Ajax-Pickering cadets looking for northern lights

Twenty-two teens head to Northwest Territories to visit fellow cadets

March 12, 2010

By Reka Szekely

AJAX-PICKERING -- A group of Ajax and Pickering cadets took off for a northern adventure Thursday morning, headed for Fort Simpson in the Northwest Territories.

Twenty-two teens from the Royal Canada Sea Cadet Corps Harwood branch are on the trip, which is part of a national exchange program for cadets. They departed early Thursday, catching three flights before they arrived in Fort Simpson, located where the Mackenzie and Liard rivers meet and a 600 kilometre drive west of Yellowknife.

On Wednesday night, it was a flurry of activity at the St. Andrew's Community Centre in Ajax, where the group meets, as excited cadets sorted through bags of parkas, mukluks and mitts. Because the Ajax-Pickering cadets generally don't need extreme cold gear, their commanding officer borrowed arctic items from Canadian Forces Base Borden for the trip.

Fifteen-year-old Christopher Mangaser and 16-year-old Rebecca Fox were among the 22 teens going on the trip.

"It's part of an exchange, different corps in Canada go to different provinces," said Christopher. The Ajax and Pickering cadets hosted a group from Quebec last year.

"Basically we experience a different culture, living up there, it's different from living down here," said Christopher, adding the majority of people living in Fort Simpson are First Nations.

Rebecca was expecting the worst and admitted she was a little nervous about going.

"People say it's not that cold, but I think it's going to be freezing," she said, adding she's hoping to see the northern lights and perhaps a polar bear.

The cadets have a number of activities planned while they're there, including dog sledding. Since the group will be visiting army cadets, they'll be participating in orienteering activities which involve using maps and compasses while finding their way. And they'll do it wearing snow shoes.

The visit also coincides with the Beavertail Jamboree, an annual festival in Fort Simpson that involves traditional games, snowmobile races and a talent show. The Ajax-Pickering cadets plan to participate in the talent show.

Lieutenant Andrew Cherry, the commanding officer for the Ajax-Pickering sea cadets, said the Department of National Defence is footing the bill for the trip. He said the inter-provincial exchange program began 12 or 13 years ago.

"It gets cadets moving across the country meeting other cadets."

There's a selection process each year and Lt. Cherry said the local cadets were lucky to nab the opportunity to go to the Northwest Territories.

And it wasn't just the teens who had to get used to the idea of heading north, but the parents as well.

"Some of them were a little apprehensive, but they've all grown into it."

Rebecca said the visit to the Northwest Territories is just one of the trips she's been on with sea cadets and the organization has given her other opportunities such as becoming a sailing coach, which would cost more than $30,000. She received the training for free through cadets.

The cadets will arrive back home on March 15. They took maple leaf-shaped cookies, Olympic mitts and Olympic flags signed by the cadets as a gift for their counterparts at Fort Simpson.