WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en-GB 00:00:08.350 --> 00:00:12.540 Travis Bader: I'm Travis Bader, and this is the Silvercore podcast. 00:00:13.380 --> 00:00:17.930 Silvercore has been providing its members with the skills and knowledge 00:00:17.950 --> 00:00:22.620 necessary to be confident and proficient in the outdoors for over 20 years. 00:00:22.710 --> 00:00:26.790 And we make it easier for people to deepen their connection to the natural world. 00:00:27.730 --> 00:00:30.500 If you enjoy the positive and educational content. 00:00:30.710 --> 00:00:35.530 We provide, please let others know by sharing, commenting, and 00:00:35.530 --> 00:00:39.630 following so that you can join in on everything that Silvercore stands for. 00:00:40.710 --> 00:00:43.340 If you'd like to learn more about becoming a member of the 00:00:43.340 --> 00:00:47.929 Silvercore club and community, visit our website at silvercore. 00:00:47.940 --> 00:00:48.370 ca. 00:00:51.980 --> 00:00:55.820 After 26 years in the army, serving twice in Afghanistan, our guest today 00:00:55.820 --> 00:00:58.830 brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his chosen profession. 00:00:59.245 --> 00:01:03.525 As a BC conservation officer, welcome to the Silvercore 00:01:03.525 --> 00:01:05.244 podcast, my friend, Ron LeBlanc. 00:01:07.775 --> 00:01:09.455 Well, this is a first, isn't it? 00:01:09.915 --> 00:01:13.125 Ron Leblanc: It's a first and it's been a bit of to do to get it going. 00:01:13.125 --> 00:01:15.604 And we're here and we're doing it. 00:01:15.614 --> 00:01:15.914 So 00:01:16.574 --> 00:01:19.545 Travis Bader: first time in British Columbia, that a conservation officer 00:01:19.555 --> 00:01:21.505 has come on and talked on a podcast. 00:01:21.515 --> 00:01:21.914 Yeah. 00:01:21.964 --> 00:01:22.715 Ron Leblanc: So no pressure. 00:01:24.345 --> 00:01:27.080 Travis Bader: Well, you know, it's, You've got a really interesting 00:01:27.080 --> 00:01:28.720 history, interesting background. 00:01:28.750 --> 00:01:33.530 I put some queries out online through social media, through forums of just, 00:01:33.570 --> 00:01:36.759 you know, I didn't name who you were, but, uh, if anybody had questions 00:01:36.759 --> 00:01:39.460 for a CEO, and I think we had some interesting ones that kind of came 00:01:39.460 --> 00:01:42.859 up there, but you know, before we get into that, I thought it would be fun. 00:01:43.860 --> 00:01:47.560 Just for people to get to know you, get to know you, your background, kind of 00:01:47.570 --> 00:01:50.190 how you got into where you are, are now. 00:01:50.250 --> 00:01:51.789 And you were in cadets as well when you were younger 00:01:51.860 --> 00:01:52.250 Ron Leblanc: too, weren't you? 00:01:52.250 --> 00:01:54.880 I was a cadet, proud cadet, you know, for sure. 00:01:54.880 --> 00:01:56.660 And certainly led me to where I am today. 00:01:56.660 --> 00:01:56.949 So. 00:01:57.590 --> 00:01:59.080 Travis Bader: I think it's done a lot for a lot of people. 00:01:59.285 --> 00:01:59.624 Yeah. 00:01:59.714 --> 00:02:01.675 Myself, I know it, uh, did a lot. 00:02:01.675 --> 00:02:04.934 I was doing a podcast with Sean Taylor, XJTF2, and he's 00:02:04.934 --> 00:02:06.154 like, Oh, you went to Vernon? 00:02:06.234 --> 00:02:07.005 I went to Vernon. 00:02:07.654 --> 00:02:11.704 I don't, I know a lot of people across Canada that have gone to the Vernon cadet 00:02:11.745 --> 00:02:12.054 Ron Leblanc: camp. 00:02:12.095 --> 00:02:12.405 Yeah. 00:02:12.405 --> 00:02:16.184 I mean, it's, uh, every time I drive by there and. 00:02:16.495 --> 00:02:19.995 And you look at those red buildings, those World War II structures that are still 00:02:19.995 --> 00:02:25.214 there and you kind of pick out the one that you maybe stayed at or, you know, had 00:02:25.215 --> 00:02:29.635 a, had a crush on a girl there and that's the hut that she was in or whatever. 00:02:29.635 --> 00:02:34.055 And I remember those and, you know, the, the big parade square and the 00:02:34.075 --> 00:02:38.695 standing out in the sweating, sweating on a parade and all the little where the 00:02:38.775 --> 00:02:40.665 foundation of the discipline was built. 00:02:40.954 --> 00:02:41.825 Yeah, I remember. 00:02:42.550 --> 00:02:46.180 Travis Bader: First time there were forming up on Sicily square and 00:02:46.180 --> 00:02:47.920 then, uh, getting all your kit. 00:02:47.930 --> 00:02:49.500 I'm like, what did I get myself into? 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:53.189 I'm going to be gone for a few weeks and they're yelling and screaming at me. 00:02:53.930 --> 00:02:56.659 And then it was six weeks after that one. 00:02:57.530 --> 00:02:58.590 How did you get into that? 00:02:59.340 --> 00:03:04.749 Ron Leblanc: Um, well, I, As a kid, I played with G. 00:03:04.749 --> 00:03:04.829 I. 00:03:04.829 --> 00:03:09.890 Joes and, you know, wore camouflage and hid in the bushes and, you know, you 00:03:09.890 --> 00:03:15.480 know, watched the 80s war movies and, you know, loved all the watch mash and 00:03:15.480 --> 00:03:19.429 I just, I was always sort of interested in it, but I never really thought about 00:03:20.079 --> 00:03:23.059 joining or how that looked as a kid. 00:03:23.059 --> 00:03:24.010 I just wasn't there. 00:03:24.160 --> 00:03:24.440 Yeah. 00:03:25.019 --> 00:03:26.380 Um, but as a young. 00:03:26.739 --> 00:03:30.880 First nations kid in the big city, kind of outside of my element. 00:03:30.910 --> 00:03:36.579 And I started hanging with the wrong crowd and I got into trouble, nothing 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:41.540 serious, but enough trouble that I was told to do some community service. 00:03:42.279 --> 00:03:46.950 And, uh, One of the things of community service was c Cadet Corps. 00:03:47.010 --> 00:03:52.560 I did not know about what a really a Cadet Corps thing was, and so 00:03:52.740 --> 00:03:56.310 I kind of thought it was sort of military and I was sort of interested. 00:03:56.310 --> 00:03:58.860 'cause you know, I was already a general because I was playing 00:03:58.865 --> 00:04:01.590 with my soldiers and whatnot. 00:04:01.595 --> 00:04:06.299 And, um, so my mom, uh, had brought me down, you know, very 00:04:06.299 --> 00:04:08.519 willfully to take me to a cadet. 00:04:08.924 --> 00:04:13.174 Corps, and the one that I recall as a little kid was the, the Beatty Street 00:04:13.174 --> 00:04:17.214 Armoury in Vancouver with the, by BC Place with the tanks out front, and 00:04:17.214 --> 00:04:21.985 that's the only sort of wreck, you know, facility that I recognized as military, 00:04:21.985 --> 00:04:24.245 and that's the only reason I chose that. 00:04:25.145 --> 00:04:29.104 And so my mom dropped me off there, and that was on a, I think it was a 00:04:29.104 --> 00:04:34.155 Wednesday, and I got enrolled, and, and I think there was some paperwork that 00:04:34.155 --> 00:04:38.675 they had to sign to, For X amount of community service hours that had to, 00:04:40.105 --> 00:04:47.054 so that was a Wednesday and, and, um, I learned that the next Friday, two days 00:04:47.054 --> 00:04:49.734 later, that cadet corps was going to. 00:04:50.430 --> 00:04:54.960 Uh, Chilliwack, CFB Chilliwack for a shooting thing and this would 00:04:54.960 --> 00:04:56.370 have been in September, I think. 00:04:57.460 --> 00:05:02.369 And, um, the very next day on the Thursday, we went to now the defunct 00:05:02.429 --> 00:05:09.280 Westland Surplus and, and, um, I got some combats and some ill fitting boots and. 00:05:10.090 --> 00:05:14.250 What not and got kitted out and then the next day on the Friday I was at the armory 00:05:14.250 --> 00:05:19.309 and on a bus to Chilliwack and Slept in a giant building and with a bunch of people. 00:05:19.309 --> 00:05:25.009 I didn't know and it was a little everything felt awkward and and The 00:05:25.010 --> 00:05:28.440 next day I got to fire at 22, which is the first firearm I ever got to fire 00:05:29.180 --> 00:05:33.310 and then once that you know in between I'm sure I was getting yelled at and 00:05:33.620 --> 00:05:37.585 move here and move there and eat this and hurry up and And then I got to 00:05:37.585 --> 00:05:40.784 fire the FN C1, uh, on the next day. 00:05:40.784 --> 00:05:42.984 And that was a big, huge 7. 00:05:42.985 --> 00:05:43.604 62 rifle. 00:05:44.135 --> 00:05:48.595 And I was, uh, you know, probably a hundred pounds soaking wet and, um. 00:05:49.465 --> 00:05:52.935 And it just, everything was just a blur and I was just ecstatic. 00:05:52.935 --> 00:05:58.405 I was soaking wet, tired, hungry, and I was like, I'm, I'm now enjoying this. 00:05:58.495 --> 00:06:03.355 And so the very next parade night, I guess it would have been Wednesday or whatever. 00:06:03.355 --> 00:06:07.515 I, I didn't even have a cadet uniform yet, so they still had to size me. 00:06:07.515 --> 00:06:10.284 And so you're learning drill and getting yelled at by the sergeants. 00:06:10.284 --> 00:06:14.135 And it was the first sort of structure I had in my life. 00:06:15.109 --> 00:06:19.830 And it was the first time I met, um, some adults, male role models. 00:06:19.830 --> 00:06:21.310 I hadn't had that before. 00:06:21.810 --> 00:06:26.049 Some of these cadet instructors, the adults were the real sort of first, 00:06:27.129 --> 00:06:30.580 yeah, male role models that, and I still keep in touch to some of them to this 00:06:30.580 --> 00:06:34.509 day, because it really changed my path. 00:06:34.510 --> 00:06:38.039 I was going down the wrong path and it, and it certainly showed me a different 00:06:38.039 --> 00:06:41.830 path that was, that was available to me. 00:06:41.830 --> 00:06:42.649 And I learned that. 00:06:43.164 --> 00:06:45.284 You know, if you put the work in, you put the time in. 00:06:46.825 --> 00:06:48.055 There's rewards at the end of it. 00:06:48.065 --> 00:06:53.035 And I also learned about instant discipline where I hadn't had that before. 00:06:53.525 --> 00:06:57.915 So you got corrected immediately and I, that's what I needed. 00:06:58.034 --> 00:06:59.815 I needed that guidance and that correction. 00:06:59.815 --> 00:07:02.835 And I, I just, I liked it. 00:07:02.845 --> 00:07:03.335 I loved it. 00:07:03.365 --> 00:07:06.375 And, and I needed a focus. 00:07:06.375 --> 00:07:10.875 And I remember standing there and every, every night at the beginning of the night, 00:07:10.875 --> 00:07:13.354 they'd inspect each troop would pet their. 00:07:13.605 --> 00:07:17.005 Put their best cadet dressed that's in this uniform pressed and everything 00:07:17.005 --> 00:07:21.445 forward and the regimental sergeant major would pick the two and he would decide 00:07:21.445 --> 00:07:25.275 who's best dressed for that night and they would, they would give them this 00:07:25.275 --> 00:07:27.155 little drill cane and called it stick man. 00:07:27.155 --> 00:07:28.505 And you're the stick man for the night. 00:07:29.375 --> 00:07:33.375 And so you got a point of pride of taking that cane around the night, 00:07:33.405 --> 00:07:38.724 knowing that you had the best uniform, boots are polished, you know, ironing 00:07:38.725 --> 00:07:40.895 and all the lint was gone and haircut. 00:07:40.895 --> 00:07:45.115 And it was, you were, so I tried to get that and every week, you know, I 00:07:45.125 --> 00:07:48.555 didn't, I wasn't even selected and you know, the odd time I was selected to 00:07:48.555 --> 00:07:51.755 be the guy and I didn't quite make it. 00:07:51.755 --> 00:07:55.515 And then it just drove me more to try harder and harder. 00:07:56.430 --> 00:08:00.100 Eventually I became the stick man and that was a pretty proud moment for 00:08:00.100 --> 00:08:00.370 Travis Bader: me. 00:08:00.670 --> 00:08:04.730 Isn't that funny how people crave that those boundaries, those brackets, 00:08:04.769 --> 00:08:06.459 whether you're young or you're old. 00:08:06.470 --> 00:08:12.699 I think everybody wants to know where their boundaries are and you know, I 00:08:12.930 --> 00:08:17.770 learned that in just working with other people and managing people, I'd be like, I 00:08:17.770 --> 00:08:19.480 would want someone just to leave me alone. 00:08:19.490 --> 00:08:20.740 Trust me, I can do this. 00:08:20.740 --> 00:08:21.710 I know how to do things. 00:08:21.710 --> 00:08:21.930 Right. 00:08:22.270 --> 00:08:22.850 So I would. 00:08:23.640 --> 00:08:25.370 I would do the same for somebody else. 00:08:26.030 --> 00:08:29.480 And that can be misinterpreted as somebody not caring if you. 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:33.789 Provide those boundaries and let a person know when they're outside 00:08:33.789 --> 00:08:36.880 of it, especially at a young age, holy crow, what, what that does 00:08:36.880 --> 00:08:38.059 for a person as they get older. 00:08:38.059 --> 00:08:41.400 And I know the cadet system did a lot from, for me, when I look at others 00:08:41.400 --> 00:08:46.110 around me that were, um, who I was hanging out with, similar to you, 00:08:46.439 --> 00:08:47.920 they didn't end up in the same place. 00:08:48.400 --> 00:08:50.049 And I can't say it was 100% the case. 00:08:55.770 --> 00:08:57.770 Ron Leblanc: And just look what happens when you don't put any 00:08:57.770 --> 00:09:01.589 boundaries or left or right of arcs on someone and see how that turns out. 00:09:01.790 --> 00:09:02.280 Totally. 00:09:02.930 --> 00:09:05.819 Travis Bader: So then you decided, okay, army, that's for me. 00:09:05.880 --> 00:09:06.689 I want to be. 00:09:07.055 --> 00:09:11.144 Ron Leblanc: Well, in my world, we're still small then and I only knew about 00:09:11.144 --> 00:09:16.355 the cadets and I kind of knew that there was a regimental affiliation to a reserve 00:09:16.355 --> 00:09:20.155 unit or militia unit and the regular force units and so I got a little bit of 00:09:20.155 --> 00:09:25.694 exposure to those guys and every now and then they would take a deserving cadet 00:09:25.734 --> 00:09:30.365 on an exercise with them and A couple of years into it, I happened to be one of 00:09:30.365 --> 00:09:34.545 those deserving cadets and I got to go on and exercise with the, with the army and, 00:09:35.275 --> 00:09:40.665 and, um, that's when I realized that as soon as I could, I'm joining the military. 00:09:41.465 --> 00:09:46.685 And I was so eager, I attempted to join in grade 10. 00:09:47.265 --> 00:09:51.454 I hadn't graduated grade 10 yet, and I just wanted out of the situation I was 00:09:51.454 --> 00:09:55.434 in at home, I needed to get away and I wanted to just go and join the military. 