Jessica Klinkenberg
Northern News Services
Friday, April 6, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - More NWT residents than ever are joining the Canadian Forces.

According to recruiter Capt. David Burbridge, 15 people from the NWT joined the Canadian Forces in 2006.

"Historically we've had five or seven recruits a year," he said.

Burbridge said that enrolment was up for two reasons.

"I think it's because we're actually recruiting in the communities," he said.

He said the new Canadian Forces television commercials are making a difference, too.

Last week, a Yellowknife pilot became the latest to enlist.

"I really want to fly," Jonathan Draper said following his swearing-in ceremony at Joint Task Force North headquarters on March 29.

Draper will be taking nearly three years of training in order to achieve that aim.

Draper came to the NWT a little less than a year ago, and has worked for Buffalo Airways in Hay River and

Yellowknife.

"I'm going to miss the boys," he said of his fellow pilots at Buffalo.

"Would I have stayed with Buffalo if this hadn't come up? Absolutely."

Draper had applied a year and a half ago, before he came North, to be a pilot with the Canadian Forces.

"It's hard to get started (as a pilot), it's hard to get time, it's hard to get experience," he said.

Capt. Burbridge said that over his year and a half as a recruiter in the NWT, Draper was the first pilot he had seen sworn in.

Lt.-Col. Paul Fleet of 440 (Transport) Squadron swore in Draper, and said that the new recruit couldn't have joined at a better time.

"I would say the future is bright," he said. "The Canadian Forces is acquiring new airplanes."

Fleet predicts that this will attract more recruits to the air force division of the Canadian Forces.

"The air force is going to be growing over the next couple of years," he said.