1. Maritime Role for the Canadian Rangers

2. Context Global Warming Northwest Passage is challenged
Maritime traffic increasing
Tourism
Fishing
Transit
The need for better Arctic domain awareness
The Ranger Program has been very successful
It has evolved over the years
The effects of global warming on increased activity, coupled with increased risk, in the Arctic, were previously discussed. With this increase comes a greater need for better Arctic domain awareness and who better to provide Canada with that much needed expertise than the members that are from and currently live in the north?
For those of you who do not know, the Rangers represent approximately 1760 Canadians from over 60 communities in the three territories who form a sub-component of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve and are listed on the website as “the military’s eyes and ears in the north”.
The program has been very successful and has evolved over the years since its inception as a volunteer unit in 1942 that was tasked with looking out for possible Japanese incursions along the western coast from BC to Yukon. Rangers are presently focused on assisting the CAF with domestic issues and search and rescue operations.

3. Internal waters Eaux internes
Using the strait baseline method connecting the farthest points of land surrounding the Arctic Archipelago, Canada defines the enclosed waters as internal over which, 100% of Canadian laws and standards apply. However, the international community does not recognize this claim and challenges to Canada’s sovereignty over those waters persists. They claim the Northwest Passage to be an international strait with a right of transit.

4. Pourquoi Resolute Bay Whitehorse Iqaluit Yellowknife
Edmonton
Vancouver
Whitehorse
Pourquoi Resolute Bay
Iqaluit
This page shows the routes through the Northwest Passage. The yellow line represents the classic Northwest Passage; that route was free of ice for part of 2007, well ahead of all the predictions.
The red lines indicate other options to transit the Arctic Archipelago.
The airspace above and the waters below each of those routes could be argued to be part of the international strait and, thus, provide the right of transit to foreign vessels and aircraft. Increased transit could lead to increased accidents and spills.

5. Potential New Tasks Maritime Patrols Support Search and Rescue at sea
Parks
Marine Protected Areas
Oil spills, garbage and phantom nets
Report on all ships in the area
Support Search and Rescue at sea
Initiate Level I environmental response
Collection of scientific samples
CHARS in Cambridge Bay
Support to federal departments
All this points to a need for more resources to protect, defend, and enforce Canadian sovereignty. We can begin to do that by expanding the role of the Canadian Rangers by giving them new tasks to perform such as:
Maritime Patrols
Parks
Marine Protected Areas
Oil spills, garbage and phantom nets
Report on all ships in the area
Support Search and Rescue at sea
Initiate Level I environmental response
Collection of scientific samples in support of
CHARS in Cambridge Bay
Support to federal departments
These task would greatly enhance the overall domain awareness and complement other surveillance systems.

6. Suggested Locations
The red stars on this slide indicate the patrols that could potentially be given a maritime role by being asked to focus on the surveillance of the Northwest Passage.

7. Rangers - First Responders
Whole of Government approach
Canadian Forces
Fisheries and Ocean
Environment Canada
Transport Canada
Parks Canada
Border Services
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Using the “whole of government” approach, Rangers could become the first responders for several government departments. Their mission would principally be to alert the authorities, but in instances where they were able to respond the quickest in cases of spills or search and rescue, they could be the first responders for:
The Canadian Forces
Fisheries and Ocean
Environment Canada
Transport Canada
Parks Canada
Border Services
Royal Canadian Mounted Police

8. Equipment Canadian made patrol vessel Satellite communications
GPS navigation
Digital camera
Spill kit
If this were adopted, the Rangers would need to be provided with the proper training and equipment to be able to safely deploy in coastal areas. Equipment would include:
Canadian made patrol vessel
Satellite communications
GPS navigation
Digital camera
Spill kit

9. Training Rangers would be trained in the following:
Communications
Navigation
Sea training
Maintenance of boat and engines
Oil spill containment
Other training depending on mission
This would provide increased capacity in their communities
Training would include the following areas:
Communications
Navigation
Sea training
Maintenance of boat and engines
Oil spill containment
Other training depending on mission
Which would also increase capacity in their home communities.

10. Discussion
Should the Rangers be given a maritime mission to patrol our waters, assist with SAR and act as first responders in a whole of government approach?