This artical is about the OPP Commemorative Patrol which pays tribute to its northern connection in the force’s birth. If it was not for the booming resource industry in Northern Ontario, and a need to keep rowdy miners and bushworkers in line, the Ontario Provincial Police might never have evolved into what it is today, one of the largest standing police forces in North America. The 5,000 officers owe a great deal to the men who, starting in 1909, policed the remote stretches of Northern Ontario in a most unconventional manner. Living on the trail, these men, more often than not travelling alone, patrolled by whatever means they could, travelling hundreds of kilometres by snowshoe and dogsled, hitching rides on wagons and trains. Their provincially mandated mission: to impose law and order in the lumber camps and mining towns that were springing up across the north. That frontier presence is being celebrated by the OPP Commemorative Patrol, an event that will see two OPP officers don period gear, and travel over 1,000 kilometres by rail, snowshoe and dogsled, stopping at the sites of the OPP’s earliest outposts to educate the public about the force’s history. The patrol kicks off in Hearst this Sunday. It’s a salute to the hardiness, resourcefulness and determination of those men, said Const. Jennifer Nolet, the community services officer at the Hearst Detachment.

Since OPP Constables Guy Higgott and Erik Howells departed from Hearst, Ontario on their three-week, 1,000 kilometre Commemorative Patrol on Sunday (February 1st), Mother Nature reinforced the officers' history lesson about the need to dress warmly in order to survive the harsh winter conditions of north-eastern Ontario. Night-time temperatures continued to plummet down to the -30C to -40C degree (Celsius) range throughout the week, and while the dog teams are quite accustomed to such temperatures, Guy and Erik, both experienced ice climbers in extreme northern climates, report really feeling the "bite" of these frigid early February temperatures. "Our trip thus far has been phenomenal and despite the really cold temperatures, I am savouring every moment we spend in the vast wilderness and the communities of north-eastern Ontario," reported Guy Higgott from somewhere along the Kapuskasing to Timmins/South Porcupine leg of their route. "The people from the Hearst and Kapuskasing areas have extended incredible hospitality to us this past week. The new relationships we are building with some of these northern communities have truly been one of the highlights. Our dog teams are working out extremely well and beyond our expectations so far, as we continue to head north along the trails," added Higgott. "This trek into the past has truly brought home for us the types of hardships that early OPP officers would have endured to get around these desolate lands under these weather conditions, as they carried out their everyday duties," said Erik Howells. "The dedication, determination and tenacity that would have been required of these officers are truly inspiring and humbling to us. While we've tackled many frigid mountain peaks in various countries for sport, this experience makes us appreciate the convenience of the modern-day equipment we normally take along on our excursions. The ones that protect us from arctic-like temperatures would especially come in handy right about now," he added. Guy and Erik were not complaining however, and said they wouldn't change a thing about their trip, quickly pointing out that an important element of the Commemorative Patrol is to experience as accurately as possible, how OPP officers from the past carried out these long journeys in the early part of the 20th century. After a successful launch that attracted hundreds of people on Sunday, the patrol team made a brief overnight stop in Kapuskasing on Tuesday (February 3rd.). The community packed into a local hall to hear the officers speak about the adventures and hardships experienced on the trail. Before the evening began, an elder from the local Native Friendship Centre presented the officers with a gift of traditional moose stew and bannock. A group of grade 4 and 5 students from the Diamond Jubilee Public School in Kapuskasing opened the ceremonies, singing O'Canada in Cree. At the conclusion of the event, Constables Higgott and Howells invited everyone outside, and despite the minus 35 degree Celsius temperature, all eagerly accepted the invitation to visit their camp and dog teams. The patrol left Kapuskasing on Wednesday morning (February 4th), heading for their next stop. They are expected to arrive in Timmins for another overnight community visit sometime in the early afternoon on Saturday, February 7th. Constables Higgott and Howells are making the most out of their community visits, keeping busy with presentations, staging period encampments, sharing the OPP's history as well as their wilderness and survival skills with local communities. Guy and Erik will continue to report in daily by satellite phone from the trails to provide updates during the remainder of their trip. Visit the OPP 100th Anniversary website at www.opp100.ca to obtain updates including video, images and daily audio report-ins from the trail relating to the Commemorative Patrol, the history of the OPP and other staged 100th Anniversary events. The public is encouraged to visit the website regularly as information will be updated throughout 2009. For further information: Sgt. Pierre Chamberland, Media Relations Coordinator, Phone: (705) 329-6878