For three days in July, Red Deer MP Earl Dreeshen worked shoulder to shoulder with the crew on the Canadian Navy’s patrol frigate HMCS Montréal.
Dreeshen was aboard as part of a Canadian Forces Parliamentary program that allows MPs to participate with their choice of the navy, army or air force during major exercises.
Last year, Dreeshen was at the army’s Canadian Forces Base Wainwright.
This year during the Navy’s 100th year, the MP wanted to be on a ship.
And he learned a thing or two about navy life.
“We went through different types of exercises like man overboard and fire suppression. I had to grab a fire hose and go up and around different openings to try and find the fire to put it out,” Dreeshen said.
Dreeshen was onboard from July 28 to 30 with 225 officers and sailors as the frigate travelled from Halifax, N.S. to St. John’s, N.L.
He slept on the ship, or rather tried to sleep, checked out the engines, practised firing a pistol off the rear of the ship, enjoyed the navy tradition of soup at 10 a.m., and even took the helm of the 4,770 tonne-ship.
“It’s amazing how they manoeuvre.”
The Montréal was participating in Operation NANOOK 07 which involved about 600 soldiers, sailors, and air force personnel along with the Canadian Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and U.S. defences.
The operation was designed to protect and defend Canadian sovereignty in Canada’s North while enhancing inter-agency co-ordination and communication.
During a transfer of personnel from the Montréal to the US Navy Destroyer USS PORTER, Dreeshen said the hardest part was boarding the ships from a smaller transfer boat.
“You have to go up a rope ladder.
“It’s not something I’ve been doing a lot of. At times the ship is bouncing around and the boat you’re on is bouncing around too.”
Dreeshen said he appreciated his time aboard the ship and the bravery of the naval crew who choose to protect society.
“They were so open and wanted us to make sure we understood what was going on because it is important for us. (MPs) are the ones responsible for sending them out to do the things that they do.”
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com