian sovereignty.

He said while the Canadian Forces has already shown it can combine the Rangers, naval and air force components in an operation, this exercise has shown the Rangers can also be quickly transported from one location to another.

"We did simulated on-board exercises during which we had some casualties, requested assistance from the Rangers and actually took people off of the ships," said Artus.

"The Rangers we took on in Churchill got off in Arviat and Whale Cove, and then the aircraft showed it could transport people from Whale Cove back to Arviat for departure the following day.

"So, we have shown the capability and the flexibility to move people around the North."

A ceremony was held at the community hall in Rankin to commemorate the occasion.

Artus, Rankin Mayor Lorne Kusugak. Lt.-Cmdr. Scott Healey (Glace Bay) and Lt.-Cmdr. Etienne Landry (Shawinigan) exchanged gifts.

Hundreds of residents took the Canadian Forces up on an offer to visit the two ships, which Kusugak said made the event even more special.