The Canadian Rangers: Cornerstone for Community Disaster Resilience in Canada’s Remote and Isolated Communities

Peter Kikkert,P Whitney Lackenbauer

doi:10.22584/nr51.2021.003

Abstract

The Canadian Rangers are Canadian Armed Forces Reservists who serve in remote, isolated, northern, and coastal communities. Due to their presence, capabilities, and the relationships they enjoy with(in) their communities, Rangers regularly support other government agencies in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from a broad spectrum of local emergency and disaster scenarios. Drawing upon government and media reports, focus groups, and interviews with serving members, and a broader literature review, this article explains and assesses, using a wide range of case studies from across Canada, how the Rangers strengthen the disaster resilience of their communities. Our findings also suggest ways to enhance the Rangers’ functional capabilities in light of climate and environmental changes that portend more frequent and severe emergencies and disasters. It also argues that the organization can serve as a model for how targeted government investment in a local volunteer force can build resilience in similar remote and isolated jurisdictions, particularly in Greenland and Alaska.

Highlights

In early April 2020 the Regional Emergency Preparedness Advisory Committee established to coordinate the response to COVID-19 in Nunavik, Quebec, con rmed the rst ve cases of the coronavirus in the region and requested that local Canadian Rangers be mobilized to assist in response efforts in their communities (Government of Canada, 2020)
As part-time, non-commissioned members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Reserves, the Rangers’ official mission is “to provide a military presence in sparsely settled northern, coastal and isolated areas of Canada that cannot conveniently or economically be provided for by other components of the Canadian Forces” (DAOD, 2020). e fact that the committee turned to the Rangers—the vast majority of whom are Inuit—in Nunavik’s fourteen communities, to assist health and emergency management agencies in their efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19, is a testament to the Rangers’ perceived value to human security and emergency response (Vullierme, 2020)
People are going to go out anyway, can’t we get some direction on how we might be able to help the most? I think that the Rangers would have something to contribute.”24 Rangers could receive training similar to that provided to most community-based organizations involved in emergency response, including how to extinguish small res, remove fuel sources, shut off utilities, assess and communicate damage, and conduct urban and interior SAR (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2019)

Summary

Introduction

In early April 2020 the Regional Emergency Preparedness Advisory Committee established to coordinate the response to COVID-19 in Nunavik, Quebec, con rmed the rst ve cases of the coronavirus in the region and requested that local Canadian Rangers be mobilized to assist in response efforts in their communities (Government of Canada, 2020). Ey are not intended to act as combat forces and receive no tactical military training Instead, their regular tasks include surveillance and presence patrols, collecting local data for the CAF, Syntax Warning: Mismatch between font type and embedded font file reporting unusual sightings, participation in community events, and assisting with domestic military operations. Their regular tasks include surveillance and presence patrols, collecting local data for the CAF, Syntax Warning: Mismatch between font type and embedded font file reporting unusual sightings, participation in community events, and assisting with domestic military operations To facilitate these operations, Rangers share their knowledge and skills with regular members of the CAF, teaching them how to survive and function effectively in Arctic, Subarctic, and rugged coastal environments. Beyond their paid service, Rangers perform their “eyes and ears” function as part of their everyday lives and are always present in their communities, ready to respond as required (Canadian Army, 2018; Lackenbauer, 2013)

A Ready and Willing Community-Based Organization

Findings

Conclusion