As the eyes and ears of the North, the Canadian Rangers are vital to the observation and action for the environment. This would include upholding the James Bay and the Northern Quebec Agreement, search and rescue missions, and tracking and recommendations for wildlife preservation.
James Bay and the Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA)
In 1971, Hydro-Quebec, and the Quebec government funded and built the James Bay Project to provide pollution-free electricity for Quebec and nearby areas (Marsh, 2011). The eight stations built has greatly impacted the environment, and the people – in particular the over 45,000 Cree, Inuit, Naskapi, and non-Native people who live in James Bay and Northern Quebec (Marsh, 2011; Environment Quebec, 2003). The flooding of the area resulted in rotting of vegetation, mercury contamination, and deaths of an estimated 10,000 caribou (Marsh, 2011). Shortly after, the James Bay and the Northern Quebec Agreement was signed by the Quebec government, Hydro-Quebec, the James Bay Energy Corporation, the James Bay Development Corporation, Grand Council of the Crees of Quebec, and the Northern Quebec Inuit Association (Environment Quebec, 2003). The two principles established in the Agreement is that all people have a right use and benefit from the resources, and that Native peoples have different cultures and way of life from non-Native peoples of Quebec (Environment Quebec, 2003). The Canadian Rangers can be part of protection the Agreement in their monitoring of the environment. Since most Rangers are of Indigenous descent the JBNQA and sustainability of the North is personal.
Search and Rescue
Another important responsibility of the Canadian Rangers is search and rescue. The unforgiving weather and geography of the North, puts the Rangers in a special place to plan, and execute search and rescue missions. This was evident in Kangiqsualujjuaq of January 1st, 1999. An avalanche crashed into a gymnasium where up to 500 children and adults were celebrating New Year’s (Branswell, 2013). With temperatures of -20° and winds of 100km/hour, the 2CRPG were able to minimize the devastation by being the first ones on scene (Branswell, 2013; Lackenbauer, 2013). Twenty-five were injured, nine died, including five who were under 8 years old (Branswell, 2013). The Canadian Rangers also provided emergency food and supplies to the community days after (Lackenbauer, 2013). In addition they provided, security, reassurance, and leadership during an unfortunate time. It was the actions of the Rangers that awarded them with a Canadian Forces Unit Commendation (Lackenbauer, 2013).
The Watchers
As Rangers, they are responsible for ongoing surveillance, patrolling, and data collection to protect the North. Over the course of 30 years the average temperature in Northern Quebec has increased (Natural Resources Canada, 2016). Climate change affects the health, food source, and safety of the people living in the North (Furgal & Seguin, 2006). Canadian Rangers are in a unique position to be up close to the environmental changes, while distributing the information to the varying levels of government. The remote locations that the Rangers serve will result in the Canadian Rangers being the first ones to respond in times of need. It is the responsive efforts of the Canadian Rangers that ensures the protection of the North and its people.
Wildlife
The Quebec government is expected to put a ban on sport hunting of Leaf Caribou in 2018 (Rogers, 2017). Locals says this is too late, and the dwindling population (430,000 in 2011 to 199,00 in 2016) will continue if the government does not act swiftly (Rogers, 2017). This is not the first time a sports ban has been enacted. In 2012, the George River herd was protected when the population fell to 8,900 (Rogers, 2017). There are plans for an inter-departmental committee to discuss caribou populations, with consultations from the Cree, Inuit, and Naskapi (Rogers, 2017). This is significant because, the caribou are integral to the cultural, health, and spiritual well-being of Aboriginal people (Festa-Bianchet, Ray, Boutin, Côté, & Gunn, 2011). Relating this to the Canadian Rangers, they could be integral to the tracking of the caribou, and giving opportune data that government officials can use to make policy changes.
Individuals helping dig out from the Kangiqsualujjuaq avalanche (Archives de Radio-Canada, 1999).
Leaf River Caribou(Rogers, 2016).
The mean trend of temperatures in five Northern Quebec stations(Natural Resource Canada, 2016).
Above: La Grande Riviere drains into James Bay (Francis, 2006); Below: Former Quebec premier Robert Bourassa (left), former chief of the Cree Grand Council Billy Diamond in Montreal on Nov. 15, 1974, after Quebec signed a hydro agreement with the Cree in James Bay. (Canadian Press found in CBC News, 2014)
