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In Detail |
Arctic |
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Arctic Viking |
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Canada's Arctic Sovereignty – Denmark's Claims in
the Arctic – May 2005 Continual Habitation of Greenland – Denmark's Strongest Card in the Arctic 
Greenland is a large island covered almost entirely by a thick ice sheet. Surrounding almost all of this
central ice mass are an array of coastal communities inhabited by people of Inuit descent. Denmark
has provided these communities with pre - fabricated housing. The
Danish culture of modest, well - kept homes and well - maintained machinery is
visible in the photos of these small communities. Elders remember a time when their
people would travel across the frozen strait to hunt on Ellesmere Island. These testimonies will be noted by
any international body called upon to weigh Canada's claims to sovereignty
over the High Arctic.The 'Sirius Patrol' of Greenland – Danish Special Forces in the High Arctic 
The topmost Northeast portion of Greenland is largely uninhabited. The territory is comprised of
a large area of preserved parkland. For sixty years, the Danes have monitored and protected
this icy land using special forces, traveling by dog sledge and sea kayak.
Sirius Patrol keeps a two-man team present in
the area year-round. These rugged men monitor Danish sovereignty.
The dogs are bred expecially to pull the sledges and work
with the personnel of the Sirius Patrol. As they are being raised, the pups are judged
by their disposition. Any young pup that shows the least aggression towards its human
handlers is put down. No one on patrol in a polar winter can afford
an injury while breaking up a fight. The Sirius Patrol, named after the 'Dog Star', never
travels by powered vehicles. If you are pinned down by wind and cold for days at a time, you
can't eat a skidoo.
Fortunately, a Canadian invented the skidoo, so we have no qualms about using these motorized
vehicles for patrolling Canadian territory 'North of 60'. In this Northern Area, the
Canadian Forces maintains an impressive force of top Reservists
called 'Rangers', recognizable from their bright, blood - red apparel. In the eastern Arctic, most
Rangers are Inuit. They bring with them unique skills, rooted in their
demanding ways of finding and killing prey in this tough land.
They can orienteer in terrain that a Southerner would find almost featureless. They have mastered the skills
of stalking fleet prey animals. This is exactly the set of skills that can be readily transferred, when needed,
for military purposes. Using bolt-action rifles (long range weapons which still work at the coldest
temperatures), Inuit Rangers have the stamina to lie in wait for their prey for hours
or days. Rangers are among the elite marksmen of the Canadian Forces. Also, Inuit
hunters can stand stock-still over seals' breathing holes, waiting for these little bundles of protein
and fat to pop up and draw breath. Success brings food for an entire family.
Because of our frenetic culture, Southerners find it almost impossible to be still for
more than a few minutes. But, what we lack in inner stillness, we make
up for with our astounding technology. With a satellite system that circles the globe,
we can accurately pinpoint the location of an individual on the surface of the earth
to within five metres. Regular Canadian Forces carry out exercises with Rangers, teaching them how to use
devices, such as GPS locators.
By combining the many technologies of the 'South' with all the traditional
skills of the Inuit people, the Canadian Forces could 'occupy' the High
Arctic – not just monitor it with UAVs
or perform the occasional fly-over by the air force –
but people it.
With the right equipment, Rangers and other members of the Canadian
Forces (along with scientists and environmental regulatory officers) could move back and
forth over this vast, barren territory – especially Ellesmere Island and
the rest of the High Arctic – travelling between
Resolute and Alert, using skidoos and sledges on snow, and kayaks or RHIBs on the open water –
present during all seasons of the year.Recruiting the Next Generation of Rangers to Patrol and Occupy the High Arctic In order to support our claims of sovereignty over the High Arctic, to patrol the upper reaches of Nunavut during every season of the year, Canada needs to recruit many more Inuit Rangers as CF Reservists. 
There is already in place a cadet program called Junior Rangers.
As these young men and women mature, they will develop the
traits that make an elite Ranger – diligence, patience, and robust health.
Fortunately,it is among our indigenous communities where we find the highest percentage of young people between 15 and 24 years of age. This is where recruiters should be looking for the next generation of Canadian Forces personnel. Return to In Detail Index – Arctic Vikings and Canadian Arctic Sovereignty |
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