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The Canada Story - by Kgn Feek

"Good to Go" - n.colloq [Canadian phrase] Usually used by Canadian Mountain Instructors before a member of the King's Regiment is hurled off a cliff.

After being dipped, dunked and scrubbed against foot and mouth for what seemed like the whole month before we left, we were finally "leaving on a jet plane", Canada bound. Having just found out that England had beaten Germany 5-1, the thirty six year old VC10 stopped at Goose Bay in the North of Canada to allow us to re-fuel and say a quick "hello" to the Squadron of German Luftwaffe also stationed there

Thirty-eight hours after leaving Warrington, we finally arrived at Edmonton International airport and were met by three yellow school buses straight out of the "Simpsons", which took us to Canadian Forces Base Edmonton, a garrison that seemed larger than most towns back home. After a briefing, a couple of beers and a decent nights sleep, we were put back onto our buses and made the four hour journey to Stoney Indian Reserve in the foothills of the Rockie Mountains.

Upon arrival, we were issued with all the equipment we would need to complete a slimmed down version of the Canadian Army's "Basic Mountain Operations Course", that every one of its light infantry soldiers must pass before joining his Battalion. This equipment consisted of a twelve foot rope and two "beaners", hardly what Sylvester was using in the epic "Cliffhanger", but hey,….we were open to suggestions.

According to the briefing we then received, bears not only relieved themselves in the woods, but also were quite prone to have a nose around the camp that had been erected for us in the search of food, with or without us being around. This in mind, there were a few panicky expressions when we were told that only the Canadian's would be issued with "Bear Spray" (super strong mace for bears). Visions of fighting twelve foot Grizzlies armed only with my Letherman did little to help my sleep pattern adjust to the tie difference!