00:09:55.465 --> 00:09:58.425 So I went to the recruiting office and they're like, no, no, son, you 00:09:58.425 --> 00:10:01.345 need grade 10 to graduate grade 10. 00:10:01.425 --> 00:10:02.084 And I'm like. 00:10:02.590 --> 00:10:04.990 I have to go back because I had quit school and everything and 00:10:04.990 --> 00:10:06.080 I wasn't doing well in school. 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:09.950 I wasn't doing, I was just focused on getting into the military. 00:10:10.010 --> 00:10:12.860 So then the recruiter told me, you need to go back in minimum grade 10 00:10:12.860 --> 00:10:14.160 and your parents got assigned for you. 00:10:15.249 --> 00:10:18.689 So I went back to grade, re enrolled in school because I got kicked out of school 00:10:18.689 --> 00:10:21.239 for, you know, attendance and fighting. 00:10:21.250 --> 00:10:24.390 And I was, you know, like I said, down that bad path. 00:10:25.090 --> 00:10:27.900 And then the, the recruiter told me you need to get your grade 10. 00:10:27.940 --> 00:10:31.560 So I went back to school and I had to focus on a mission. 00:10:32.690 --> 00:10:34.240 Became the top student that year. 00:10:34.710 --> 00:10:35.300 Did you really? 00:10:35.340 --> 00:10:35.890 I did. 00:10:36.110 --> 00:10:39.239 I got a, they even gave me a 300 bursary. 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:39.980 Holy crow. 00:10:40.020 --> 00:10:43.599 And, uh, I brought my mom with me to the recruiter and... 00:10:43.880 --> 00:10:48.680 I had my letter of being the top student, my grade 10 diploma, and 00:10:48.680 --> 00:10:50.170 I'm like, I'm joining the military. 00:10:50.620 --> 00:10:50.910 Wow. 00:10:50.980 --> 00:10:51.180 Right? 00:10:51.209 --> 00:10:51.719 And so I did. 00:10:51.719 --> 00:10:52.400 I joined the military. 00:10:52.689 --> 00:10:56.310 And I, you know, later on in life, I had to, I paid for it later cause I had 00:10:56.310 --> 00:11:00.400 to get, I wanted my grade 12 and, and, uh, you go to work and then after you 00:11:00.410 --> 00:11:04.010 go to night school and that, you know, I really should have just completed 00:11:04.010 --> 00:11:05.810 my grade 12 and then joined after. 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:07.170 I was too eager. 00:11:07.849 --> 00:11:10.550 Um, uh, to join and, but I sort of paid for it. 00:11:10.550 --> 00:11:14.400 Like it was, it sucked racing home and shoving food down your neck 00:11:14.410 --> 00:11:15.540 and then going to class at night. 00:11:15.540 --> 00:11:17.189 And yeah. 00:11:17.729 --> 00:11:17.910 Travis Bader: Yeah. 00:11:17.910 --> 00:11:18.670 It's a bit of work. 00:11:18.709 --> 00:11:21.639 I was lucky to go through, you know, school system wasn't, uh, 00:11:21.659 --> 00:11:23.019 school's not built for everybody. 00:11:23.170 --> 00:11:25.579 Some people do really well in school. 00:11:25.599 --> 00:11:28.199 I look at my daughter, she's doing fantastic in school. 00:11:28.540 --> 00:11:29.999 My son does great as well. 00:11:29.999 --> 00:11:33.760 And for me, I ended up going to. 00:11:33.859 --> 00:11:34.249 Yeah. 00:11:34.430 --> 00:11:35.140 I went to three. 00:11:35.329 --> 00:11:35.659 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 00:11:35.909 --> 00:11:42.145 Um, Um, I went to Templeton, uh, Van Tech and Britannia. 00:11:43.005 --> 00:11:43.195 Yeah. 00:11:43.195 --> 00:11:44.075 So East Van Boy. 00:11:44.305 --> 00:11:44.685 Yeah. 00:11:44.745 --> 00:11:46.205 And yeah, I struggled in school. 00:11:46.205 --> 00:11:49.265 You know, I was often the only Brown person in the room. 00:11:50.065 --> 00:11:55.434 And sometimes, you know, I was, uh, I stuck up for myself. 00:11:55.614 --> 00:11:56.104 Sure. 00:11:56.155 --> 00:11:56.815 Travis Bader: Put it that way. 00:11:58.135 --> 00:11:58.845 Yeah, I hear ya. 00:11:59.385 --> 00:12:04.325 Um, well in school, I could see that being difficult in the, in the army. 00:12:04.705 --> 00:12:04.945 I. 00:12:07.390 --> 00:12:11.530 Ron Leblanc: Uh, yeah, I was often the only Brown person in the room and I 00:12:11.530 --> 00:12:18.509 joined, when I elected to join the OCA crisis was going on and I was back home 00:12:18.520 --> 00:12:23.960 visiting, um, my family in Manitoba where I'm originally from and, and we're from 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:29.170 a reserve called Ebb and Flow, it's a Ghibli reserve and the OCA thing was in 00:12:29.170 --> 00:12:34.170 full swing and, and, and, and, um, It was, I was not popular amongst my grandma and 00:12:34.170 --> 00:12:37.280 my uncles and aunts to join the military. 00:12:37.730 --> 00:12:40.200 But that, for whatever reason, it didn't bug me or deter 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:42.119 me, I still wanted to join. 00:12:42.939 --> 00:12:48.130 And, cause I had grown up with me not being afraid of who I am. 00:12:48.539 --> 00:12:51.215 I didn't think, I would stand up to any challenge in the 00:12:51.215 --> 00:12:52.675 military that way as well. 00:12:53.125 --> 00:12:55.765 So it did, I already had to have been exposed to it, so I didn't care. 00:12:56.925 --> 00:12:58.955 And I wasn't afraid of it, like bring it on. 00:12:58.965 --> 00:13:03.404 Like I'm, I'm still just, I'm not any better than you, but I'm not any worse. 00:13:04.604 --> 00:13:07.635 Travis Bader: So, you know, the problem with, we spent the, uh, the 00:13:07.635 --> 00:13:12.485 day yesterday hanging out and I got to see what you do with, uh, for work. 00:13:12.485 --> 00:13:16.270 And it's, uh, I tell you this much, uh, If I were to go back 00:13:16.270 --> 00:13:19.030 in time a little bit, I think I'd want to be a conservation officer. 00:13:19.040 --> 00:13:23.060 I mean, that's totally suited to somebody with an ADHD lifestyle, who's self 00:13:23.060 --> 00:13:26.739 motivated and who, uh, loves the outdoors. 00:13:26.800 --> 00:13:28.189 I mean, just fantastic. 00:13:28.189 --> 00:13:30.879 But the problem that, uh, sometimes is. 00:13:31.074 --> 00:13:34.675 We'll talk ahead of time and there's a lot of really good details that you 00:13:34.675 --> 00:13:39.764 left out of those two stories that you just told, but, um, um, maybe 00:13:39.764 --> 00:13:43.484 it's for the best that we don't, uh, release all of that information. 00:13:43.874 --> 00:13:44.165 Yeah. 00:13:44.244 --> 00:13:52.474 Um, you decided what, after 26 years, now I, I want to get into the CO service. 00:13:53.194 --> 00:13:53.484 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 00:13:53.484 --> 00:13:55.035 I mean, there's always been. 00:13:56.150 --> 00:14:00.620 I've always been interested in outdoors and nature and animals and critters 00:14:00.620 --> 00:14:06.890 and, and law enforcement, you know, I've always had, it was there, but I just 00:14:06.890 --> 00:14:11.470 didn't know what that looked like or what I thought maybe it was a park ranger. 00:14:11.520 --> 00:14:12.390 I didn't know. 00:14:12.390 --> 00:14:14.050 I just know I wanted to do that. 00:14:14.100 --> 00:14:18.310 And I didn't really know what that was, what agency is attached to that. 00:14:19.400 --> 00:14:24.865 Um, and so I had gotten back from my, I had done a little research online 00:14:24.865 --> 00:14:29.125 and I, you know, you needed a degree or diploma and I didn't have, I had 00:14:29.125 --> 00:14:32.755 some of that training in the military and we use some accreditations from, 00:14:32.764 --> 00:14:36.025 you know, other universities gives its equivalencies and some of the 00:14:36.134 --> 00:14:37.815 training and courses we do and whatnot. 00:14:38.930 --> 00:14:40.790 And so I just didn't think I was qualified. 00:14:40.939 --> 00:14:43.819 I didn't meet their minimum expectations, what they're asking for. 00:14:43.819 --> 00:14:49.629 And, and I was in a bit of a slump after my second deployment and wasn't really 00:14:49.634 --> 00:14:51.489 sure if I wanted to stay in the military. 00:14:52.610 --> 00:14:59.130 And, uh, so I, I took a chance at, I applied, I, I sent, I didn't apply. 00:14:59.135 --> 00:15:00.090 I sent an email. 00:15:01.170 --> 00:15:06.485 Um, To the recruiting service or to the recruiting email, just in a, 00:15:07.645 --> 00:15:11.265 just to see what they'd come back with, you know, as a kind of a lot. 00:15:11.284 --> 00:15:15.115 I had applied for DFO before that actually, and got, I wrote the 00:15:15.115 --> 00:15:19.605 test and, and, um, listened to their talk and it was kind of what 00:15:19.605 --> 00:15:21.135 I wanted to do, but not really. 00:15:21.145 --> 00:15:22.995 It just was a little bit too specific. 00:15:23.005 --> 00:15:28.170 I wanted more than just, I mean, the DFO are great, but I, You 00:15:28.170 --> 00:15:30.810 know, I kind of wanted something a little different than that as 00:15:30.810 --> 00:15:32.430 well, a broader spectrum of broader. 00:15:32.450 --> 00:15:32.800 Yeah. 00:15:32.800 --> 00:15:36.999 And so anyways, I get an, I send out an email and I get an email back and 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:41.700 lo and behold, the recruiting sergeant is a guy I served with in Afghanistan. 00:15:42.830 --> 00:15:43.480 What are the odds? 00:15:44.660 --> 00:15:47.700 I didn't know his name is Mike was Mike solely. 00:15:47.700 --> 00:15:52.510 And he was a An officer and he was in the PsyOps platoon and I had worked 00:15:52.620 --> 00:15:56.640 the platoon or the job I did work closely with the PsyOps platoon. 00:15:56.640 --> 00:16:02.740 So he knew me, knew my reputation and I asked him, um, Hey man, like 00:16:03.329 --> 00:16:07.100 you have a similar background to me, you're a CO and like, how'd that go? 00:16:07.100 --> 00:16:10.029 I know you don't have a natural resource law enforcement 00:16:10.029 --> 00:16:11.459 degree like they're asking for. 00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:16.069 He goes, well, I have some education and I have some relevant experience. 00:16:16.079 --> 00:16:16.850 And they. 00:16:17.245 --> 00:16:21.745 Took that as good enough And he says all I can do is is just get 00:16:21.745 --> 00:16:23.305 you to apply and we'll look at it. 00:16:23.525 --> 00:16:24.074 Hmm. 00:16:24.185 --> 00:16:27.365 So I put my package together Sent it off. 00:16:28.275 --> 00:16:34.234 And then while I was deployed on my second time overseas and in Afghanistan 00:16:34.704 --> 00:16:38.085 I got an email from the recruiting section saying that I got hired And 00:16:38.085 --> 00:16:42.045 I'll be posted to mission and, uh, and you have to be in the academy in 00:16:42.045 --> 00:16:48.375 like a month and I'm halfway through my deployment and it was heartbreaking 00:16:48.385 --> 00:16:51.505 because I had to decline that opportunity. 00:16:51.505 --> 00:16:52.535 I was in 2013. 00:16:54.075 --> 00:16:56.834 Um, but the good news is they said, well, you'll, you'll be on a 00:16:56.845 --> 00:16:58.775 list eligibility list for a year. 00:16:58.775 --> 00:17:03.755 And, and, uh, if, if we're still hiring next year, if there's positions and 00:17:03.764 --> 00:17:04.925 depending on where you're ranked. 00:17:05.575 --> 00:17:07.575 You don't have to go through the whole system again. 00:17:07.635 --> 00:17:07.964 Right. 00:17:08.155 --> 00:17:13.065 So, I came back from my deployment and I immediately cancelled all my full time 00:17:13.065 --> 00:17:14.825 contracts because I didn't want to be... 00:17:16.155 --> 00:17:17.284 Have anything to hold me back. 00:17:17.795 --> 00:17:19.125 So I was now a reservist. 00:17:19.525 --> 00:17:21.005 Again, a part time soldier. 00:17:21.775 --> 00:17:23.224 And waiting for the call. 00:17:23.315 --> 00:17:28.145 And I think it was around May that Yeah, it was, no, maybe it was later than that. 00:17:28.145 --> 00:17:31.225 Cause I It would have been in July or August. 00:17:31.284 --> 00:17:32.544 That I got the, yeah. 00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:35.950 You're going to the academy and this academy started, I think, the first week 00:17:35.950 --> 00:17:38.860 of September that year in Hinton, Alberta. 00:17:40.560 --> 00:17:45.510 And so, uh, yeah, a couple, a couple of weeks later, the recruiting sergeant, 00:17:45.520 --> 00:17:49.580 Mike Soley, that I mentioned swung by my house with a giant cardboard box 00:17:49.580 --> 00:17:52.969 full of gear, uniforms and duty belts. 00:17:52.969 --> 00:17:55.939 And, you know, you know, and the rest of the, the good stuff 00:17:55.959 --> 00:17:57.249 was delivered to the academy. 00:17:57.249 --> 00:17:58.800 But then I got my initial set up. 00:17:59.760 --> 00:18:03.530 And I had no even clue how to put a duty belt on, or how it clips 00:18:03.530 --> 00:18:05.129 together, or didn't know any of that. 00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:06.419 How exciting. 00:18:06.540 --> 00:18:07.409 Very exciting. 00:18:07.429 --> 00:18:10.979 And I, I don't, I had the new, all the brand new toy feel, right? 00:18:10.990 --> 00:18:11.050 Of course. 00:18:11.050 --> 00:18:13.550 You know, flashlights and blah blah blah. 00:18:13.929 --> 00:18:15.909 So yeah, and then I started my journey as a... 00:18:16.195 --> 00:18:18.535 Conservation officer in September. 00:18:18.535 --> 00:18:23.115 And I did my, my, uh, recruit training and, uh, and then I, 00:18:23.145 --> 00:18:25.195 my probation period after that. 00:18:25.195 --> 00:18:27.445 And my first posting was Burns Lake. 00:18:27.854 --> 00:18:29.594 Travis Bader: Well, you did pretty good on your, uh, on 00:18:29.595 --> 00:18:30.445 your training there, didn't you? 00:18:30.445 --> 00:18:32.325 Didn't you, uh, come top of your class? 00:18:33.169 --> 00:18:37.199 Ron Leblanc: I was voted valedictorian, which, which is pretty special because 00:18:37.199 --> 00:18:38.909 it's, it's voted by your peers. 00:18:39.169 --> 00:18:40.110 That's pretty cool. 00:18:40.209 --> 00:18:44.409 Um, and I had, I was just, I was twice the age of everybody there. 00:18:44.639 --> 00:18:49.330 I was 41 when I went through and most people were in their early 20s. 00:18:49.590 --> 00:18:55.750 And the academy, um, all the classes that were, that I took, I, 00:18:56.510 --> 00:18:59.810 I'm not saying I'm all that, but I didn't struggle with anything. 00:19:00.350 --> 00:19:01.750 What I struggled with was my. 00:19:02.570 --> 00:19:08.949 The, the age gap with my peers and, you know, they just had different 00:19:09.189 --> 00:19:10.959 interests and motivations than I did. 00:19:11.589 --> 00:19:15.859 It took me a really long time to get to that point in life to, to be there. 00:19:15.860 --> 00:19:18.179 And I was so just grateful to be there. 