Army In Town

I heard several noises outside my place in the early evening of March 16.  The noises sounded like skidoos driving circles in the middle of the street.  I tried to ignore the sounds, thinking they weren’t important, but curiosity got the best of me and I went to a window to see what was happening.  I was right about the skidoos, but they weren’t doing donuts in the street.  They belonged to the Canadian Army and the soldiers driving them were parking the snow machines behind the RCMP house across the street.  Two pickup trucks also pulled up to the house.  I decided to step outside and see what was happening.

Frank had informed me the army was coming to the town and suggested I get in touch with the person-in-charge about having the soldiers speak to the cadets about what they were doing here.  The soldiers were in town for an Arctic survival training course, co-led by the Canadian Rangers.  The Rangers would be taking the soldiers out on the land and teaching them how to survive in Canada’s Arctic.  It appeared they would be using the RCMP house as a temporary barracks.  I guess there wasn’t any space at the hotel and former bed & breakfast.  On the other hand, I thought the house was already occupied by an RCMP officer.  I guess not.

The soldiers & Rangers had pulled 4 long qamutiks loaded with camping supplies & 20-litre gas cans.  The pickup trucks were packed with personal belongings.  I stood back and watched everything, minus the gas cans, be carried into the house.  There were a lot of gas cans.  I think they’re easier to handle instead of using large 45-gallon barrels.

I found the person-in-charge and introduced myself.  I asked him if the soldiers under his command had time the following night to come to cadets?  He replied that the possibility was very likely.  He also informed me that they would be coming to school tomorrow afternoon to talk to middle & high school students about the military.  He finished by adding that the cadet corps would receive leftover boxes of rations because he was given too many.  I didn’t protest because these would be the Canadian-made Individual Meal Packages (IMPs); way better than the American Meals Ready to Eat (MREs).

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t (really) celebrated in Arctic Bay.  The only significance it has is to give people an excuse to wear green.  March 17, 2021 occurred on a Wednesday.  I wore a green dress shirt and a Saskatchewan Roughriders tie.  (I’m not a huge fan of the team; it was the only green tie I had).  I pointed out to my students that the day marked the first year anniversary of Nunavut-wide shutdown of all schools and non-essential businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Hard to believe that a year has already gone by.  Aside from that, March 17 was just a regular day.  The soldiers did come to school and held a short presentation for the middle & high school students.

Six soldiers visited the cadet corps at 7pm.  The cadets sat in a semi-circle in the gym and the soldiers took turns introducing themselves, explaining how joined the armed forces, what they were doing in Arctic Bay & the surrounding area, and answering any questions.  At the end of the presentation, we all posed for a group photograph.  The cadets wanted the soldiers to stay for a game of basketball, but unfortunately, they couldn’t.  They were leaving tomorrow morning and needed to make sure everything was packed & ready.  Their schedule was packed training and long-distance traveling.  We thanked them for the visit.