A Canadian Armed Forces Mountain Ops Specialist shows some visitors how to attach a pair of goggles to a helmet during an open house at the Prince Albert Armoury over the weekend. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

By paNOW Staff

‘We exist’: North Saskatchewan Regiment showcases its services in Prince Albert

Apr 9, 2024 | 12:00 PM

There was a lot of activity last weekend at the Prince Albert Armoury building as members of the Canadian Armed Forces opened its doors to residents to show them what they’re all about.

Over the weekend, the North Saskatchewan Regiment held an open house to give visitors a chance to see what life is like for their infantry and beyond.

While one of the primary reasons for the event was to recruit people to the Armed Forces, Captain Ramsay Bellisle said another big reason was to show the community that they’re more than just the cadets.

“We exist here,” he said. “The army reserves are in Prince Albert. It’s not just the armoury, and it’s not just for the cadets. There is a primary reserve unit. We are platoon strength…up to 40 soldiers, officers, NCOs in Prince Albert with the North Saskatchewan Regiment Infantry.”

Usually, an open house of this size is held in the fall, but with many people looking for work in the early spring, the Army moved the Open House to April. Jaworski expected around five per cent of those who visited the Armoury over the weekend would eventually apply.

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Inside the armoury were several displays showing off the different weapons the Armed Forces uses. This included the 84mm Carl Gustaf, the same weapons that Canada gave to Ukraine in its battle with Russia. There was also an M72 shoulder-fired weapon, which the army used in Afghanistan and C7 service rifles.

A .50 cal. heavy machine gun (HMG) was one of the many weapons that were on display. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

An 84mm Carl Gustaf anti-tank rocket launcher on display that also had a dud missile inside. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

But as Captain Todd Jaworski pointed out, a career in the Armed Forces is more than just artillery.

“There’s a lot of trades in the Canadian Armed Forces in Prince Albert,” he said. “We’re limited a little bit in what they can offer, but if they’re looking for a career, there is over 100 different trades that they could apply to, and they could be anywhere from being a human resource administrator, to a cook, to infantry, to lawyer, doctor, whatever they’re looking at, there is potential for them here.”

A Canadian Armed Forces soldier stands near some military gear. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

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panews@pattisonmedia.com