00:19:18.179 --> 00:19:23.179 And I made a point of just every day working, doing the best I could and doing, 00:19:23.439 --> 00:19:26.959 doing as much as I could to make sure that I'm standing on the parade at the end for. 00:19:30.439 --> 00:19:33.110 Travis Bader: So your first deployment, when he came out of training, you're, 00:19:33.449 --> 00:19:34.620 you said you're in Burns Lake there? 00:19:34.719 --> 00:19:35.070 Yeah. 00:19:35.719 --> 00:19:36.429 What was that like? 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:42.419 Ron Leblanc: Well, I knew where Burns Lake was because, uh, for a 00:19:42.419 --> 00:19:48.320 stint in the military, I did a four year, Recruiting Sergeant job in B. 00:19:48.320 --> 00:19:48.649 C. 00:19:48.649 --> 00:19:52.290 and I was in a specialized recruiting unit at the time that was for 00:19:52.409 --> 00:19:58.100 diversity recruiting and I specialize in First Nations and getting First 00:19:58.100 --> 00:19:59.669 Nations to apply to the military. 00:20:00.149 --> 00:20:02.600 There's the representation. 00:20:03.050 --> 00:20:04.590 And the military was quite low. 00:20:04.639 --> 00:20:09.179 I happened to be the right color and they really wanted me to, to do that. 00:20:09.199 --> 00:20:10.389 And I really enjoyed that. 00:20:10.439 --> 00:20:13.610 And it was one of the highlights of my, my career was that four year stint. 00:20:13.610 --> 00:20:16.459 And, and because of that, I did a lot of road show traveling. 00:20:16.459 --> 00:20:20.269 I mean, in the SUV packed with gear and going to reserves and talking to the 00:20:20.269 --> 00:20:23.979 elders and doing presentations and Burns Lake had passed through a number of times. 00:20:24.300 --> 00:20:25.100 So I knew where it was. 00:20:25.159 --> 00:20:26.570 My wife didn't know where it was. 00:20:28.485 --> 00:20:34.745 And we were at a condo in Poco and she was established as a teacher and I was 00:20:34.754 --> 00:20:38.955 just about to start a new job and I had, now was only doing the reservist thing 00:20:38.965 --> 00:20:43.125 because I didn't want to commit to any work for obvious reasons and so we, we 00:20:43.125 --> 00:20:49.255 elected to do a road trip north to camping and to come up to Burns Lake to see where 00:20:49.255 --> 00:20:54.340 we're going to be living and meet the, The officers that I'd be working with. 00:20:54.730 --> 00:20:57.420 And my sergeant at the time was in Smithers an hour and a half 00:20:57.420 --> 00:20:58.580 up the road from Burns Lake. 00:20:59.370 --> 00:21:01.769 So we, we made a bit of a road trip and camping trip. 00:21:01.769 --> 00:21:04.910 And then we met my supervisor, my future supervisor, and some of 00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:06.110 the guys I was going to work with. 00:21:06.819 --> 00:21:09.959 Got to see the area and, and um... 00:21:10.280 --> 00:21:15.419 You know, next thing you know, I was at the academy and then we're looking 00:21:15.419 --> 00:21:19.020 at trying to buy a house when we posted here and all that fun stuff. 00:21:19.060 --> 00:21:19.350 Well, what's 00:21:19.350 --> 00:21:20.509 Travis Bader: your wife think of Burns Lake? 00:21:21.580 --> 00:21:24.830 Ron Leblanc: Oh, it's, it's small, it's a small town. 00:21:24.830 --> 00:21:26.449 It is like 2000 people. 00:21:26.879 --> 00:21:29.750 It's a rough for it's like for game warden work. 00:21:29.830 --> 00:21:30.439 Amazing. 00:21:30.669 --> 00:21:31.120 Yeah. 00:21:31.550 --> 00:21:33.520 For her, she's a French immersion teacher. 00:21:34.490 --> 00:21:37.750 There is no French immersion program there now, but at the 00:21:37.760 --> 00:21:40.260 time there was, so she got a job. 00:21:41.010 --> 00:21:44.639 Um, teaching French immersion there at one of the, at the local elementary school. 00:21:44.639 --> 00:21:48.220 So, I mean, all that worked and they hired her on the spot because they really 00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:50.619 need, you know, qualified teachers there. 00:21:50.620 --> 00:21:55.200 And, and so we made it, we, I mean, we had a great time there. 00:21:55.350 --> 00:21:58.190 Um, we did our two year posting there and. 00:21:58.524 --> 00:22:04.774 And then, um, I think it wasn't big enough for us and, and law enforcement 00:22:04.774 --> 00:22:06.624 in a small town has its challenges. 00:22:06.764 --> 00:22:09.014 Travis Bader: Yeah, I was going to ask you about that at some point here. 00:22:09.064 --> 00:22:10.484 That's going to be, uh, 00:22:10.645 --> 00:22:11.324 Ron Leblanc: interesting. 00:22:11.475 --> 00:22:16.784 Yeah, and, um, it was one of the motivating, they were going to potentially 00:22:16.784 --> 00:22:18.044 get rid of the French Immersion Program. 00:22:18.044 --> 00:22:22.304 So it was that for her and she really wanted to teach the French program and, 00:22:22.864 --> 00:22:24.824 and the town was a little too small. 00:22:25.010 --> 00:22:29.330 Or, I just felt I was almost trapped at home a lot of the time. 00:22:30.490 --> 00:22:34.260 Uh, you, when you're off duty and you go out, people know who you are. 00:22:34.580 --> 00:22:36.239 Uh, they know you're the game warden. 00:22:36.870 --> 00:22:39.030 And, you're never really off duty. 00:22:39.239 --> 00:22:41.279 Uh, someone wants to talk to you about something. 00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:43.760 Which is fine, if they don't, you know. 00:22:44.030 --> 00:22:46.930 But you, you just kind of want your time, when it's your time. 00:22:47.330 --> 00:22:48.620 You need that to recharge. 00:22:49.665 --> 00:22:53.585 Or they would, people would, you know, I've had people come to my house when 00:22:53.585 --> 00:22:58.195 I'm not there, banging on the door, demanding I give back their seized 00:22:58.195 --> 00:22:59.705 antlers or whatever, something like that. 00:22:59.715 --> 00:23:05.945 And it's just not, uh, a family, uh, situation I, I want. 00:23:06.385 --> 00:23:07.355 I can see that, yeah. 00:23:07.604 --> 00:23:09.855 Yeah, and it just never felt like you could truly just 00:23:09.855 --> 00:23:11.875 relax and unwind and, you know. 00:23:12.290 --> 00:23:16.730 Go to the restaurant and you recognize the cook from a file that, you know. 00:23:17.310 --> 00:23:21.020 Travis Bader: Yeah, that's got to be the joys of small town policing like anywhere. 00:23:21.020 --> 00:23:24.400 It's, uh, yeah, you're, you're, you're gonna have to be walking 00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:25.670 around with your head in a swivel. 00:23:25.749 --> 00:23:29.359 Ron Leblanc: Yeah, and I like to go out into the town and enjoy restaurants 00:23:29.360 --> 00:23:30.799 and you know, all that stuff. 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:34.370 And I just felt I was, I was trapped in a small town like that. 00:23:34.370 --> 00:23:37.920 And so we kind of looked for an alternative posting that when it came 00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:44.545 available and when When it, uh, when a town that we wanted maybe had come 00:23:44.545 --> 00:23:48.015 up, we would put it, we'd put a package together and then there's a bit of 00:23:48.015 --> 00:23:49.364 a competition to see who gets it. 00:23:49.365 --> 00:23:54.174 And then that's, and so we, we ended up moving to Williams Lake and we 00:23:54.175 --> 00:23:55.865 did three years in Williams Lake. 00:23:57.180 --> 00:23:59.670 And then, like I said, I've been in Smithers here for about 00:23:59.940 --> 00:24:01.400 three, just over three years now. 00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:06.719 And you know, when we were in Burns Lake, um, I had made the mistake of 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:09.419 bringing my wife to Smithers an hour and a half off the road on the weekend. 00:24:10.050 --> 00:24:10.350 Yeah. 00:24:10.350 --> 00:24:11.080 And she was upset. 00:24:11.090 --> 00:24:12.880 Why couldn't you get us posted here? 00:24:12.929 --> 00:24:13.920 Oh, it's beautiful here. 00:24:14.060 --> 00:24:15.410 Yeah, it is amazing. 00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:18.400 Travis Bader: So I've done some hunting in the Williams Lake area, 00:24:18.450 --> 00:24:19.780 and I can imagine that there's. 00:24:19.985 --> 00:24:23.554 Probably a fair bit of work for a conservation officer to do up 00:24:23.554 --> 00:24:26.374 there, just based on my observations and what I've seen, that could 00:24:26.384 --> 00:24:28.175 be, um, a pretty busy area. 00:24:29.474 --> 00:24:33.485 Ron Leblanc: It's a population 10 there, plus the, there's all the surrounding 00:24:33.485 --> 00:24:36.114 communities, very big deer hunting. 00:24:36.399 --> 00:24:39.590 Uh, population there, you can, there's moose and elk and there's 00:24:40.029 --> 00:24:41.330 salmon, there's everything there. 00:24:42.269 --> 00:24:46.289 It's, it's the posting that I think offers for me, the most variety 00:24:46.289 --> 00:24:48.929 of terrain and type of work. 00:24:49.549 --> 00:24:52.409 It's just, it's an amazing place to work. 00:24:52.999 --> 00:24:58.160 And, uh, because it's close to Vancouver and some of the bigger 00:24:58.160 --> 00:24:59.620 centers, it's a day drive. 00:24:59.830 --> 00:25:03.910 Um, you know, uh, a person from Vancouver could be up and hunting that evening. 00:25:04.865 --> 00:25:08.695 So you have a big hunter base and you have a lot of call volume 00:25:08.715 --> 00:25:09.645 because you have a lot of people. 00:25:09.665 --> 00:25:13.355 So you're hopping busy in a community like that. 00:25:15.274 --> 00:25:18.835 Travis Bader: So, you know, I have some questions out here. 00:25:19.225 --> 00:25:23.124 I figured it's only right that we go through a few of these ones. 00:25:23.295 --> 00:25:25.985 Some are a little bit interesting. 00:25:26.385 --> 00:25:28.285 Uh, some I think are really good here. 00:25:29.360 --> 00:25:32.030 We had one person write in and he wanted to know, like, how do you 00:25:32.030 --> 00:25:33.429 become a conservation officer? 00:25:33.449 --> 00:25:35.850 How many conservation officers are there out there? 00:25:35.850 --> 00:25:37.090 What's the process like? 00:25:37.090 --> 00:25:38.090 Is it pretty competitive? 00:25:38.090 --> 00:25:39.179 Is it hard to get into? 00:25:39.399 --> 00:25:39.610 Yeah. 00:25:39.610 --> 00:25:40.800 What, what does that look like? 00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:46.799 Ron Leblanc: Um, well for me, my, the way I came to the CO service was 00:25:47.320 --> 00:25:49.039 a little unique from everybody else. 00:25:50.195 --> 00:25:56.495 The generic sort of common path into the service is essentially a person 00:25:56.504 --> 00:26:00.314 has to go to a, you know, there's a few colleges that offer natural 00:26:00.314 --> 00:26:04.114 resource law enforcement, VIU or Lethbridge, maybe Fleming, some others. 00:26:04.834 --> 00:26:09.360 And they do a a two year diploma or a degree in natural resource law 00:26:09.360 --> 00:26:11.370 enforcement or some sort of similar field. 00:26:12.950 --> 00:26:17.599 And then typically, uh, you would do a couple years as maybe a seasonal 00:26:17.600 --> 00:26:22.679 officer somewhere, maybe a park warden or, uh, invasive species 00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:25.750 inspector or some something to get some seasonal work and so, 00:26:29.419 --> 00:26:30.649 It's very common. 00:26:30.649 --> 00:26:33.760 You apply more than once because you may not get through the first time. 00:26:34.800 --> 00:26:38.999 So essentially what happens is we hire once a year And I can speak with 00:26:38.999 --> 00:26:42.699 a little bit of authority because I I had just I'm just finishing up in 00:26:42.699 --> 00:26:45.939 July I did six months as the training sergeant and recruiting sergeant. 00:26:45.939 --> 00:26:50.540 So and I was part of the last hiring panel So I got a little bit of exposure 00:26:50.850 --> 00:26:55.790 on how it works, but Essentially we hire once a year and I think we're 00:26:55.790 --> 00:27:00.000 hiring the first I think it opens up September, the first week of September. 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:03.680 We're starting our process again for two weeks period and go on to 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:06.799 the government website and you'll see the job for the conservation 00:27:06.800 --> 00:27:08.589 officer and the instructions there. 00:27:08.590 --> 00:27:13.775 But basically you're submitting a resume and then the The training 00:27:13.775 --> 00:27:17.525 recruiting team will vet those, and they'll pick whatever number that 00:27:17.575 --> 00:27:19.315 is that meet the qualifications. 00:27:20.175 --> 00:27:22.505 And there's no set number, it's just how many people that 00:27:22.545 --> 00:27:25.385 actually meet the qualifications, and they vet them from there. 00:27:25.895 --> 00:27:29.580 And then you're invited to uh, uh, to an interview. 00:27:30.010 --> 00:27:30.300 Okay. 00:27:30.350 --> 00:27:33.060 Travis Bader: Well, what, what kind of qualifications would kind of set a 00:27:33.060 --> 00:27:34.570 person apart if they're looking at it? 00:27:35.160 --> 00:27:38.060 Ron Leblanc: Well, uh, this is a standard driver's license. 00:27:38.130 --> 00:27:40.620 You need your core, you need your firearms license. 00:27:41.250 --> 00:27:46.609 Um, uh, you need to have the medical and all that stuff will come later. 00:27:46.610 --> 00:27:52.890 But, um, Your first aid certificate, your WHMIS, and, and then some sort of 00:27:52.890 --> 00:27:56.879 proof that you've, uh, are in school or have done schooling or something 00:27:56.879 --> 00:27:59.950 relevant, uh, in the education side. 00:28:00.020 --> 00:28:00.450 Hmm. 00:28:01.565 --> 00:28:05.675 Um, if you haven't done, like me, a natural resource background, 00:28:06.335 --> 00:28:09.814 but I have some other credits from university and tied with my military 00:28:09.815 --> 00:28:15.585 stuff, and articulating that in your application may be enough to get 00:28:15.585 --> 00:28:17.445 you through to that interview phase. 00:28:18.280 --> 00:28:22.950 And that, that's the, the way I found my way in, but typically it's, they're 00:28:22.950 --> 00:28:28.379 in a, they are in a program specifically to become, you know, a game warden or 00:28:28.429 --> 00:28:32.459 a fisheries officer or, or something, and it may be the first year or two, 00:28:32.459 --> 00:28:36.840 maybe the same as what the biologists are taking or like, so they're, I think 00:28:36.850 --> 00:28:41.629 VIU has now accelerated one year program where they tie in some other training 00:28:41.629 --> 00:28:44.959 that you've done or other courses and they tie into a one year specific. 