Army goes from mentoring Afghan forces to training aboriginal youth

MANITOULIN ISLAND, Ont. – Canadian soldiers have gone from mentoring Afghan troops to instructing aboriginal youth in a program the outgoing commander of the army wants to see expanded to hard-pressed First Nations communities across the country.

Teenagers from the Zhibaahaasing First Nation and troops from the 1st Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment spent a week in the bush of western Manitoulin Island where the young people were taught basic soldiering, survival and, perhaps most importantly, teamwork.

It was an important test case, not only for an army in search of a mission, but for aboriginal communities with high unemployment, few job prospects and an uneasy youth population.

Irene Kells, chief of Zhibaahaasing, was overwhelmed at the sight of the young people as they returned, saying it opens doors to future, even if none of them decide to join the military.

The army’s commander, Lt.-Gen. Peter Devlin, said he would like to see the program extended voluntarily to other hard-pressed communities across the country, and is looking for buy-in from other federal departments.

The army has conducted summer camps for aboriginal youth for 25 years, but the difference with the program on Manitoulin Island this week was that it was the first time it was conducted in the community.