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NWT - Some members of the Canadian Rangers do not support a recommendation that could lead to militarization of the Arctic patrol group.

The thought of possibly having to fight in combat situations isn’t something Master Cpl. Warren Esau signed up for.

Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington disagrees with miliarizing the Canadian Rangers. - NNSL file photo

“I didn’t become a Canadian Ranger to go fight in combat,” the Sachs Harbor resident said. “I’d have a big problem if they decided to do something like this.”

A recent Senate report by the standing committee on fisheries and oceans recommends the Department of Defense give the 1,500 Canadian Rangers full reserve status in the Canadian Forces, expanding the group's patrol range to water as well as land.

Such a change in status raises the possibility of fighting in combat situations, like the current combat zone in Afghanistan.

“I’m young and I’ve got a family to think about,” Esau said. “It’s not something I am interested in doing.”

The committee recommends the 56 patrol groups be trained to help strengthen their ability to protect Canada’s sovereignty. Sgt. Jonah Nakimayak of Paulatuk has been a ranger since 1988 and would not continue on as a ranger if he had to be trained for combat roles.

“I’m getting up there in age and it wouldn’t be something I’d be interested in doing,” he said. “I can’t speak for the younger rangers, it might be something they would want to do, but I don’t really like the idea personally.”

Esau said he finds the idea a bit ridiculous.

“We’re the bottom of the barrel,” he said. “I’d rather be out shooting caribou and geese, not humans. It’s not what I want to be doing as a Ranger.”

Dennis Bevington, Western Arctic MP, said militarizing the Canadian Rangers would be a failure in his eyes of achieving international diplomacy.

“I’m not a fan of militarizing the Arctic,” he said. “It would represent a failure of international diplomacy and cooperation. There is lots of room within this world for us to make a success out of international arctic agreements and understandings. I think that’s where we have to go.”

Changing the mandate of the Canadian Rangers isn’t something Bevington sees as a good idea, but would rather see expansion on the already existing goals.

“Reservists can be called up for duty in Afghanistan,” he said. “The assumption was that Canadian Rangers were civil authority, search and rescue and giving capacity to the communities with linkage to the military.

“I think they can be enhanced within that concept without having to look at full militarization. It’s not the direction it should be taken.”

There are larger roles for the Rangers on the ground, Bevington said, through observation and collection of data that would be useful.

“It would be an opportunity to be more engaged in the Arctic.”