00:28:45.149 --> 00:28:45.509 Wow. 00:28:45.689 --> 00:28:49.264 Um, so we've had, you know, We've had that program, I think last year 00:28:49.264 --> 00:28:50.695 was the first year they started. 00:28:51.655 --> 00:28:56.905 But I, I can tell you from when I started ten years ago till now, we're hiring 00:28:56.905 --> 00:28:58.564 people before they're even graduated. 00:28:59.169 --> 00:28:59.919 You're hungry for them. 00:28:59.949 --> 00:29:04.510 We're hungry for them because we're competing with the police, the military, 00:29:04.550 --> 00:29:09.810 other law enforcement agencies, other game warden agencies, fisheries officers. 00:29:09.820 --> 00:29:12.300 So we're all competing for the same sort of group of people. 00:29:13.180 --> 00:29:16.040 And so we're hiring them quicker and they're going to the academy 00:29:16.040 --> 00:29:20.050 younger and they're being deployed younger, less life experience. 00:29:21.580 --> 00:29:26.840 Um, yeah, so basically once you're at the phase where you're, I think the hardest 00:29:26.850 --> 00:29:31.750 part Is getting to the interview, okay For me, that's where I think the challenge 00:29:31.750 --> 00:29:33.750 is, where most people get vetted out. 00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:37.070 Once you have an interview, now it's yours to lose. 00:29:37.340 --> 00:29:38.280 Right. 00:29:38.410 --> 00:29:38.940 I think. 00:29:38.950 --> 00:29:42.239 And so there are, there may be some homework assigned to you that you may have 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:44.020 to present in front of the hiring panel. 00:29:44.269 --> 00:29:46.970 There may be some written exams done there. 00:29:46.970 --> 00:29:52.760 There'll probably be some role plays, some direct questions, and it's all graded on 00:29:53.140 --> 00:29:58.450 by the panel, and then you're, you get a percentage assigned to you, and then once. 00:29:59.115 --> 00:30:00.375 All the applicants are through. 00:30:00.375 --> 00:30:04.185 We kind of pick, well not pick, I guess it's based on their percentages and 00:30:04.185 --> 00:30:06.455 high, high, how many positions we have. 00:30:06.455 --> 00:30:10.335 We take X amount that are through, I mean at the top, whatever 00:30:10.335 --> 00:30:12.735 percent, and offer them a job. 00:30:12.805 --> 00:30:17.395 And, and then there's the medical and psychology, psych test, and there's 00:30:17.415 --> 00:30:24.575 also, uh, Like, uh, not a lie detector test, but a digital voice stress 00:30:24.615 --> 00:30:26.385 thing and sort of background checks. 00:30:26.385 --> 00:30:27.365 A form of a polygraph? 00:30:27.365 --> 00:30:30.185 Yeah, like a polygraph, a back, you know, it's the same as what 00:30:30.185 --> 00:30:31.495 a police agency would have. 00:30:31.495 --> 00:30:31.825 It's. 00:30:32.765 --> 00:30:35.405 Travis Bader: Is the psych assessment one of those multiple choice, hundreds of 00:30:35.405 --> 00:30:36.455 Ron Leblanc: questions, those bubbles? 00:30:36.525 --> 00:30:39.705 I remember it was something like 900 questions or something like that. 00:30:39.785 --> 00:30:39.865 I 00:30:39.865 --> 00:30:42.025 Travis Bader: remember when I was 18 years old and I got hired by 00:30:42.025 --> 00:30:44.605 an armored car company and that was part of the hiring process. 00:30:44.605 --> 00:30:47.255 And they do a psychological profile and I go through there and I'm like, 00:30:47.265 --> 00:30:48.515 I want to make sure I do really good. 00:30:49.135 --> 00:30:50.965 Remember every question, every answer. 00:30:51.375 --> 00:30:53.715 And I got to remember, uh, variations on it. 00:30:53.735 --> 00:30:56.695 Cause you, yeah, you're asked the same thing over and over again. 00:30:56.695 --> 00:30:57.385 In different ways. 00:30:57.385 --> 00:30:57.585 Yeah. 00:30:57.585 --> 00:30:58.315 In different ways. 00:30:58.335 --> 00:31:00.335 And so I'm like, I got to remember all of this. 00:31:00.415 --> 00:31:03.705 So I go through there, I submit my psych exam, it comes back. 00:31:03.715 --> 00:31:06.155 It says, um, you failed. 00:31:06.265 --> 00:31:07.355 It's too black and white. 00:31:07.395 --> 00:31:10.695 They're looking, they're looking for a level of, of variance inside here. 00:31:10.705 --> 00:31:11.035 Yeah. 00:31:11.065 --> 00:31:12.105 And I'm like, no, no, no. 00:31:12.105 --> 00:31:14.085 I would, I answered this thing perfectly. 00:31:14.085 --> 00:31:15.935 So he says, well, do it again. 00:31:16.485 --> 00:31:17.085 So they do it again. 00:31:17.085 --> 00:31:17.995 And it goes through and. 00:31:18.980 --> 00:31:20.400 It says two black and white again, right? 00:31:20.810 --> 00:31:23.470 It's either, you don't have that middle ground. 00:31:24.270 --> 00:31:26.730 Anyways, um, they ended up hiring me, despite that. 00:31:26.730 --> 00:31:30.080 They said, okay, fair enough, maybe you're just a black and 00:31:30.080 --> 00:31:31.120 white sort of personality. 00:31:31.390 --> 00:31:31.750 They, 00:31:31.750 --> 00:31:35.840 Ron Leblanc: uh, when I wrote mine, it was in Vancouver, and the lady that 00:31:35.840 --> 00:31:39.040 was administering it said, after it was all done, you're like, any questions? 00:31:39.040 --> 00:31:40.480 I'm like, yeah, I actually have a question. 00:31:40.820 --> 00:31:43.930 One of the questions asked the same sort of thing, a couple different 00:31:43.930 --> 00:31:47.700 ways, and it was, does your Father like flowers or something like that. 00:31:48.180 --> 00:31:49.690 And I said, I can't answer that question. 00:31:49.920 --> 00:31:52.000 And she's like, well, it's like it was a yes or no. 00:31:52.090 --> 00:31:52.970 True or false thing. 00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:55.820 And I'm like, I don't, I've never, I don't know my father. 00:31:55.820 --> 00:31:56.420 I've never met him. 00:31:56.990 --> 00:31:58.750 So how do I know what kind of flowers he's like? 00:31:59.590 --> 00:32:00.000 I can't. 00:32:00.040 --> 00:32:00.970 She'll just put one. 00:32:00.970 --> 00:32:01.510 I said, I can't. 00:32:01.640 --> 00:32:03.460 Well, I'm answering it falsely then. 00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:08.330 So, so she didn't know quite what to say. 00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:10.020 She's like, well, put this one down. 00:32:10.140 --> 00:32:10.880 Yeah, exactly. 00:32:12.020 --> 00:32:12.470 Travis Bader: That's funny. 00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:16.690 And then what sort of attributes would a person have that, uh, would 00:32:16.690 --> 00:32:20.120 kind of set them apart in the, let's say the interview phase? 00:32:21.490 --> 00:32:26.410 Ron Leblanc: Um, common sense, accountability, uh, the ability 00:32:26.410 --> 00:32:30.580 to triage, uh, flexibility. 00:32:31.870 --> 00:32:33.770 And those are all really important traits. 00:32:33.770 --> 00:32:36.780 And if, I think if you're missing any of those, you're not going to do so well. 00:32:36.800 --> 00:32:38.380 I don't think you won't, you'll struggle. 00:32:39.780 --> 00:32:40.200 Well, 00:32:40.910 --> 00:32:43.460 Travis Bader: watching you yesterday and just knowing you, people 00:32:43.460 --> 00:32:46.230 skills have to be pretty high on the, on the list there as well. 00:32:46.250 --> 00:32:48.450 Cause you're dealing with all different walks of life. 00:32:49.320 --> 00:32:51.180 Um, yeah. 00:32:51.180 --> 00:32:54.540 What, what would the average day look like for a conservation officer? 00:32:55.810 --> 00:32:57.370 Ron Leblanc: Well, there is no average day. 00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:59.930 And that's, that's, that's the appeal. 00:32:59.940 --> 00:33:05.310 Yes, and you know, I tried to, you tried to put a plan together to, 00:33:05.310 --> 00:33:10.800 uh, maybe do a patrol of a certain river or, uh, patrol a certain area. 00:33:11.580 --> 00:33:17.060 And, uh, those quickly get sidelined by a call of another nature, maybe you have to 00:33:17.070 --> 00:33:21.900 assist in a search and rescue, or maybe your supervisor doesn't want you in the 00:33:21.900 --> 00:33:25.960 office for some other reason, or maybe there's a search warrant they need a hand 00:33:25.960 --> 00:33:33.400 on, or it's just, you just kind of have to be prepared for everything, and, and 00:33:33.400 --> 00:33:39.005 then having the ability to, to realize what's important, what it In your list 00:33:39.005 --> 00:33:40.655 of things that's happening right now. 00:33:40.665 --> 00:33:42.675 What is the priority priority? 00:33:43.185 --> 00:33:45.635 Is it a public safety thing to do with a bear? 00:33:45.725 --> 00:33:47.885 Is it a poaching thing in progress? 00:33:48.405 --> 00:33:51.575 Is it the car crash that you've just suddenly come upon 00:33:51.575 --> 00:33:52.705 and there's people injured? 00:33:53.985 --> 00:33:58.905 Is it the Financing lunch claim thing that your sergeant's 00:33:58.925 --> 00:34:00.595 been bugging you about maybe? 00:34:01.185 --> 00:34:02.325 Can wait another day. 00:34:04.725 --> 00:34:07.425 You have a court case, maybe you have to prepare for that. 00:34:07.495 --> 00:34:14.575 Like, there's just so many aspects of the job that you can't be prepared. 00:34:14.595 --> 00:34:16.295 You have to be prepared for everything. 00:34:17.770 --> 00:34:20.080 Um, and some days it actually works out. 00:34:20.540 --> 00:34:22.830 And one of the, you know, I'm going, I'm getting on the jet boat 00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:24.010 and we're going to check anglers. 00:34:24.150 --> 00:34:26.860 And the sooner you get out of cell phone service, the better. 00:34:29.200 --> 00:34:30.740 Travis Bader: Then the plane can stay on track. 00:34:30.790 --> 00:34:31.120 Yeah. 00:34:32.160 --> 00:34:32.590 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 00:34:32.640 --> 00:34:35.620 And, and, uh, I think to me that's one of the appealing parts of the 00:34:35.620 --> 00:34:37.160 job is the diversity in the job. 00:34:37.160 --> 00:34:39.920 And, and of course it also depends on where you're posted. 00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:45.030 And because, you know, the lower lane man COs, um, may be dealing with some 00:34:45.030 --> 00:34:46.610 different things than we're dealing with. 00:34:46.900 --> 00:34:49.400 And their seasons are going to be different than our seasons. 00:34:50.150 --> 00:34:53.990 They're not going to be doing caribou closure patrols in the Lower Mainland. 00:34:54.100 --> 00:34:56.110 And that's a, you know, a thing we do here. 00:34:56.170 --> 00:34:56.620 Great. 00:34:57.590 --> 00:34:59.950 They're not checking moose hunters in, in Victoria. 00:35:00.110 --> 00:35:00.950 Travis Bader: Right, right. 00:35:01.040 --> 00:35:01.400 So. 00:35:01.580 --> 00:35:03.660 Oh man, you guys got bears out here right now. 00:35:04.100 --> 00:35:05.030 Yeah, it's busy. 00:35:05.090 --> 00:35:07.620 Going by the oatfield there, I think, what did we count? 00:35:07.900 --> 00:35:09.180 Seven or eight bears there. 00:35:09.210 --> 00:35:10.890 Yeah, just lots of bears. 00:35:11.130 --> 00:35:12.530 You're probably getting a ton of calls on those 00:35:12.530 --> 00:35:12.890 Ron Leblanc: right now. 00:35:13.330 --> 00:35:17.670 Yeah, it's, it is that year that I have never had a year like this with bears. 00:35:17.670 --> 00:35:22.910 And it's just, it's a triaging of what's, what's important and what needs 00:35:22.910 --> 00:35:25.670 to be actioned and what can be managed. 00:35:26.380 --> 00:35:28.940 Travis Bader: So one question that came up was about the grizzly 00:35:28.940 --> 00:35:31.730 bear, cause there's a moratorium on grizzly bear hunting in BC. 00:35:32.280 --> 00:35:35.950 Have you noticed or heard from other conservation officers that there's 00:35:35.970 --> 00:35:37.660 increased pressure with grizzly bears? 00:35:37.730 --> 00:35:39.270 I know some, I know. 00:35:39.340 --> 00:35:44.580 Uh, we hear things from, uh, Teltan and, and other places, anecdotal stories. 00:35:45.490 --> 00:35:46.730 Have you heard anything on that? 00:35:47.510 --> 00:35:51.450 Ron Leblanc: Our call volume with grizzly bears, I don't think really has increased. 00:35:51.860 --> 00:35:55.560 However, I mean, talking from hunters that are doing flying hunts and some of 00:35:55.560 --> 00:35:58.750 the remote hunting camps are reporting more encounters with grizzly bears. 00:35:58.750 --> 00:35:59.120 Yes. 00:36:01.740 --> 00:36:04.040 Travis Bader: So let me just pull up a couple of others here. 00:36:04.270 --> 00:36:04.910 Um. 00:36:07.230 --> 00:36:09.600 This one says, how do conservation officers view their position? 00:36:09.610 --> 00:36:13.310 Is it more community police role or focus on enforcement through ticketing? 00:36:13.450 --> 00:36:17.500 What's, uh, what's the, um, the 00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:18.190 Ron Leblanc: balance? 00:36:18.580 --> 00:36:23.865 Well, I think, And a lot of these towns were posted in our smaller towns, like 00:36:23.865 --> 00:36:26.085 Smithers is only 5, 000 people or so. 00:36:26.715 --> 00:36:31.255 And the locals refer to us as our conservation officer, 00:36:31.255 --> 00:36:33.185 not the conservation officer. 00:36:33.365 --> 00:36:34.015 Oh, that's cool. 00:36:34.045 --> 00:36:36.985 So that's, that's an, so you're integrated into the community. 00:36:37.465 --> 00:36:38.675 My wife's a teacher. 00:36:38.935 --> 00:36:40.985 They know her husband is a game warden. 00:36:41.705 --> 00:36:44.365 Um, and. 00:36:45.980 --> 00:36:51.170 You have to, I think, have to be part of your job is vol volunteering. 00:36:51.200 --> 00:36:56.090 You know, I help out with some other things around town and, and just 00:36:56.090 --> 00:36:59.090 integrating into the community and showing that you're part of it, even 00:36:59.090 --> 00:37:02.630 though you may not have been born here or anything like that, that you're really 00:37:02.635 --> 00:37:07.460 trying to fit in and just be available. 00:37:07.520 --> 00:37:11.150 And not that you treat the locals any different from someone 00:37:11.150 --> 00:37:14.540 that's passing through, but you know, you still gotta have a. 00:37:15.555 --> 00:37:18.325 a firm hand when you need to with the locals, just like anybody else. 00:37:18.355 --> 00:37:22.075 And there's no special treatment, but at the same time, realizing you 00:37:22.075 --> 00:37:23.605 still got to live in that community. 00:37:24.105 --> 00:37:25.475 It's a, it's a tough balance. 