NUNAVUT - Just as sturdy stone inuksuit mark the territory of Inuit hunters, David Issigaitok, Douglas Nakoolak and Pitisulaq Ukuqtunnuaq are living symbols and not so secret weapons in Canada's Arctic sovereignty strategy.

The three men were part of the Canadian Forces' Nunalivut 08, a joint sovereignty operation in Canada's High Arctic. Nunalivut means "land that is ours" in Inuktitut.

Canadian Ranger Douglas Nakoolak from Coral Harbour. A Ranger for seven years, he said: "It's a learning experience for both of us, Rangers and the soldiers." - Bruce Valpy/NNSL photo

Approximately 20 Rangers and Canadian Forces soldiers in three patrol groups travelled over 3,000 kilometres of thick ocean ice off the west coast of Ellesmere Island between Canada's most Northern military outpost, Canadian Forces Station Alert and most Northern weather station at Eureka.

Climbing off his snowmachine on the icy shore of Slidre Fiord in front of the Eureka weather station, Issigaitok watched the military fanfare surrounding the arrival of the patrol.

"There were good parts," Issigaitok said of the 16 days on the trail. "Some parts were rough. Snow was deep in some places. We saw some wolves, muskox and caribou."

The Hall Beach Ranger was surrounded by roaring 550cc Ski-Doos. Behind him on the snowcovered ice sat a 440 squadron Twin Otter.

Another Twin Otter flew overhead, while Forces officers in green camouflage parkas and winter army boots moved forward to salute, greet, and congratulate the three patrols.

With the military formalities over, Issigaitok and his fellow Rangers, mostly from Nunavut communities but a few from the Northwest Territories and Yukon, were swarmed by reporters, some from as far away as Japan, all guests of a military anxious to get out its message - the Canadian Forces are in control of Canada's Arctic.

They even have an informal slogan: "Boots on the ground." Having Inuit mukluks on the ground while on the feet of Inuit Rangers is even better.

Ranger Nakoolak, speaking from his home in Coral Harbour, used three words to describe the epic patrol: "Fun. Exciting. Interesting."

The interesting part was sitting in a tent listening to one of the scientists invited by the military to take part in Nunalivut 08.

"One guy in our tent gave us a lot of info about checking out the ice cap, fresh water and salt water, what's going to happen 50 to 100 years down the road," said Nakoolak.

At the end of the Nunalivut 08 trek, these same scientists issued a press release announcing to the world that "the largest ice shelf in the Northern Hemisphere had fractured into three main pieces."

Guided by the Rangers, the scientists also discovered an 18-kilometre network of cracks on the southern edge of Ward Hunt Ice Shelf and predict more calamities if the ice shelf disintegration continues.

Ranger Pitisulaq from Taloyoak is 43 years old with five children. He said he didn't know exactly what the scientists were studying. "I never really talked to them."

Still, he said he understands what the scientists are doing and why. "It's all breaking up, I'm kind of concerned.," he said of the ice.

Pitisulaq said he is not intimidated by changes coming. He is confident enough in his skills that he will be able to travel anywhere he wants from his home community, a master of the land and sea ice upon which few non-Inuit venture. That's why sovereignty is not a large issue for him either.

In the chain of command in Canada's sovereignty strategy, there are more than 200 military men and women of Joint Task Force North headquartered in Yellowknife, under orders from Canada Command in Ottawa.

In 2004, after a long absence, naval reserve vessels patrolled Hudson Bay. Since then, Canadian forces have been making their presence felt, on land in the winter, at sea in the summers, in the air all year round, including constant satellite surveillance.

The Conservative government has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to buy icebreakers, build a Northern naval port and expand the Rangers, including a military training center in Resolute Bay, about 547 kilometres south of Eureka.