HAY RIVER - Another big step will take place this month in establishing a Canadian Rangers patrol in Hay River.

From March 15 to 25, the Canadian Rangers classroom training and a four-day, 95-km patrol along the shore of Great Slave Lake towards Fort Resolution.

"We'll be bringing in some new recruits," said Warren Gibb, the Canadian Ranger sergeant in Hay River, before the training. "There will be five days of classroom and then we'll go out and practise what we've learned in theory in the classroom and the practical application on the land."

At the end of the patrol, it is hoped there will be five new Canadian Rangers to join those already trained in Hay River for a total of about 25.

"We've been working on this for about 16 months and we have 20 qualified individuals to assist with what we are called upon to do by headquarters," Gibb said in a presentation to Hay River town council on March 7.

The trainers for activities included Sgt. Francois Tremblay of Le Royal 22e Regiment, also known as the Van Doos. Tremblay has been assigned as the Ranger instructor for the Hay River patrol. The classroom training and patrol included such topics as weapons handling, first aid, military discipline, how to wear the uniform, and navigation using maps and GPS.

At the end of this month's training and patrol, the Canadian Rangers will be ready to serve Hay River and an area within a 150-km radius of the community. A ceremony to formally establish the patrol will not be held until sometime in May.

Hay River will become the 58th patrol in the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group, which covers the NWT, the Yukon and Nunavut.

"The role of the Canadian Rangers is to provide a military presence in isolated Northern and coastal regions of Canada which cannot practically or economically be covered by other elements of the Canadian Armed Forces," Gibb said. "In effect, we are the eyes and ears of the Canadian Armed Forces."

Canadian Rangers, who are attached to the Canadian Armed Forces, serve a number of roles, including assisting with ground search and rescue, surveillance and sovereignty, delivering humanitarian aid and helping in times of natural disasters.

Mayor Kelly Schofield said he is pleased and excited a Canadian Rangers patrol is being established in Hay River.

"They're going to be an excellent resource for our community," he said, noting they may even be able to help out during flooding caused by the spring breakup of the Hay River.

"There are many, many ways that we can use the Canadian Rangers for the benefit of the community," Schofield said.

The mayor encouraged more residents of Hay River to get involved in the Canadian Rangers.

"In my opinion, this is one of the more enjoyable voluntary duties that one can choose," he said. "You get to do military training, you get to do exercises on the land, and you get to help your fellow man. It's just a great organization."

Gibb said a Junior Canadian Rangers program will not be established in Hay River because it would interfere with the cadet corps already established in the community.

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