SoVote

Jun/9/23 12:22:20 a.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, back in March, I travelled with committee members of the indigenous and northern affairs committee to my riding in Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk and the Northwest Territories in Yellowknife. We met with many of my constituents and with Canadian Rangers in both of my communities. We went to the joint task force north headquarters office in Yellowknife as well. We heard from my constituents, especially Canadian Rangers, who are extremely proud to serve and keep the Arctic secure for Arctic sovereignty. Canadian Rangers wear their uniforms with pride when they do their operations. They outlined some issues with being Canadian Rangers. When I asked my original question back in March, my question related to one of those issues, which included how long it takes for their reimbursements after they have completed operations. That was three months ago. Some have waited as long as six months to be reimbursed for their time and for repairs. One of the images shared during these visits showed that the Canadian Armed Forces must be using horse carriages to get from Yellowknife to Ottawa to submit the paperwork to Ottawa, with Ottawa using that same mode of transportation to send the cheques back to the communities. Part of the response to my question was, “The CAF has recently streamlined the compensation process. This will expedite the process for Rangers to receive their reimbursements.” Can the government please describe exactly in what way the process has been streamlined and by how much time the process has been cut so that Canadian Rangers do not have to wait months for their reimbursements?

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Context: House Hansard - 209 - Jun/9/23

Ms. Julie Dabrusin (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

Jun/9/23 12:24:47 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, during this time of increasing strategic competition and uncertainty in the global security environment, we in this House and Canadians across the country can take heart in the important work of the Canadian Rangers. Canadian Rangers contribute to the sovereignty and defence of Canada. They work in some of the most difficult-to-reach regions of our country. They help safeguard our northern, coastal and remote communities in the wake of natural disasters, and as we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, they delivered groceries and chopped firewood for neighbours in need, among many other crucial tasks. Canadian Rangers are an essential part of our military's operational capability too. They support search and rescue in parts of the country that fellow CAF members cannot access as quickly. They train with their colleagues to maintain a state of readiness. They are approximately 5,100 personnel strong, working in and around approximately 200 communities, and they know the land better than anyone. As part of this government's commitment to supporting them, the Minister of National Defence recently announced up to $3.7 billion over the next 20 years to provide operational clothing and footwear to the Canadian Armed Forces, including Canadian Rangers. This is on top of our $34.4-million investment to equip the Canadian Rangers with more than 6,000 new C-19 rifles manufactured in Kitchener, Ontario, by Colt Canada. We know that Canadian Rangers use some of their own gear on the job, including some snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and small boats, and we know there have been some challenges in reimbursing equipment damaged during approved military activities. I want to reassure this House and all Canadian Rangers that the Canadian Armed Forces have recently amended their compensation policy, and the leadership is looking at other ways to ease administrative challenges. We expect that this will help speed up reimbursing those claims and will ensure that equipment is repaired or replaced as efficiently as possible. We know the process can be further improved, and I am confident that they will get it right.

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Context: House Hansard - 209 - Jun/9/23

Ms. Lori Idlout

Jun/9/23 12:24:51 a.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, I very much appreciate that very informative response. It does give me hope that Canadian Rangers will get their reimbursements sooner. Another issue brought up with the process of reimbursing Canadian Rangers is how difficult it is to get repairs completed. The main reason is that most Nunavut communities do not have access to direct mechanics in their communities. Canadian Rangers must use limited bandwidth to find the right parts to fix their vehicles, describe them to the mechanics in the south and finally order them and have them delivered by airmail. What will the government do to make it easier for Canadian Rangers to get their vehicles repaired so they can continue with their important operations to maintain Arctic sovereignty?

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Context: House Hansard - 209 - Jun/9/23

Ms. Julie Dabrusin

Jun/9/23 12:25:53 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise once more to reiterate that the Canadian Rangers have been a vital part of the Canadian Armed Forces for the last 75 years and to express our sincere gratitude for the critical work they do. We know that efforts are under way within the Canadian Army to improve the reimbursement process for Canadian Rangers who file an appropriate claim for lost or damaged gear. We know that the military is looking at additional ways to streamline this process, for example, by amending the documentation requirements, which will make it easier for members to file a claim. The Canadian Rangers deserve no less. Thanks to the Canadian Rangers, the present and future of Canada's northern, coastal and regional security are in good hands.

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