00:37:25.525 --> 00:37:26.065 Travis Bader: Well, yeah. 00:37:26.065 --> 00:37:27.845 And you've got a difficult balance here too. 00:37:27.865 --> 00:37:32.655 Cause your, your background Ojibwe, uh, First Nations community 00:37:32.655 --> 00:37:34.195 here in the Smithers area. 00:37:35.475 --> 00:37:36.845 How is, how does that work? 00:37:36.845 --> 00:37:38.375 How do you, how do you balance that? 00:37:38.375 --> 00:37:40.595 Cause there's, there was a number of questions that came up 00:37:40.605 --> 00:37:43.635 about First Nations hunting and what the enforcement look like. 00:37:43.635 --> 00:37:45.845 And it's, that's such a complex question. 00:37:45.845 --> 00:37:49.425 Cause there's so many different, um, bands throughout, um. 00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:51.510 Through British Columbia. 00:37:51.540 --> 00:37:51.750 Yeah. 00:37:51.750 --> 00:37:55.560 That, uh, uh, but they all get that, that blanket First 00:37:55.560 --> 00:37:58.260 Nations, um, uh, label put on 00:37:58.260 --> 00:37:58.410 Ron Leblanc: them. 00:37:58.530 --> 00:37:58.830 Yeah. 00:37:59.700 --> 00:37:59.970 Yeah. 00:37:59.970 --> 00:38:02.730 And, and again, I'm a unique, there's a couple First 00:38:02.730 --> 00:38:05.660 Nations cos in our outfit and. 00:38:06.960 --> 00:38:11.200 At times I think I get ridden a little harder by the First Nations because I'm 00:38:11.200 --> 00:38:13.240 First Nations and in an enforcement role. 00:38:13.640 --> 00:38:17.940 And they look, sometimes they look at me as a traitor, hurting my own people. 00:38:18.090 --> 00:38:21.450 And on the other side, they're really happy and proud to see me 00:38:21.870 --> 00:38:23.800 in the job I am as First Nations. 00:38:23.980 --> 00:38:25.310 And so I get a bit of both. 00:38:26.250 --> 00:38:32.440 Um, but I also can relate to a lot of the encounters we have with First Nations. 00:38:33.580 --> 00:38:34.420 I've been there, I get it. 00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:35.540 I grew up in that environment. 00:38:35.540 --> 00:38:36.100 I understand. 00:38:36.100 --> 00:38:42.080 And I know, and I'm well versed in what the title rights are and traditional 00:38:42.080 --> 00:38:45.130 territories and how it all, the enforcement rules on how that works. 00:38:45.130 --> 00:38:50.880 And when I'm trying to explain that to some of the First Nations, they buy into 00:38:50.880 --> 00:38:54.550 it a little bit more because I'm First Nations and they can see it from my end. 00:38:55.250 --> 00:39:00.290 So I'm able to step with one foot on either end of the fence in that world. 00:39:00.540 --> 00:39:00.980 Hmm. 00:39:01.930 --> 00:39:02.360 And. 00:39:02.885 --> 00:39:05.445 You know how we have a little, in B. 00:39:05.445 --> 00:39:05.645 C. 00:39:05.655 --> 00:39:14.195 we have a little different enforcement, uh, way of doing business with, compared 00:39:14.195 --> 00:39:20.200 to say, Alberta or Saskatchewan, and we're very much Uh, First Nations can harvest 00:39:20.200 --> 00:39:26.860 in their traditional territory and, and kind of, if you are a status from say 00:39:26.870 --> 00:39:31.670 Saskatoon or something, and you're here out of season and you just shoot a moose 00:39:32.390 --> 00:39:35.330 and you still have a status card, well, we treat you no different than anybody 00:39:35.330 --> 00:39:36.660 else shooting a moose out of season. 00:39:36.750 --> 00:39:37.210 Mm. 00:39:37.210 --> 00:39:37.579 Yeah. 00:39:37.580 --> 00:39:41.300 You have to be, uh, from that First Nation in that traditional 00:39:41.300 --> 00:39:47.200 territory, um, so that, that, there's a little difference there with BC. 00:39:47.200 --> 00:39:49.400 We don't have all the big treaties like the Prairies do. 00:39:49.990 --> 00:39:52.820 We have a small part of Treaty 8 in the north. 00:39:53.090 --> 00:39:53.300 Yep. 00:39:53.890 --> 00:39:57.770 Um, but other than that, it, we don't in the rest of the province. 00:39:58.200 --> 00:40:01.730 Uniquely, we do have memorandums of understanding with some of the bans. 00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:08.605 Um, so in this go, we're getting, you know, have Implemented with cooperation 00:40:08.605 --> 00:40:15.935 from us, and we've drafted an enforceable memorandum of, of, uh, for instance, cow, 00:40:16.275 --> 00:40:17.775 there's, you can't shoot a cow moose. 00:40:18.855 --> 00:40:22.735 Um, and they'll have a draw for bull moose on their band in their traditional 00:40:22.735 --> 00:40:27.915 territory, and they'll share the list with us of who in their band is allowed to 00:40:27.925 --> 00:40:29.825 harvest a bull moose within these dates. 00:40:29.845 --> 00:40:31.265 Anybody outside of that. 00:40:32.035 --> 00:40:34.395 We're free to prosecute just like anybody else. 00:40:34.555 --> 00:40:35.165 Travis Bader: Holy crow. 00:40:36.005 --> 00:40:38.395 And this is something they voluntarily came up with? 00:40:38.795 --> 00:40:40.315 Ron Leblanc: In conjunction with us, yeah. 00:40:40.375 --> 00:40:44.925 And there's also in Williams Lake area and a few other places around 00:40:44.925 --> 00:40:46.485 the province, we have a memorandum. 00:40:46.955 --> 00:40:50.055 Like Williams Lake ban, you can't shoot a cow moose out of season. 00:40:51.925 --> 00:40:56.235 And so depending on the band, it depends on how, um, what sort of 00:40:56.235 --> 00:40:57.575 restrictions they want to place. 00:40:58.405 --> 00:41:03.235 Um, but we have a First Nations cell in our agency, and they 00:41:03.235 --> 00:41:04.635 sort of spearhead that effort. 00:41:05.455 --> 00:41:08.885 Uh, we do guardian training to help some of the local First Nations help, 00:41:09.115 --> 00:41:12.995 uh, with being our eyes and ears, and maybe if they're first on scene 00:41:12.995 --> 00:41:17.125 collecting, preserving the scene, or maybe asking some of the questions 00:41:17.135 --> 00:41:18.415 that we need to be asked, or... 00:41:19.345 --> 00:41:20.215 So we have, uh... 00:41:21.045 --> 00:41:24.345 I think we're not there yet, but we still need to develop that 00:41:24.345 --> 00:41:26.115 relationship, and it's getting better. 00:41:26.175 --> 00:41:30.255 It's certainly better than when I joined, and it can, it can only get better. 00:41:30.945 --> 00:41:31.535 Travis Bader: No kidding. 00:41:31.655 --> 00:41:35.915 Well, it's nice when everyone kind of recognizes the need to be able to 00:41:36.285 --> 00:41:37.795 protect the resources that we have. 00:41:37.895 --> 00:41:38.205 Yeah, 00:41:38.405 --> 00:41:39.435 Ron Leblanc: I mean, we have to work together. 00:41:39.435 --> 00:41:40.335 There's no way around it. 00:41:41.335 --> 00:41:44.165 We're not going to get anywhere if we're divided and we're stronger 00:41:44.165 --> 00:41:47.005 together and that's, I think, how we need to move forward. 00:41:48.270 --> 00:41:50.700 Travis Bader: Another question that came up was what are some of the most 00:41:50.720 --> 00:41:55.790 typical things that you find as a conservation officer both on the fishing 00:41:55.790 --> 00:41:57.380 side as well as on the hunting side? 00:41:57.960 --> 00:42:00.420 What are the common infractions that people make either 00:42:00.430 --> 00:42:02.400 knowingly or unknowingly? 00:42:03.775 --> 00:42:04.115 Ron Leblanc: Okay. 00:42:04.115 --> 00:42:07.805 Well, fishing, I mean, we're in the Skeena and we have, you know, the Buckley 00:42:07.805 --> 00:42:10.635 and the Maurice and, and the Kispiox. 00:42:10.635 --> 00:42:15.365 And these are some of the, the most, uh, well producing salmon and 00:42:15.365 --> 00:42:17.655 steelhead fishing rivers and anywhere. 00:42:17.745 --> 00:42:18.615 It's amazing. 00:42:18.615 --> 00:42:21.995 People could fly from all over the world to, uh, to fish here 00:42:22.435 --> 00:42:23.805 and the locals enjoy it too. 00:42:24.945 --> 00:42:28.235 Um, and any stream in BC. 00:42:28.890 --> 00:42:31.170 Or river, you cannot have a barbed hook. 00:42:31.470 --> 00:42:31.620 Mm-hmm. 00:42:32.040 --> 00:42:35.400 . And that's one of the most, uh, common violations. 00:42:36.680 --> 00:42:42.500 Um, the other parts of that is people just not doing their, their homework before 00:42:42.500 --> 00:42:44.540 getting on a piece of piece of river. 00:42:45.290 --> 00:42:49.580 And they may not understand the regulations on that particular 00:42:49.580 --> 00:42:51.110 piece of water and, and just. 00:42:52.065 --> 00:42:56.285 Thinking it's the same as a lake and maybe not realize that you can't keep 00:42:56.295 --> 00:43:01.405 a fish under 30 centimeters or more than, say, two over 50 centimeters. 00:43:02.205 --> 00:43:05.205 Or maybe there's no retention of a particular species. 00:43:05.935 --> 00:43:09.025 So those are sort of the common ones that we see. 00:43:09.585 --> 00:43:13.825 And it can get, it can be complicated when you're fishing for salmon in fresh water 00:43:13.825 --> 00:43:18.505 because you're referring to DFO's website of what you can retain and where, and then 00:43:18.505 --> 00:43:23.515 you got to overlay the BC regulations on top of that, and I get it's confusing. 00:43:23.545 --> 00:43:26.905 And if, I mean for us it's confusing, there's, we don't write those 00:43:26.905 --> 00:43:29.329 regulations, we have maybe a little input. 00:43:29.680 --> 00:43:32.380 And then whatever gets pumped out in the end, we got to interpret that. 00:43:32.580 --> 00:43:32.810 Right. 00:43:32.840 --> 00:43:34.840 And we hope the public interprets that too. 00:43:34.840 --> 00:43:38.880 So, I know for me personally, because there's, there's a lot to 00:43:38.880 --> 00:43:40.720 remember, I don't have a great memory. 00:43:40.740 --> 00:43:44.250 I have to, every time I get on a new piece of water or even an old piece of 00:43:44.250 --> 00:43:48.040 water, I refresh my memory, go look at the regulations so I know what I'm talking 00:43:48.040 --> 00:43:50.180 about, I know what I'm looking for. 00:43:50.580 --> 00:43:52.960 And it, it can all fold into one if you don't. 00:43:53.275 --> 00:43:58.035 Really focus on, um, what particular body of water you're on. 00:43:58.125 --> 00:44:01.795 And so to expect the public to do that, too, you gotta 00:44:01.795 --> 00:44:04.065 have kid gloves on at times. 00:44:04.135 --> 00:44:07.025 And, you know, there's something to be said for someone that doesn't do any due 00:44:07.045 --> 00:44:08.675 diligence or homework and just goes out. 00:44:09.455 --> 00:44:14.555 So, you know, there's a time and place, and then there's, you know, maybe 00:44:14.555 --> 00:44:18.605 someone that's a new Canadian that's trying to integrate and starting, they 00:44:18.605 --> 00:44:20.375 got a license, and they just maybe not. 00:44:20.885 --> 00:44:25.085 Understanding how it all works and that's where you got to have that discretion. 00:44:25.625 --> 00:44:26.735 Travis Bader: What about on the hunting side? 00:44:26.735 --> 00:44:28.145 What are some of the more common things you see? 00:44:29.205 --> 00:44:33.375 Ron Leblanc: Uh, hunting out of your MU when you enter draws, like 00:44:33.755 --> 00:44:37.385 there's that game, there's, you know, a loaded firearm in your vehicle. 00:44:37.385 --> 00:44:38.815 It's a safety consideration. 00:44:39.015 --> 00:44:39.215 Yeah. 00:44:39.225 --> 00:44:42.265 You know, consuming alcohol while you're operating a vehicle or operating a firearm 00:44:42.265 --> 00:44:47.325 is a, another one or impairment, you know, through marijuana or other substances. 00:44:48.820 --> 00:44:53.070 Those, some more, those are more of the serious ones, uh, you know, uh, evidence 00:44:53.070 --> 00:44:56.450 of sex attached, or maybe the transport regulations on when you're bringing an 00:44:56.450 --> 00:45:02.110 animal to and from, um, you know, maybe not having evidence of sex attached, or 00:45:02.250 --> 00:45:06.490 a chunk of hide, or maybe they didn't take out all the meat, or maybe they've 00:45:06.490 --> 00:45:09.300 separated it, and someone, they've sent someone home with half the meat, 00:45:09.300 --> 00:45:13.110 and they didn't give them the proper documentation to take, so if they do 00:45:13.120 --> 00:45:15.490 go through a game check, and they got half a moose with them, and they can't 00:45:15.490 --> 00:45:17.840 explain it, things can get hairy, right? 00:45:18.110 --> 00:45:18.360 Yes. 00:45:18.360 --> 00:45:18.702 Yes. 00:45:18.702 --> 00:45:19.044 Yes. 00:45:19.185 --> 00:45:24.745 So there, you know, just some, those are some of the more common ones and, um, but, 00:45:24.745 --> 00:45:30.075 you know, a lot of that can be resolved by looking at the regulations and if you're 00:45:30.075 --> 00:45:33.685 having trouble understanding them, which I get, again, because it can be confusing, 00:45:34.285 --> 00:45:36.005 is contacting us through the website. 00:45:36.005 --> 00:45:40.990 You can email and that Bridget You want to talk to CO and Smithers area 00:45:40.990 --> 00:45:45.640 or whatever and that just gets down to us and we phone numbers provide we'll 00:45:45.640 --> 00:45:49.220 call we'll try to call them back and try to give some guidance and maybe 00:45:49.220 --> 00:45:54.290 answer some questions and I would much rather prefer that than having to deal 00:45:54.290 --> 00:45:58.240 with you in an enforcement role because You had messed up somewhere and now 00:45:58.360 --> 00:46:01.705 there's some You know, and you could be serious, you could be just a ticket, 00:46:02.015 --> 00:46:02.275 Travis Bader: you know. 00:46:02.565 --> 00:46:05.355 I'm surprised at how many people don't realize that they can just contact 00:46:05.355 --> 00:46:06.965 the CEO and ask their questions. 00:46:07.085 --> 00:46:09.175 I mean, what a valuable resource it is. 00:46:09.175 --> 00:46:11.935 And we've, we've used it on a number of occasions in the past. 00:46:12.395 --> 00:46:15.065 Like, you know, there's some areas that it can be a little bit tricky 00:46:15.065 --> 00:46:18.255 and it's, uh, it can be interpreted maybe in a few different ways. 00:46:18.265 --> 00:46:20.585 So you want to know the way that it's being interpreted 00:46:20.585 --> 00:46:22.195 from a, from a legal standpoint. 00:46:22.555 --> 00:46:22.785 Yeah. 00:46:22.785 --> 00:46:23.085 And I. 00:46:23.350 --> 00:46:26.380 If I can get that in writing, even better, because if I run into somebody 00:46:26.380 --> 00:46:31.250 else, whether it's a CO or, um, anyone else in an enforcement capacity, and 00:46:31.250 --> 00:46:34.190 they're, if, if it's confusing for me, it might be confusing for them. 00:46:34.190 --> 00:46:37.460 So having that, that little piece of document that you've done your due 00:46:37.460 --> 00:46:39.660 diligence and it provides clear outlines. 