Patrol heads to the Pole

MIRIAM HILL

The Canadian Rangers are embarking on the longest, farthest and costliest sovereignty patrol this month to assert Canadian sovereignty in the North and commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Rangers.

Thirty-four Rangers, the mostly Aboriginal Canadian Forces Reserve unit from across the North, will leave Resolute Bay April 10 and make their way more than 1,700 kilometres toward the shifting magnetic North Pole. Right now, the magnetic pole is located off Cape Isachsen, which is on Ellef Ringnes Island. The trip is expected to take about 16 days.

The expedition, called Kigliqaqvik Ranger, from the Inuktitut word for place at the edge of known land, will be the first time Rangers from the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut have participated in a patrol together.

Capt. Conrad Schubert explained that in order for Canada to assert its sovereignty over a landmass, it is obliged by law to show it is doing something in the area claimed by Canada.

“If we don’t have anyone who lives there or any sort of economic activity or regular activity of any sort, one of the ways we can assert our sovereignty in every area of Canada is by providing a federal presence,” he said. “That could be the RCMP, sometimes it is, or it could be the Department of National Defense,” which includes the Canadian Rangers.

Sovereignty patrols are increasing in importance as climate change has resulted in thinning ice and more foreign commercial ships entering Canadian waters. If an official dispute were ever lodged internationally, any sovereignty patrol conducted in the area would help Canada’s case.

Sixty Rangers submitted their names for the $700,000 expedition and 30 were chosen by lottery. Four Rangers from Resolute who know the area are also on board. Schubert said the average age of a Canadian Ranger is 33.

“We will be relying on skills of the Rangers, particularly those who come from the east [Arctic] and are most familiar with travelling on sea ice because a lot of the Rangers, something less than half, come from the NWT and the Yukon and have never travelled on sea ice,” Schubert said. “They are used to travelling below the tree line so for them it’s a different thing entirely for them up there.”

The Rangers will train for three days in Resolute, making sure all the equipment works, before setting out on the trek. Each will be fitted with a parka, snow pants, boots, rifle and a rented snow machine. The qamutiit they will pull were built in Resolute with lumber brought up on last year’s sealift. All the necessary foods will be dragged by sleds and re-supplied at three points in the journey.

Schubert said there is a minimal threat from predators as the area is fairly popular for polar bears, but the Rangers will do what they need to do to stay safe.

“The greater dangers are going to be things relating to the snow machines — that they get into an accident, they may cross ice that isn’t sound,” he said. But all precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of the unit.

“It appears to be the best time of the year based on atmospheric conditions,” Schubert said. “There’s enough light, it’s not as cold, it’s outside the normal blizzard season and the ice is still sound.”

Once the group reaches the magnetic North Pole on April 18 or 19, they will participate in a rifle-shooting competition before beginning the trek back to Resolute.