Skip to main content

Rescuing people from cliff sides, turbulent rivers and avalanche zones are no longer the most life-threatening tasks for wardens in national parks.

Increasingly, wardens approach armed poachers and campers involved in crime and need to carry guns to keep themselves safe, the Commons heritage committee heard yesterday.

"At least if we're armed, we are going to be perceived as being able to protect ourselves or protect the public," said Donna Crossland, a spokeswoman for the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the union representing wardens.

Ms. Crossland spoke passionately to MPs about a time when she was punched in the face after her pepper spray and baton failed to stop two fish poachers from assaulting an RCMP officer who was assisting her with an arrest in New Brunswick's Kouchibouguac lagoon. Eventually, another warden wrestled the men down.

She said that although she doesn't like the thought of using a gun, having it would make her feel safer.

Doug Martin, a spokesman for PSAC, stressed to the committee that in most cases police backup is usually days, not minutes away.

"As park wardens we deal with over 2,700 square miles [about 7,000 square kilometres]of Banff National Park -- our backup is a long way away," he said.

Mr. Martin, a warden for 26 years, wants the right for wardens to carry sidearms added to new parks legislation.

The bill was introduced in March and is aimed at limiting commercial development in Canada's 39 national parks.

"There is a very, very strong reluctance" within the department to provide handguns as protection, Mr. Martin told MPs.

In addition to being trained in defensive tactics, park wardens wear soft-body armour and carry pepper spray and a collapsible baton.

Park rangers in every province but Newfoundland can carry sidearms, Mr. Martin said.

Interact with The Globe