00:46:39.730 --> 00:46:40.130 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 00:46:40.420 --> 00:46:43.800 And, you know, at the same time, you're talking to somebody that's coming up and 00:46:43.810 --> 00:46:45.330 you've provided them some information. 00:46:45.330 --> 00:46:46.490 They're very helpful. 00:46:46.540 --> 00:46:47.490 They're really, um. 00:46:48.475 --> 00:46:50.735 Glad that you talked to them and their help, you know, and 00:46:50.735 --> 00:46:53.975 so next thing, you know, they're phoning in with a tip for you. 00:46:54.145 --> 00:46:54.655 Mm hmm. 00:46:54.985 --> 00:46:58.755 And so you've just gained, you know, an extra set of eyes out there. 00:46:58.955 --> 00:46:59.605 Mm hmm. 00:46:59.605 --> 00:47:04.355 There's only 148 of us and in my region, there's four of us 00:47:04.395 --> 00:47:06.735 to patrol 177 square kilometers. 00:47:06.735 --> 00:47:07.805 It's the size of Greece. 00:47:07.875 --> 00:47:08.405 Mm hmm. 00:47:08.735 --> 00:47:11.475 And an extra set of eyes goes a long way. 00:47:11.760 --> 00:47:12.050 Well, that's 00:47:12.050 --> 00:47:14.410 Travis Bader: one of the questions was, what can we do to help? 00:47:14.830 --> 00:47:17.600 It was the, the question, what, what can hunters and anglers 00:47:17.630 --> 00:47:18.910 out there do to help the COs? 00:47:18.910 --> 00:47:22.660 Because you always hear people griping when they see someone doing something 00:47:22.660 --> 00:47:25.500 that's offside and that's frustrating because you're doing, you're playing by 00:47:25.500 --> 00:47:26.760 the rules, you're doing things right. 00:47:26.760 --> 00:47:30.510 And you look to your side to see someone doing it offside, what can they do? 00:47:31.000 --> 00:47:31.460 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 00:47:31.460 --> 00:47:35.610 I mean, just collecting, first off, don't intervene with directly with the 00:47:35.610 --> 00:47:38.550 person cause that could lead to some, you know, get yourself in trouble. 00:47:39.110 --> 00:47:39.520 Yeah. 00:47:39.800 --> 00:47:40.730 People can be. 00:47:41.155 --> 00:47:47.205 You never know what's going to happen, but, you know, understanding that you have 00:47:47.205 --> 00:47:48.575 understanding what the regulations are. 00:47:48.575 --> 00:47:51.955 And if you know that there's, there, there, there's something that's not 00:47:51.955 --> 00:47:55.615 right there, or maybe we should know about it, you know, a license plate, 00:47:56.665 --> 00:48:01.225 a location, direction of travel, phone right away, if you can, you 00:48:01.225 --> 00:48:03.055 know, finding out the next day. 00:48:03.645 --> 00:48:05.455 After the person is long gone doesn't help. 00:48:06.505 --> 00:48:09.835 And you know, if obviously you if you're in cell phone service 00:48:09.835 --> 00:48:13.775 and you call the wrap line And it's a violation in progress. 00:48:13.805 --> 00:48:17.665 We're going to try to attend a violation of progress If we're able to go we're 00:48:17.665 --> 00:48:23.005 going to go Um, but, you know, those details, he's, you know, what kind of 00:48:23.005 --> 00:48:25.825 truck it is with the license plate, it's headed this way, he's wearing this, this 00:48:25.835 --> 00:48:30.475 is what I observed, all that's going to become very helpful for us, um, if 00:48:30.475 --> 00:48:34.025 we can, if we're able to catch up with the person and have a chat with them. 00:48:34.145 --> 00:48:34.315 Have 00:48:34.315 --> 00:48:37.305 Travis Bader: you been able to use third party video or photos provided by the 00:48:37.305 --> 00:48:40.545 public to, um, to actually do enforcement? 00:48:40.605 --> 00:48:41.225 For sure, yeah. 00:48:41.925 --> 00:48:42.225 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 00:48:42.555 --> 00:48:48.955 And there's other, other, um, Technology that we're, you know, if we're able 00:48:48.955 --> 00:48:53.010 to use like Just like any other police agency, we can, we can get that 00:48:53.360 --> 00:48:55.410 information or video footage or whatever. 00:48:55.870 --> 00:49:00.770 But honestly, the best information we get is the one that's closest time to the 00:49:00.770 --> 00:49:03.130 violation and from first hand account. 00:49:03.170 --> 00:49:06.480 And then we may be asking you to provide a statement to help us with 00:49:06.480 --> 00:49:12.140 our case, should it go, uh, Uh, in an enforcement role or enforcement action. 00:49:13.370 --> 00:49:16.900 Travis Bader: That was one of the interesting things that, uh, appeals to me 00:49:16.900 --> 00:49:20.380 if I were to be a CO is the fact that if you're building a case, you see that case 00:49:20.380 --> 00:49:21.880 all the way through from start to finish. 00:49:22.440 --> 00:49:22.820 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 00:49:22.820 --> 00:49:26.570 That's one of the cool things about our job is as a field officer. 00:49:26.780 --> 00:49:30.670 Uh, you're, you're starting the file and you're ending the file, and that includes 00:49:30.930 --> 00:49:35.770 gathering the evidence, taking statements, maybe doing firearms, sending it off for 00:49:35.770 --> 00:49:41.520 firearms forensics or DNA, photographs, logging the evidence, doing your report to 00:49:41.530 --> 00:49:47.820 Crown, talking with Crown, going to court, submitting evidence, Doing, uh, working 00:49:47.820 --> 00:49:56.030 with your, your Crown adjudicator, your Crown lawyer, sentencing, and follow up. 00:49:56.040 --> 00:49:59.810 And then, maybe even, uh, license action on the individual. 00:49:59.830 --> 00:50:03.940 So, forfeiture of items, all of that. 00:50:03.970 --> 00:50:05.970 I mean, you're, you're at start to finish. 00:50:05.980 --> 00:50:11.420 Where we don't have, we have a major investigations, uh, general 00:50:11.420 --> 00:50:15.420 investigations unit in our outfit that handles some bigger, sort of, 00:50:15.420 --> 00:50:21.330 uh, Uh, big files, but for the average CO, you're, you are the handler 00:50:21.330 --> 00:50:23.450 for that file from start to finish. 00:50:23.760 --> 00:50:26.900 You don't have any, anybody to hand it off to, like you kind of, you do 00:50:26.900 --> 00:50:33.600 it all and it's really cool because I was talking to somebody about, um, a 00:50:33.600 --> 00:50:39.280 moose that was, uh, shot and left and, uh, it was in my berms like days and. 00:50:39.895 --> 00:50:43.685 It was shot on private property and the person that reported 00:50:43.685 --> 00:50:45.475 it got a plate and a direction. 00:50:46.335 --> 00:50:49.585 And when he was challenged by the homeowner, he just 00:50:49.585 --> 00:50:50.705 left the animal and took off. 00:50:51.665 --> 00:50:57.275 So shot and left moves is, you know, it's a, it's a fairly big deal, but 00:50:57.475 --> 00:50:58.875 you know, there's some clues there. 00:50:58.875 --> 00:51:00.125 There, you got a license plate. 00:51:00.135 --> 00:51:05.205 You can get a person, you know, maybe some DNA collection, maybe a rifle 00:51:05.205 --> 00:51:09.185 casing, um, maybe DNA if he had maybe. 00:51:09.455 --> 00:51:13.055 You can do other things and it's basically a murder investigation except the victims 00:51:13.055 --> 00:51:16.785 and moose And they're no different and you're handling it from start to finish. 00:51:16.785 --> 00:51:22.730 You're not handing it off to the um, the suicide or the The, the group of 00:51:22.750 --> 00:51:24.810 the officers that handles Homicides. 00:51:24.820 --> 00:51:25.470 Homicides. 00:51:25.470 --> 00:51:25.820 Yeah, yeah. 00:51:25.860 --> 00:51:27.980 You are it from A to B, A to C 00:51:27.980 --> 00:51:28.240 Travis Bader: and. 00:51:28.910 --> 00:51:29.930 See, that'd be pretty cool. 00:51:29.990 --> 00:51:33.460 That's uh, because the success or failure of that entire thing will depend on 00:51:33.460 --> 00:51:36.140 you and there's going to be a higher motivation for you to make sure that 00:51:36.140 --> 00:51:38.490 your, your dot and I is crossing T's. 00:51:38.980 --> 00:51:41.810 Ron Leblanc: It's a sense of pride in your file to get things done right. 00:51:41.810 --> 00:51:42.080 And. 00:51:42.080 --> 00:51:42.599 Yeah. 00:51:43.150 --> 00:51:45.490 And, uh, you know, there's a lot to learn in there. 00:51:45.490 --> 00:51:46.730 It takes you. 00:51:46.730 --> 00:51:48.540 You don't learn that off the bat. 00:51:48.540 --> 00:51:52.240 You take some experience and some, you know, doing things right and 00:51:52.240 --> 00:51:54.950 wrong to figure it out and some guidance from more experienced people. 00:51:54.950 --> 00:52:00.390 And, uh, but it's rewarding at the end when, you know, you've got a file 00:52:00.390 --> 00:52:04.370 that it needs, needs some outcome and 00:52:05.850 --> 00:52:10.200 Travis Bader: So you have a, let's say, shot and left animal, um, you go there, 00:52:10.390 --> 00:52:15.240 get, do all the forensic work, you pull out bullets, you look for casings, DNA, 00:52:15.270 --> 00:52:20.260 all, all the, all the CSI type stuff, um, what happens to the meat after? 00:52:21.965 --> 00:52:27.225 Ron Leblanc: Well, we do keep a chunk of meat for DNA and whatnot, but mostly, 00:52:27.225 --> 00:52:32.065 if we are able to, we'll, we'll, um, we'll give the meat to the local First 00:52:32.065 --> 00:52:35.675 Nations, or we'll have, we have a meat list for, for others that want, 00:52:35.675 --> 00:52:39.075 would like to be on it, and, you know, we'll often, Put down animals on the 00:52:39.075 --> 00:52:40.245 side of the highway that are injured. 00:52:40.825 --> 00:52:41.975 We try not to waste that. 00:52:42.025 --> 00:52:46.615 If we seize fish, lots of people, you know, it's, you know, you seize 00:52:46.615 --> 00:52:48.675 a fish and you're like, Oh, you're going to be eating that tonight. 00:52:48.675 --> 00:52:51.575 You know, there's, it's evidence and it's all documented. 00:52:51.595 --> 00:52:56.215 It's, I don't know where these stories come from, but there's so much oversight. 00:52:56.495 --> 00:53:00.925 From supervision, layers of supervision that you, it's impossible to do that. 00:53:00.945 --> 00:53:05.825 And you have, you're, you're giving people, you know, here's a 00:53:05.825 --> 00:53:06.925 fish and you're documenting that. 00:53:06.955 --> 00:53:07.995 Here's a paper to sign. 00:53:07.995 --> 00:53:09.135 I got to put it in my notebook. 00:53:09.145 --> 00:53:10.175 You may have to take photos. 00:53:10.665 --> 00:53:13.425 There's so many layers that there's impossible. 00:53:14.245 --> 00:53:18.325 Um, but yeah, we, that meat gets, it does not get wasted. 00:53:20.940 --> 00:53:22.770 Travis Bader: I know one of the questions that came up, there 00:53:22.770 --> 00:53:25.060 is a, have you ever heard of a website called Fishing with Rod? 00:53:25.400 --> 00:53:25.790 No. 00:53:25.890 --> 00:53:26.270 Okay. 00:53:26.300 --> 00:53:29.460 There's a, I guess the guy's name is Rod and he's got a, and he 00:53:30.380 --> 00:53:34.760 broke this, uh, story or someone through his website did it. 00:53:34.770 --> 00:53:38.600 There's a bunch of fish that were just dumped on the, uh, in the side 00:53:38.600 --> 00:53:40.830 of the bushes and kind of going bad. 00:53:40.890 --> 00:53:44.370 And I guess the, uh, the speculation was that somebody was catching them. 00:53:45.005 --> 00:53:48.415 Or some people were catching them and they're selling them and when they 00:53:48.415 --> 00:53:51.235 got too bad to sell, they just kind of dumped them all over the side. 00:53:52.555 --> 00:53:55.315 What, what does COs do in a, in a situation like that? 00:53:55.325 --> 00:53:56.185 What can be done? 00:53:58.155 --> 00:54:01.115 Ron Leblanc: Well, I mean, if it's an area where it's causing an 00:54:01.175 --> 00:54:04.495 attractant for dangerous wildlife or wolves and bears and coyotes and 00:54:04.495 --> 00:54:08.135 things like that, that's an issue and that's something we can deal with. 00:54:09.225 --> 00:54:11.195 There's more responsible ways to. 00:54:14.365 --> 00:54:22.160 Um, and, you know, there's, there's, You could take it to the dump. 00:54:22.800 --> 00:54:23.400 Sure. 00:54:23.440 --> 00:54:25.650 A lot of the dumps are free out here. 00:54:25.720 --> 00:54:27.700 I mean, that's a pretty viable option. 00:54:27.710 --> 00:54:30.990 There's, there's other places that it can be brought that, you know, 00:54:30.990 --> 00:54:36.620 may not attract the attention from us or, or bring in wildlife, which 00:54:36.620 --> 00:54:38.740 could, you know, be, be harmful. 00:54:39.380 --> 00:54:42.040 Travis Bader: So one question we had was, uh, what's a correct way 00:54:42.300 --> 00:54:46.050 to respond if you're approached by a conservation officer and you're out 00:54:46.060 --> 00:54:49.360 hunting or you're out fishing, what's a, what's the best thing a person can do? 00:54:50.585 --> 00:54:54.585 Ron Leblanc: Well, it depends on, you know, there's lots of depends, like, so 00:54:54.585 --> 00:54:59.475 it could be in a vehicle or in a quad or walking or whatever, but basically 00:54:59.475 --> 00:55:03.285 our job is to just ensure that the compliance part of it is being met and 00:55:03.885 --> 00:55:06.505 the interaction is safe for you and me. 00:55:07.085 --> 00:55:11.505 So if you have a firearm with you and you're out, On foot, let's say, you 00:55:11.505 --> 00:55:14.715 know, unloading the firearm is, I'm going to ask you to unload it just 00:55:14.735 --> 00:55:19.545 cause not having a loaded firearm while we're face to face is important for me. 00:55:19.555 --> 00:55:20.295 It's beneficial. 00:55:20.305 --> 00:55:20.505 Yes. 00:55:21.885 --> 00:55:27.295 Um, uh, in a vehicle, you know, just being respectful and not making any 00:55:27.295 --> 00:55:28.735 sudden movements towards your gun. 00:55:28.795 --> 00:55:32.885 You know, I may ask you if I can inspect your gun to make sure it's unloaded. 00:55:32.905 --> 00:55:36.955 Cause for me, unloading, having a, dealing with the firearm first is my priority. 00:55:37.475 --> 00:55:38.605 After that, we can deal with. 00:55:38.840 --> 00:55:39.480 everything else. 00:55:40.500 --> 00:55:44.270 But, um, you know, the conservation officer should be the one 00:55:44.930 --> 00:55:48.110 introducing him or herself as, hey, I'm a conservation officer. 00:55:48.110 --> 00:55:50.040 I'm just doing whatever check they're doing. 00:55:50.640 --> 00:55:53.260 A little bit of intro, maybe it might be a bit of small talk. 00:55:53.260 --> 00:55:54.310 Have you seen any game? 00:55:54.310 --> 00:55:55.170 Anybody else out? 00:55:56.030 --> 00:55:59.650 And then, you know, just being open and honest about what's going on and 00:55:59.650 --> 00:56:03.960 what you're doing and why they're, why they're there to inspect your. 00:56:04.930 --> 00:56:08.440 So your, your line or your firearm or whatever you're doing. 