Canadian Rangers: Sovereignty, Security and Community-Based Nation Building

1. Canadian Rangers: Sovereignty, Security and Community-Based Nation Building Capt Chris Carthew, DCO 1 CRPG 21 June 2016

2. The Canadian Rangers

3. History Canadian Rangers were formed on 23 May 1947 as a separate component of the Reserves. They were based on Pacific Coast Rangers who provided Territorial security by surveillance of the Western Coastlines during WW II. With the end of the Second World War the North became an area of concern.

4. New organization had an expanded role to cover all remote areas of Canada including the Arctic. In the early 1950s rifles were issued to reliable individuals in communities in the high arctic along with instructions to report any unusual activity in their areas. By the late 1950s Ranger Platoons and Companies had been established throughout the North. • History

5. Modern Day Canadian Rangers are a sub-component of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve They are organized into Canadian Ranger Patrol Groups and Patrols that are employed on domestic & sovereignty operations as well as public-safety missions • History

6. Canadian Ranger Overview 1 CRPG 4 CRPG 5 CRPG 2 CRPG 3 CRPG 1 CRPG = 60 2 CRPG = 25 3 CRPG = 20 4 CRPG = 42 5 CRPG = 32 Total = 179 Patrols / 5000 Rangers

7. Role & Mission • Role • To provide a military presence in those sparsely settled northern, coastal and isolated areas of Canada which cannot conveniently or economically be covered by other elements of the Canadian Armed Forces • Mission • To provide lightly equipped, self sufficient, mobile forces in support of the CAF’s sovereignty and domestic operation tasks in Canada • Tasks • Conduct and Provide support to Sovereignty Ops • Conduct and Provide assistance to Domestic Ops • Maintain a CAF presence in the local community

8. Rangers- Capabilities/ Limitations • What Rangers do: • Mentor/Advisor • Guide • Teach traditional survival skills • Predator control • Gather intelligence • Link to the community • Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) • What Rangers do not do: • NOT Tactical • NOT a KINETIC FORCE • NOT a general labour pool to support southern units

9. The Junior Canadian Rangers

10. JCR AIM To provide a structured youth program which promotes traditional cultures and lifestyles in remote and isolated communities of Canada.

11. 1 CRPG JCR Program Adult Committee Canadian Rangers Community Youth JCR Community Based Programme

12. Ranger Skills • First aid • Map & compass • GPS/navigation • Firearms safety • Drill Traditional Skills • Hunting/fishing • Cooking/sewing • Carving • Drumming • Tanning hides • Igloo building Life Skills • PHASE • Public speaking • Anger management • Nutrition • Hygiene JCR - Circles of Learning

13. Age: 12-18 years of age Key Activities: Weekly/monthly meetings 2-3 patrols/yr Annual shooting competitions Basic Enhanced Training Session (Basic ETS) Advanced Enhanced Training Sessions (Adv ETS) Preventing Harassment and Abuse through Successful Education (PHASE) Adult Committee JCR

14. 1 CRPG

15. Economic and Social Development Environmental Protection Sovereignty Governance Exercising our Arctic sovereignty as international interest in the region increases Encouraging social and economic development and regulatory improvements that benefit Northerners Adapting to climate change challenges and ensuring sensitive Arctic ecosystems are protected for future generations Providing Northerners with more control over their economic and political destiny GoC Northern Strategy "Our Government has made the North one of its top priorities, placing it higher on the agenda than it has been in many decades…. We have a clear vision for the North as a healthy, prosperous region within a strong and sovereign Canada and we are acting to ensure this vision is realized.

16. Canada First Defence Strategy • National Defence primarily contributes to the sovereignty pillar of the Northern Strategy through the Canada First Defence Strategy • Directs the Canadian Forces to • Demonstrate a visible presence in the region • Have the capacity to exercise control over and defend our Arctic territory • Provide assistance to other government departments and agencies when called upon

17. 1 CRPG - Mission 1 CRPG’s Mission 1 CRPG will Force Generate (develop) Ranger Patrols prepared to respond to emergencies, conduct sovereignty and nation building activities, support other CAF assets and other OGD (Other Govt Depts); while delivering a successful JCR program.

18. 1 CRPG Patrols Rangers: 13 JCRs: 9 Rangers: 25 JCRs: 20 Rangers: 22 JCRs: 12 Rangers: 60 Patrols (≈1750 Rangers) JCRs: 41 Patrols (≈1350 JCRs)

19. 1 CRPG Operational Area

20. 1 CRPG HQ • HQ located in Yellowknife, NWT • Staff of 55, incl 20 instructors who mentor Rgr Ptls • Support services: • Command and Control • Administrative Support (pay, personnel spt, recruitment, releases, policy, etc) • Logistical Support (contracts, ordering and transportation of goods, eqpt, rations, clothing, weapons, ammo, etc) • Planning and coordination (over 250 activities annually) • Annual training • Each instructor is responsible for 3 communities

21. Ranger Tasks • SOVEREIGNTY: • Conduct and Provide Support to Sovereignty Operations • - Conduct North Warning Site patrols • - Report suspicious and unusual activities • - Collect local data of military significance

22. Northern Warning System 1 CRPG – 57/65 sites NorthernWarningSystem Primary Highway Secondary Highway/Road Ice road Limited infrastructure and road systems, dependence on generators, reduced communications capabilities

23. Ranger Tasks • SECURITY: • Conduct and Provide Assistance to CAF Domestic Ops • - Conduct coastal and inland water surveillance • - Provide local knowledge and CR expertise (guides & advice) • - Participate in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations • - Response to disasters and humanitarian operations • - Provide assistance to Federal, Provincial/Territorial or • Municipal authorities

24. Ranger Tasks • NATION BUILDING: • Maintain CAF presence in the Local Community • - Instruct, mentor and supervise the JCRs • - Participate in/support events in the local community

25. WAY AHEAD • Sovereignty • Increased surveillance of NWP • Security • Improved training focused on First Aid, communication and coordination • Integration into territorial emergency response system • Nation Building • Increased investment in local youth through JCR program • More autonomous (decentralized) employment (FOC) • Increased employment opportunities

26. 1 CRPG Summary 1 CRPG Ranger Strength: 3100 Rangers/JCRs - Ranger Patrols: 60 (1750 Rangers) - JCR Patrols: 41 (1350 youth) AOR / Dispersion: 4M sq km (40% Canada’s land mass) Canada’s Largest Unit Slogan: “The eyes, ears, and voice of the North”

27. Raison d’être

28. Questions