On July 30, six residents of the Hay River Dene Reserve were sworn in as the first members of a newly-formed K'atlodeeche First Nation (KFN) section of the Hay River Canadian Ranger Patrol.
Two KFN members who were already Canadian Rangers will also be part of the new section, while another two KFN members' applications are being processed.
Catherine Heron, the band manager with KFN, said she is very pleased the new section has been formed.
"What we're trying to do is we're trying to work collaboratively with Hay River in many different areas and our goal is to build that relationship with them," she said.
The new section has been set up under a letter of agreement between KFN and the Canadian Armed Forces.
The section leaders will be chosen from the KFN members, but it will remain under the command of the Hay River Canadian Ranger Patrol and the Canadian Armed Forces.
Under the letter of agreement, any on-the-land activities being planned within KFN traditional territory must involve advance consultation with the First Nation.
According to a KFN news release, Chief Roy Fabian stated at the swearing-in ceremony that the agreement is in keeping with the spirit and intent of Treaty 8, whereby KFN agreed to share the land with Canada but retained its own level of jurisdiction over its traditional territory.
Capt. Dave McEachern, officer commanding of A Company of the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (1CRPG) which includes patrols all over the North, was on hand for the swearing-in ceremony.
McEachern said the agreement was signed in April between KFN and the Canadian Armed Forces.
"It is very unique within 1CRPG," he said. "I think this is the only agreement we have with a First Nation."
McEachern pointed to a number of benefits from the agreement.
"It allows the 1CRPG to get out more, to have access to more of the patrol's area of operations," he explained. "The Hay River Patrol's area of operation extends in a 150-km radius around the town of Hay River. So it's a very good thing."
Plus, McEachern noted it gives KFN a voice in activities that are going to be happening on its traditional territory.
"I think the inclusion of KFN within the Hay River Patrol can only make the patrol get better and stronger and serve the local community better," he said.
McEachern noted that, when the Hay River Patrol was established in 2011, there were a lot of KFN members on it, but the number fell for several reasons, such as family responsibilities and illness.
"We're just kind of realigning the patrol to be 100 per cent inclusive of all the people who live in the area," he said of the new section.
McEachern noted that all three sections of the Hay River Canadian Ranger Patrol will operate as one patrol.
A Canadian Ranger is a reservist in the Canadian Armed Forces.
One of the potential Canadian Rangers now in the application process is Heron.
She said she wants to become a Canadian Ranger to be a role model in her position.
"Just to be more of a supportive person as a band manager for the people in the community," she said.
Plus, Heron wants to show that people can do pretty much anything if they put their minds to it.