00:56:09.800 --> 00:56:12.070 Travis Bader: That was one of the interesting ones because conservation 00:56:12.070 --> 00:56:16.400 officers have, um, wide responsibilities. 00:56:17.030 --> 00:56:20.930 Very often the calls that they're going to are a person with a firearm 00:56:20.930 --> 00:56:26.700 calls, not necessarily a malicious bad guy type firearm call, but. 00:56:27.085 --> 00:56:31.855 I mean, you're, you're trained on several different platforms of firearms, you're 00:56:31.855 --> 00:56:33.895 encountering firearms on a regular basis. 00:56:34.585 --> 00:56:39.535 Um, you have a very wide platform of, um, uh, discretionary power. 00:56:39.535 --> 00:56:42.595 And in fact, some of them will exceed what a police officer has. 00:56:42.995 --> 00:56:45.335 And people are saying, Oh, you can't come into my vehicle. 00:56:45.335 --> 00:56:46.525 You can't search my vehicle. 00:56:46.525 --> 00:56:47.335 You need a warrant. 00:56:47.715 --> 00:56:49.645 Well, not from a conservation officer perspective. 00:56:50.305 --> 00:56:51.325 Ron Leblanc: Yeah, that's true. 00:56:51.325 --> 00:56:55.615 It, we have such a wide berth of responsibilities and to 00:56:55.745 --> 00:56:56.915 understand and know all that. 00:56:57.185 --> 00:57:00.995 Is you gotta, it takes some time to be proficient in all that, so. 00:57:00.995 --> 00:57:01.055 Hmm. 00:57:02.255 --> 00:57:09.795 But yes, uh, A A C E O will inspect more firearms in one season than a typical R 00:57:09.800 --> 00:57:11.715 C M P member will do in his whole career. 00:57:12.045 --> 00:57:12.075 Mm. 00:57:12.075 --> 00:57:12.975 His or her whole career. 00:57:12.980 --> 00:57:13.035 Mm. 00:57:14.085 --> 00:57:17.895 You know, dozens and dozens and dozens, and sometimes dozens and dozens a 00:57:17.895 --> 00:57:20.115 day depending on how busy you are. 00:57:21.435 --> 00:57:26.060 Um, But yeah, I mean, we, and because of the nature of our work, and we're 00:57:26.060 --> 00:57:31.190 mostly in the bush a couple hours from nowhere, Um, we are packed 00:57:31.190 --> 00:57:32.820 full of different authorities. 00:57:33.070 --> 00:57:37.260 Um, so a lot of people will challenge us on, you can't do 00:57:37.260 --> 00:57:38.550 that, you're a game warden. 00:57:39.350 --> 00:57:43.050 So, you know, for instance, uh, I was on the gang ranch checking deer 00:57:43.050 --> 00:57:48.040 hunters, and I asked to, I did a stop on a fellow and I wanted to check 00:57:48.040 --> 00:57:51.390 his rifle before we got into the hunting of the deer check and whatnot. 00:57:51.970 --> 00:57:53.780 And he said, well, you can't touch that firearm. 00:57:53.780 --> 00:57:55.600 It's a federal thing and you're just provincial. 00:57:57.040 --> 00:58:02.590 So, yeah, there's a whole, there's a whole bunch of things in there that I 00:58:02.590 --> 00:58:07.690 think you watch too many episodes of Matlock and, but, uh, Coss are given 00:58:07.690 --> 00:58:11.080 their authority under the Environmental Management Act, uh, and you're 00:58:11.080 --> 00:58:12.670 granted a conservation under there. 00:58:12.730 --> 00:58:18.395 But on addition to that, uh, the province of BC is, Has, uh, appointed us special 00:58:18.395 --> 00:58:24.165 provincial constables in the province of BC with unrestricted, uh, powers 00:58:24.165 --> 00:58:26.225 to enforce all laws and acts in BC. 00:58:26.565 --> 00:58:31.165 So, we have the same authorities as a Mountian BC, as a provincial constable. 00:58:31.415 --> 00:58:35.675 So, we could write you a texting while driving, or a speeding ticket, 00:58:35.675 --> 00:58:39.515 or, and it has happened, but it's not really what we're there for. 00:58:39.765 --> 00:58:41.075 But we have the authority to deal. 00:58:41.190 --> 00:58:45.990 With anything in the province on top of because we're a peace officer or 00:58:46.180 --> 00:58:49.790 provincial constable criminal code and all that all we can do all of that stuff. 00:58:51.700 --> 00:58:56.850 We're also appointed federal fisheries officers, uh, same as DFO to deal 00:58:56.850 --> 00:58:58.360 with all the federal fishery stuff. 00:58:58.830 --> 00:59:00.900 We're appointed Canadian Wildlife Officers. 00:59:01.510 --> 00:59:03.940 We have dual appointments in the Yukon and Alberta. 00:59:04.620 --> 00:59:07.900 So we're considered Game Wardens in those two territories as well. 00:59:09.130 --> 00:59:10.700 So we're packed full of authorities. 00:59:10.730 --> 00:59:15.650 And we do have, uh, some different a Authorities and the police because 00:59:15.650 --> 00:59:19.800 of the Wildlife Act to search without warrant vehicles, boats, 00:59:19.800 --> 00:59:21.550 any other conveyance or a camp. 00:59:22.390 --> 00:59:27.080 And, um, I'll ask you if I can go into your vehicle, if you've been hunting 00:59:27.080 --> 00:59:30.870 or fishing or something, I want to look at it in there as a courtesy 00:59:30.960 --> 00:59:34.740 and you may tell me no, or you need a warrant and I'm just, I want to 00:59:34.740 --> 00:59:35.770 see where you're going to go with it. 00:59:36.400 --> 00:59:40.200 But I, I really don't need your permission, but I often will ask 00:59:40.200 --> 00:59:41.730 because it's the polite thing to do. 00:59:43.635 --> 00:59:46.265 Travis Bader: Yeah, that's one thing, you know, dealing with, dealing 00:59:46.265 --> 00:59:49.725 with anyone really, be respectful. 00:59:49.805 --> 00:59:50.635 Yeah, for sure. 00:59:50.705 --> 00:59:55.065 That, that can change the outcome because you have such discretionary power, powers 00:59:55.075 --> 01:00:01.375 from giving a warning to giving a fine, to seizing equipment, to going to jail, to, 01:00:01.855 --> 01:00:07.915 and sometimes people can just be having a bad day and they can walk out with a 01:00:07.915 --> 01:00:11.125 warning and sometimes you're having a bad day and they just make their day worse. 01:00:11.565 --> 01:00:11.955 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 01:00:11.995 --> 01:00:12.675 I mean, you know, you. 01:00:13.660 --> 01:00:16.830 You can't talk yourself out of being arrested, but you can talk 01:00:16.830 --> 01:00:17.950 yourself into being arrested. 01:00:18.990 --> 01:00:19.610 I like that. 01:00:20.100 --> 01:00:20.470 Yeah. 01:00:20.610 --> 01:00:23.950 And, you know, we have police, we have the cages in our trucks, like 01:00:23.950 --> 01:00:25.270 the, we call it the prisoner cage. 01:00:25.870 --> 01:00:27.500 We have those in our trucks for a reason. 01:00:28.020 --> 01:00:29.120 We have handcuffs for a reason. 01:00:29.740 --> 01:00:31.900 It's not often that we're arresting people. 01:00:32.390 --> 01:00:37.540 Um, but if we're in the backcountry and, you know, we, um, we come across 01:00:37.540 --> 01:00:43.155 something, because we're, Uh, in the backcountry, we, we may get people 01:00:43.155 --> 01:00:46.875 that are trying to avoid the CI city centers and using the backcountry. 01:00:46.875 --> 01:00:46.935 Mm. 01:00:47.775 --> 01:00:51.315 And if we run your name through our dispatch and maybe a warrant for 01:00:51.320 --> 01:00:55.185 your arrest, or there may be some other thing that is going on and 01:00:55.425 --> 01:00:58.475 you know, you get arrested and you get brought to the police station. 01:00:59.675 --> 01:01:02.965 And in the Wildlife Act, there, there's provisions for that in the 01:01:02.965 --> 01:01:07.425 Fisheries Act, and we very rarely arrest people for a barbed hook. 01:01:07.455 --> 01:01:09.475 That does not happen, although it's possible. 01:01:10.205 --> 01:01:11.695 It just, it doesn't work like that. 01:01:11.695 --> 01:01:16.945 I mean, that's not what we do, but, um, you know, there's some instances 01:01:16.975 --> 01:01:22.545 where for sure, um, under the Wildlife Act that we will put handcuffs on 01:01:22.545 --> 01:01:25.025 you and seize your truck and your boat and all that other stuff. 01:01:25.025 --> 01:01:28.905 And I mean, really, it's got to be a, something serious enough to do that. 01:01:28.905 --> 01:01:33.945 But for the most part, depending on the interaction or what the nature of what 01:01:33.955 --> 01:01:38.855 has happened, it may result in a warning, may result in a couple of tickets. 01:01:38.855 --> 01:01:41.425 It may result having to go to court and let a judge decide. 01:01:43.490 --> 01:01:47.160 Travis Bader: So, I did a float hunt with a couple of friends on a older 01:01:47.160 --> 01:01:51.520 commercial white water raft that I purchased in my, my twenties because 01:01:51.530 --> 01:01:57.090 I almost drowned on the goofy little World War II inflatable that I was using 01:01:57.090 --> 01:01:58.720 before that, that I bought at a gun show. 01:01:58.800 --> 01:02:02.930 And, uh, another buddy had a rowing frame for it and took it down the Fraser 01:02:02.930 --> 01:02:07.240 River for about a hundred kilometres and we're just looking at the maps and. 01:02:07.810 --> 01:02:12.680 One area says whirlpools, another area says rapids, and we had, we didn't really 01:02:12.680 --> 01:02:17.520 do much of a recce hunt on it and it was, uh, try to get some local knowledge 01:02:17.520 --> 01:02:19.330 to see if it, what it would look like. 01:02:19.330 --> 01:02:22.450 But what I really thought would have been beneficial is if I could have 01:02:22.470 --> 01:02:27.150 taken a drone and flown sections where it's going to look a little trickier 01:02:27.150 --> 01:02:28.810 and just make sure it was safe to go. 01:02:29.160 --> 01:02:31.720 But I said, no, not bringing a drone on this hunt. 01:02:31.890 --> 01:02:32.790 Was that the right call? 01:02:33.160 --> 01:02:33.430 That's 01:02:33.430 --> 01:02:34.440 Ron Leblanc: a very good call. 01:02:34.560 --> 01:02:35.120 Okay. 01:02:35.180 --> 01:02:36.530 That could have been a bad day for you. 01:02:36.630 --> 01:02:36.940 Yeah. 01:02:37.510 --> 01:02:42.070 So, and there's using drone while you're hunting, there is no ticket for that. 01:02:42.070 --> 01:02:42.920 You just go right to court. 01:02:44.630 --> 01:02:50.250 If you have a drone with you on a hunt speed hunting expedition, that is a 01:02:50.250 --> 01:02:54.480 ticket or court, depending on, and you could, you could lose that drone. 01:02:54.880 --> 01:02:58.020 I'd probably seize it from you until we figure it out. 01:02:58.120 --> 01:03:01.880 Um, the, the, the fair chase part of that with the drone. 01:03:02.390 --> 01:03:03.960 Uh, it's a, it's a new thing. 01:03:04.270 --> 01:03:06.870 The drones, it's so accessible now. 01:03:08.185 --> 01:03:12.035 And everybody seems to have one and you want to bring your kids with 01:03:12.035 --> 01:03:15.575 you on a hunt and they want to bring their drone, leave the drone at home. 01:03:17.135 --> 01:03:20.555 Travis Bader: What about ID, people needing ID with their fishing license, 01:03:20.595 --> 01:03:22.835 ID with their, with their tags? 01:03:22.855 --> 01:03:25.955 Is that something you find a lot of people gap on? 01:03:26.635 --> 01:03:27.085 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 01:03:27.175 --> 01:03:30.555 I mean, I think it's been the last five years where that's been a requirement, 01:03:31.775 --> 01:03:37.285 um, as part of the, the new updated system for fish and wildlife ID, the FID system. 01:03:38.415 --> 01:03:41.645 And, uh, as you know, if you've encountered a CO in the last couple 01:03:41.645 --> 01:03:45.265 years, he, he or she would have asked you for ID and they have, we have an 01:03:45.275 --> 01:03:48.485 app on our phone that we can use in and out of cell phone service that brings 01:03:48.485 --> 01:03:52.585 out some basic data about what your residency is, what kind of tags you 01:03:52.585 --> 01:03:54.955 have, what your draw is, et cetera. 01:03:56.075 --> 01:04:00.575 And eventually the, the goal is to migrate the phishing license into that as well. 01:04:00.615 --> 01:04:03.955 I'm not sure how they're going to figure out with the documenting 01:04:03.965 --> 01:04:06.355 Chinook and Steelhead with writing it on the paper, but. 01:04:06.385 --> 01:04:06.785 Right. 01:04:07.155 --> 01:04:13.135 So I don't know how that's going to work, but in the meantime, um, you produce 01:04:13.135 --> 01:04:15.845 your ID and we can pull up all your data. 01:04:16.455 --> 01:04:17.975 Phishing as well, no different. 01:04:17.975 --> 01:04:19.415 It's, it's an authorization. 01:04:19.415 --> 01:04:22.295 You have to have your ID for phishing. 01:04:22.905 --> 01:04:23.765 And, um. 01:04:25.180 --> 01:04:29.910 It's to, it's to prepare to go to that paperless side, but either way, 01:04:29.930 --> 01:04:32.220 it's, it's a regulated activity. 01:04:32.220 --> 01:04:35.370 You need a piece of ID with you to prove who you are. 01:04:35.470 --> 01:04:39.680 Um, in the past, you know, it's just too easy to go print off your fishing 01:04:39.680 --> 01:04:41.390 license and borrow your friends. 01:04:41.920 --> 01:04:42.950 Right. 01:04:43.070 --> 01:04:45.600 So yeah, the residency game as well. 01:04:46.590 --> 01:04:51.650 And it can be quite pricey to buy a non resident license and if you're 01:04:51.660 --> 01:04:54.630 from Ontario and your brother has a house here, it's too easy. 01:04:55.930 --> 01:04:57.130 Travis Bader: Yeah, I could see that. 01:04:57.870 --> 01:04:59.210 Let's see what other questions we have. 01:05:02.370 --> 01:05:07.150 One person was asking about, uh, Métis and there's a, he says, it's 01:05:07.170 --> 01:05:09.940 their understanding that Métis have federal migratory bird rights, 01:05:09.940 --> 01:05:11.420 but not provincial hunting rights. 01:05:11.420 --> 01:05:12.460 Is that correct? 01:05:13.190 --> 01:05:15.790 Ron Leblanc: No, not in, not in BC. 01:05:16.020 --> 01:05:22.240 The Métis, um, there's no recognition or special privilege for hunting for that. 01:05:23.400 --> 01:05:26.710 Travis Bader: So make sure that they have all of their correct licenses. 01:05:26.710 --> 01:05:26.910 Yeah. 01:05:27.600 --> 01:05:28.310 Um, 01:05:31.350 --> 01:05:32.270 it's an interesting one. 01:05:32.435 --> 01:05:37.455 I don't even know if it's something that you can comment on, but, uh, how 01:05:37.455 --> 01:05:41.455 can hunters provide more support on a political level to conservation officers? 01:05:41.565 --> 01:05:41.975 Oh, wow. 01:05:46.825 --> 01:05:50.765 Ron Leblanc: That's a one for off topic, offline, but, uh, it's a good question. 