Junior Canadian Rangers

Canadian Ranger Red Whistle Programme

Canadian Rangers and Junior Canadian Rangers in Ontario now wear bright red whistles attached to their clothing and/or equipment to use in case of emergency while out on the land or in the wilderness. More than 15,000 red whistles were distributed during the year 2000 to Junior Canadian Rangers, their instructors and leaders, and their Canadian Ranger counterparts in the province of Ontario.

This worthwhile initiative came from 3 CRPG (Ontario) as a way to commemorate the millennium and help promote safety awareness at the same time. The theme of “wear the whistle” was heavily promoted along with the Youth Wilderness Safety Program. The idea behind the project is that blowing the whistle can bring help in order to save lives and reduce injuries.

The red whistle is a Fox Forty whistle with a split ring, emblazoned with the Canadian Rangers crest.  A 7-minute promotional video and poster featuring “Polar Pete” also accompanied the whistles as they made their way to all patrols throughout Canada. The cost of purchasing and distributing the whistles was covered by a grant from the Government of Canada through its Youth Employment Strategy program.