First of all, I don't accept the premise of your question, which is that we do not have enough. I would want you to explain what rangers are unable to perform in terms of mission sets. That's just a question.
That said, when we look at reinvigorating or revitalizing the rangers and opportunities for recruitment, first of all, it starts from addressing the lessening of priorities given to the Canadian Ranger patrol groups in terms of staffing levels, particularly for the regular force. We hear talk about Arctic sovereignty and security being the government's foremost priority in defence and security, yet we don't see that matched in prioritizing the resource of support.
If we want to grow the rangers in the north, that begins with making sure there are more human resources and financial services people to process their claims. It means more ranger instructors to go into communities to deliver training to the rangers, to play those mentoring roles and to be a liaison with the military. From that standpoint, I think we can build forward.
I still always ask this question: Why do we default to suggesting that the problem is the number of rangers rather than providing more opportunities and more supports to the rangers we already have? I want to return to the notion that northern Canadians, particularly indigenous people, are already serving in far greater numbers per capita than southern Canadians are. At what point does it become unfair to constantly be repeating a refrain suggesting that they're not doing enough and they need to be doing more? Perhaps the problem is something else.
It's respectfully submitted, because I think it's a very good question you're asking. The question becomes how we create more opportunities and more support for people who are in the organization.