I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am joining you from Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people. Thank you for the opportunity to appear today.
I have worked closely with the Canadian Rangers for 15 years, particularly in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian Ranger patrol groups. Many of the rangers I work with are indigenous, and much of my research has focused on their roles in emergency response and in building resilience.
The Canadian Rangers are one of the most important emergency response assets in remote, northern and indigenous communities. They are present, organized, trusted and capable. As Abel Aqqaq, a ranger from Taloyoak, Nunavut, told me, “We are the eyes and ears of the military, but we are also the eyes and ears of our community. We protect our communities.” Baba Pedersen, another ranger from Kugluktuk, put it even more simply: “We are the people to call when things go sideways—period.”
They are. In recent years, rangers have responded to wildfires, floods, avalanches, severe storms, power outages, critical infrastructure failure, aircraft crashes and the COVID-19 pandemic. They conduct search and rescue, evacuations, wellness checks, resupply, and infrastructure protection. They provide the local and indigenous knowledge, the institutional awareness and the connections that make outside responses possible and effective.
They are exceptionally good at these roles. Just a few weeks ago, five rangers were awarded medals of bravery for rescuing two stranded French nationals in a blizzard near Naujaat, Nunavut, in 2020. During the 2019 evacuation of Pikangikum First Nation, Chief Amanda Sainnawap said the presence of rangers alone brought calm: “I don't know what we would have done without them.”
These are roles that rangers value and want to perform for their communities, and they are exactly the kinds of visible, meaningful activities that draw people to join. However, despite this, they face persistent barriers. It is often unclear when and how they can be activated for emergencies and search and rescue. Training opportunities are inconsistent. The emphasis on these roles waxes and wanes with leadership changes and shifting institutional priorities. As one former ranger from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, told me, “The roles and expectations change a lot.... It's frustrating. We need consistency. We want to serve our communities, so give us the tools and skills to do this. Make it simple.”
Let me offer three recommendations:
First, make it easier to use the rangers. Although the Canadian Armed Forces is intended to be a force of last resort in domestic emergencies, in many northern and indigenous communities, the rangers are the only timely and effective response, and policy must reflect that reality.
Clarify authorities and reduce jurisdiction friction. Ensure civilian agencies understand ranger capabilities and how to employ them, and streamline activation processes so they can be deployed quickly when needed. The memorandum of understanding on search and rescue between 3CRPG and the Ontario Provincial Police shows what this can look like.
Second, give the rangers the tools they need. Increase and sustain training and exercises that reflect the incidents to which rangers might have to respond and the needs of their communities: ground, ice and light urban search and rescue; flood and fire response; mass rescue operations; evacuations; and wilderness and advanced first aid. Support these efforts with regional equipment and technology solutions, building on initiatives like the new ranger team awareness kits.
Third, we must better understand and support the human dimension of ranger service. For rangers, responding to emergencies often means searching for or assisting family, friends, neighbours and elders. Sometimes it means finding them deceased. A good example of what they face are the many aircraft crashes that rangers have responded to over the years. Few accidents cause greater physical trauma to the victims, and I've heard many rangers talk about the effects of responding to these incidents.
It's also critical to understand that rangers often wear many other responder hats. They are volunteer firefighters, paramedics, search and rescue volunteers, and members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. The cumulative impact of the trauma they experience is profound. A more holistic approach to their well-being is required, including improved awareness of and access to support programs such as the member assistance program and Veterans Affairs services; critical incident stress programming that better reflects indigenous realities and requirements; and recognition of their service, including, perhaps, development of a ranger responder medal.
Acting on these recommendations will strengthen more than a capability. It will also bolster ranger recruitment and retention. It will improve the institutional experience of indigenous rangers by supporting them in roles that matter deeply to them and to their communities.
I will close with this. When emergencies happen in Canada's most remote regions, the Canadian Rangers are already there and ready. The question is whether we will give them the tools, training and support they need to keep protecting their communities.
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.