THUNDER BAY — Thirteen local soldiers with the Canadian Armed Forces have returned to the Lakehead after completing a unique operation.
The contingent, 12 of whom are with the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment, volunteered to help provide security for the recent G7 Summit. The armed forces were part of an RCMP-led group of various organizations, including Calgary police and other Alberta provincial law enforcement organizations.
Garvy Du, a lieutenant with the 38 Signal Regiment, said the local group was part of operations in the Kananaskis Mountains, helping to ensure that unauthorized people couldn’t get closer to the summit — and the world leaders and top national officials there — than they were supposed to.
“We were just close enough were that if anyone were to come in, we would catch them before they even make it to the summit,” he said.
Their time in Alberta also included specific training prior to the G7 itself, largely focused on how to present themselves to anyone who shouldn’t be in the area and, if they didn’t obey orders to leave, how to detain them.
Du said there were no issues.
“Nothing bad happened, which is what we want for the (operation), and I'm glad to be back knowing that nothing happened during that summit,” he said.
For the local contingent, it was an opportunity for a different type of experience as part of their duties.
“This is a unique experience that not everyone can get to do, because the summit is held in Canada, I think, every seven years,” he said. “Not everyone is willing to volunteer or the timing is not right for them to volunteer.”
“This was my first time to actually do something domestically for Canada.”