01:05:50.765 --> 01:05:51.055 And. 01:05:52.200 --> 01:05:59.280 Um, you know, we're what I can say is, you know, we're our numbers are less than 150. 01:05:59.940 --> 01:06:04.430 And that those haven't increased in a while, and our, our workload has 01:06:04.430 --> 01:06:10.570 increased our authorities of what we're enforcing different more mandates, 01:06:11.100 --> 01:06:16.330 more hunting population, cities are growing, the call volumes growing. 01:06:18.020 --> 01:06:21.310 And as a field officer, and I can speak for my fellow field 01:06:21.310 --> 01:06:25.500 officers, we're, you know, it's busy and I think we need some help. 01:06:26.850 --> 01:06:27.190 Travis Bader: Okay. 01:06:27.260 --> 01:06:27.740 Enough said. 01:06:28.860 --> 01:06:32.190 What are some of the most interesting files that either you or your 01:06:32.190 --> 01:06:33.760 colleagues have had to deal with? 01:06:33.890 --> 01:06:34.740 Oh, wow. 01:06:37.060 --> 01:06:37.640 Ron Leblanc: Um, 01:06:40.875 --> 01:06:43.325 Some of them are still ongoing, so I can't speak to them because they're 01:06:43.325 --> 01:06:49.445 still before the courts, but, um, I've been, I think some of the, the sort of 01:06:49.445 --> 01:06:53.145 funny ones are like the problem wildlife ones where you're interacting with, with 01:06:53.215 --> 01:06:56.845 critters and it's kind of the moments you hope nobody's watching sort of thing. 01:06:58.575 --> 01:06:58.855 Yeah. 01:06:58.905 --> 01:07:03.985 And, uh, geez, I had one where I'm just remembering this. 01:07:03.995 --> 01:07:06.585 So I was in Burns Lake and. 01:07:07.980 --> 01:07:11.750 And you're quite close with the RCMP members because you're often backing 01:07:11.750 --> 01:07:15.120 each other up and, and so you have each other's cell phone numbers and whatnot. 01:07:15.130 --> 01:07:16.040 So I get a call. 01:07:16.575 --> 01:07:16.960 At like 2. 01:07:16.960 --> 01:07:21.045 30, 3 in the morning from one of the Mounties on duty in Burns Lake and he, 01:07:22.405 --> 01:07:26.985 uh, I could tell in his voice that he's amped up and he said, Ron, there's a 01:07:27.235 --> 01:07:32.205 grizzly bear, uh, trying to break into this lady's house and we're on our way. 01:07:32.425 --> 01:07:33.835 I'm like, okay, I'm getting dressed. 01:07:34.865 --> 01:07:38.820 And it was an address kind of halfway to, Between me and where they were 01:07:38.820 --> 01:07:46.010 so Right on the highway is highway 16 so I I raced down there and I 01:07:46.010 --> 01:07:53.050 pull into the The, the yard and the Mounties are waving their arms at me. 01:07:53.120 --> 01:07:57.600 Oh, no, no, it's okay, sort of, sort of, just, we can step it down a little bit. 01:07:57.600 --> 01:07:59.870 Okay, I jump out of the truck and I'm like, what's going on? 01:07:59.870 --> 01:08:02.000 It's like, oh, it's not, it's not a grizzly bear. 01:08:02.000 --> 01:08:05.070 It's, she said she saw a grizzly bear the other day and her old in 01:08:05.070 --> 01:08:07.480 Iraq and assumed, but it's not. 01:08:07.480 --> 01:08:08.330 It's a, it's a. 01:08:09.025 --> 01:08:11.265 It's a young calf, Moose. 01:08:11.375 --> 01:08:15.055 This is like, last, early June, like first or second day of June. 01:08:16.845 --> 01:08:19.665 And Mama's on the other side of the fence, and Baby's on this side, and 01:08:19.675 --> 01:08:23.005 Mama's freaking out because Baby can't figure out how to get through the fence. 01:08:23.005 --> 01:08:23.705 And so... 01:08:24.495 --> 01:08:28.665 I'm like, okay, well, all we got to do is take the calf and put her on the other 01:08:28.665 --> 01:08:30.685 side of the fence and problem solved. 01:08:31.105 --> 01:08:31.455 Sounds 01:08:31.455 --> 01:08:31.875 Travis Bader: easy. 01:08:32.335 --> 01:08:33.175 Yes, it does. 01:08:34.975 --> 01:08:38.775 Ron Leblanc: So I walk up to the, to the two Mounties and I'm like, your 01:08:38.785 --> 01:08:41.485 job is to keep her from stomping me. 01:08:42.195 --> 01:08:43.665 I'm not afraid of the Taliban. 01:08:43.705 --> 01:08:45.225 I'm not afraid of Al Qaeda. 01:08:45.225 --> 01:08:46.195 You know what I'm afraid of? 01:08:46.355 --> 01:08:46.965 Cow moose. 01:08:48.375 --> 01:08:49.305 Cause they're dangerous. 01:08:49.305 --> 01:08:49.685 Oh yeah. 01:08:50.695 --> 01:08:51.415 So, uh. 01:08:52.235 --> 01:08:54.975 I go over to this little guy and he's a couple days old. 01:08:54.985 --> 01:08:56.225 It's just tiny. 01:08:56.235 --> 01:08:57.055 It's all wobbly. 01:08:57.055 --> 01:08:59.965 And, and I give it a little poke with my foot to try to get the 01:09:00.125 --> 01:09:05.025 maybe shoe out fence, fenced area, give it a poke, give it a poke. 01:09:05.035 --> 01:09:06.215 And it doesn't move. 01:09:06.835 --> 01:09:11.325 Third, third time I give it a poke, it stands up on all fours and lets 01:09:11.325 --> 01:09:17.345 out this little moose calf and puts its heads down and charges towards me. 01:09:17.885 --> 01:09:19.525 It head butts me right in the. 01:09:22.960 --> 01:09:23.320 Yeah. 01:09:23.690 --> 01:09:28.770 So I get bent over, I fall, I'm kind of bent over and then all I feel is, 01:09:30.340 --> 01:09:32.440 it's hoofing me on my body armor. 01:09:33.710 --> 01:09:37.800 And I look over at the two cops and they're pointing and laughing, ahhhhh. 01:09:40.165 --> 01:09:44.005 As the little guy runs off into the corner of the yard and I'm bent over 01:09:44.005 --> 01:09:45.435 and I say, look, I just need a minute. 01:09:45.485 --> 01:09:46.705 I just mean, he got me. 01:09:46.705 --> 01:09:47.445 He really got me. 01:09:49.425 --> 01:09:52.035 And so they just are laughing their guts out. 01:09:52.045 --> 01:09:56.065 The homeowner is standing on her, on the porch and kind of like, 01:09:56.065 --> 01:09:57.855 what, what is going on here? 01:09:58.385 --> 01:10:00.025 So I'm the expert, right? 01:10:00.025 --> 01:10:01.835 I show up and I'm, I'm on a commission. 01:10:02.750 --> 01:10:03.750 I need a few minutes. 01:10:05.160 --> 01:10:08.460 So, I can hear Mama on the other side of the fence still, and their cops are 01:10:08.470 --> 01:10:12.310 trying to get themselves together, and so I'm like, okay, I gotta go and find 01:10:12.310 --> 01:10:13.730 this guy and get you out of here now. 01:10:13.730 --> 01:10:17.610 So, I walk over, I get myself, and I kind of start walking. 01:10:18.565 --> 01:10:20.805 Like barbecue grate kind of thing on the ground. 01:10:21.455 --> 01:10:24.305 And I pick it up and I put it over my bits, a little bit of 01:10:24.435 --> 01:10:26.215 protection now, cause he's dangerous. 01:10:28.065 --> 01:10:29.265 Hit me once, right? 01:10:29.265 --> 01:10:29.545 Yeah. 01:10:30.165 --> 01:10:34.235 So, uh, I start walking over towards him and I get close to him and I'm 01:10:34.745 --> 01:10:38.575 sort of gesturing him with this fence to try to get him to run and. 01:10:39.060 --> 01:10:39.600 He gets it. 01:10:39.610 --> 01:10:44.840 He starts running as gangly as he can towards the front fence, which is perfect. 01:10:44.850 --> 01:10:49.210 He's going he's going I'm watching and and there's two police cars there their 01:10:49.210 --> 01:10:53.540 headlights on Sort of right where he's running and he's running for them. 01:10:53.540 --> 01:10:54.360 He's running for them. 01:10:54.360 --> 01:10:57.100 And then I hear that bang Oh, come on. 01:10:57.130 --> 01:11:01.520 It hits his head on the bull bar, the police car, ding, and it falls over and 01:11:01.520 --> 01:11:04.090 it's shaking and its legs are vibrating. 01:11:04.870 --> 01:11:07.550 And then I hear the Homer, Oh my God, Oh my God. 01:11:07.570 --> 01:11:09.210 And I'm like, Oh crap. 01:11:09.760 --> 01:11:10.750 So I run over. 01:11:12.255 --> 01:11:14.685 And I pick this little guy up and he's out. 01:11:15.035 --> 01:11:16.065 He knocked himself out. 01:11:16.995 --> 01:11:20.025 I pick him up and this is my chance to grab him and take him out of the... 01:11:20.475 --> 01:11:24.085 So I take him and I run him out to the gate quickly before Mama comes. 01:11:24.095 --> 01:11:26.285 And I put him down and I run back in and close the gate. 01:11:27.095 --> 01:11:29.695 And I'm still hurting from my previous injury. 01:11:31.265 --> 01:11:32.685 And I'm watching the little guy and... 01:11:33.410 --> 01:11:37.280 And he's starting to come to and he's, mama comes around and she's 01:11:37.280 --> 01:11:40.730 standing basically over top of him and takes a couple minutes and 01:11:40.730 --> 01:11:45.000 baby stands up and shakes his head and they run off into the woods. 01:11:46.210 --> 01:11:49.450 So, yeah, and then I get home at like, probably like four 01:11:49.450 --> 01:11:50.490 in the morning or something. 01:11:50.625 --> 01:11:51.555 Get back in the bed. 01:11:51.565 --> 01:11:53.245 And my wife's like, how'd it go? 01:11:53.245 --> 01:11:54.215 I'm like, I don't want to talk. 01:11:56.965 --> 01:11:59.245 Travis Bader: Uh, if only there was a camera on that at the time, eh? 01:11:59.505 --> 01:11:59.845 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 01:11:59.845 --> 01:12:03.415 Like, you know, there's, there was witnesses on that one and, 01:12:04.885 --> 01:12:06.715 but you know, things like that. 01:12:07.835 --> 01:12:08.035 That's 01:12:08.035 --> 01:12:08.515 Travis Bader: funny. 01:12:09.345 --> 01:12:14.605 Um, here's a question that people, uh, does, uh. 01:12:16.820 --> 01:12:19.250 It says, what deterrence of conservation officers see as 01:12:19.250 --> 01:12:24.090 effective against illegal bear and unlicensed harvesting of wildlife. 01:12:24.130 --> 01:12:27.580 Not really the most well put together sentence, but, uh, 01:12:28.290 --> 01:12:31.460 um, and is that a big thing? 01:12:31.500 --> 01:12:35.880 I mean, we, we always hear about illegal bear harvest and, uh. 01:12:36.525 --> 01:12:37.095 Is that. 01:12:37.955 --> 01:12:39.585 Ron Leblanc: Yeah, it's not as common as it used to. 01:12:39.585 --> 01:12:43.065 I mean, when the grizzly bear hunt was on, you know, we probably saw more of that, 01:12:43.065 --> 01:12:47.595 but it's illegal to bait bears, uh, in BC. 01:12:48.990 --> 01:12:55.480 Um, you know, so it could create them, it could create us, people will bait deer, 01:12:56.090 --> 01:13:00.610 and then the bear also like the food that the deer are eating, corn or whatever. 01:13:00.630 --> 01:13:05.990 So, I mean, there's, there's that, but, um, it's not a common, at 01:13:05.990 --> 01:13:07.400 least up here, it's not a common. 01:13:07.485 --> 01:13:08.815 I mean, so many barriers. 01:13:08.815 --> 01:13:10.875 I mean, you don't have to drive very far to bump into one. 01:13:10.985 --> 01:13:11.775 No, you don't. 01:13:11.835 --> 01:13:14.435 The, the need to bait them is, I don't find is there. 01:13:16.445 --> 01:13:17.965 Travis Bader: So here's a couple of interesting ones. 01:13:17.965 --> 01:13:21.115 I can probably answer a few of these ones, but we'll ask them anyways. 01:13:21.155 --> 01:13:25.735 Uh, do you guys really get MP5s or is that a myth or is that a fish and game 01:13:25.785 --> 01:13:27.085 or is that the fish and game dudes? 01:13:28.665 --> 01:13:32.325 Ron Leblanc: I've never handled an MP5, whether in the army or the CO service. 01:13:33.770 --> 01:13:36.260 No, that's, uh, I don't know where, that's probably a US 01:13:36.260 --> 01:13:37.450 Game Warden show or something. 01:13:38.150 --> 01:13:39.200 Travis Bader: So what are you guys handling? 01:13:40.100 --> 01:13:46.290 Ron Leblanc: Um, we carry automatic pistol glocks, uh, as a service pistol. 01:13:46.710 --> 01:13:53.600 We have, uh, 22s, uh, shotguns, uh, a 308 patrol rifle, and we 01:13:53.600 --> 01:13:55.680 carry tranquilizer, uh, guns. 01:13:57.205 --> 01:13:58.615 Travis Bader: So Glock 22 or 22 01:13:58.615 --> 01:13:59.205 Ron Leblanc: caliber? 01:13:59.425 --> 01:14:01.205 It's a Glock 22, 40 cal. 01:14:01.415 --> 01:14:01.645 Right. 01:14:01.645 --> 01:14:01.875 Travis Bader: Okay. 01:14:01.905 --> 01:14:04.725 I didn't know when he said 22s after that, no problem. 01:14:05.530 --> 01:14:08.090 Um, so that's interesting. 01:14:08.100 --> 01:14:10.360 The 22s, what do you, using the 22s for? 01:14:11.020 --> 01:14:16.780 Ron Leblanc: Small game like coyotes or, you know, uh, it's, it's a, it's 01:14:16.780 --> 01:14:20.370 an easier caliber for smaller mammals and just gives you more options. 01:14:20.370 --> 01:14:23.580 There's more tools in the toolbox and, you know, that's, that's one 01:14:23.580 --> 01:14:24.950 of the cool things about our agency. 01:14:24.950 --> 01:14:27.360 And I've had the opportunity to work with other agencies. 01:14:27.360 --> 01:14:29.240 And when you go through recruit training, you go through with 01:14:29.240 --> 01:14:35.765 other, uh, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, and, um, Alberta. 01:14:36.145 --> 01:14:39.775 Yeah, so there's different agencies and you get to see what 01:14:39.775 --> 01:14:42.089 they use for equipment, what kind of, how they're kitted out. 01:14:42.410 --> 01:14:44.890 Um, and so you get to, you know, that's good. 01:14:44.890 --> 01:14:46.090 I like that or I don't like that. 01:14:46.090 --> 01:14:51.800 And so we, I think BC's set up quite well with their equipment and, um, not a 01:14:51.800 --> 01:14:53.480 lot of complaints with the gear we have. 01:14:53.530 --> 01:14:57.950 I mean, some great gear and I'm on the uniform committee. 01:14:57.950 --> 01:15:01.140 So we're always looking for new and better equipment that's lighter. 01:15:01.140 --> 01:15:01.980 That's more effective. 01:15:01.990 --> 01:15:03.170 That's easier to use. 01:15:03.600 --> 01:15:07.240 We use a lot of technical gear, thermal imagers, you know, 01:15:07.240 --> 01:15:09.240 uh, metal detectors, drones. 01:15:10.150 --> 01:15:16.430 Um, and then some really just old fashioned shovels and axes and hand 01:15:16.430 --> 01:15:18.710 saws and winches and they work. 01:15:18.760 --> 01:15:23.310 And yeah, I mean, there's a wide breadth of, of, um, things 01:15:23.310 --> 01:15:24.330 you got to be proficient at. 01:15:24.330 --> 01:15:27.040 And, and nowadays, like one of those things you got to be 01:15:27.040 --> 01:15:28.670 proficient at is like a computer. 01:15:29.125 --> 01:15:29.495 Yeah. 01:15:29.495 --> 01:15:30.215 And typing. 01:15:30.225 --> 01:15:31.025 Yeah, totally. 01:15:31.045 --> 01:15:33.845 Cell phones and iPads and all of that 01:15:33.845 --> 01:15:34.455 Travis Bader: stuff. 01:15:34.695 --> 01:15:36.125 That's good for the younger generation. 01:15:36.125 --> 01:15:36.975 They got that one down. 01:15:37.505 --> 01:15:43.015 Um, how often do you find yourself having to, um, uh, you're out of town 01:15:43.015 --> 01:15:44.585 and maybe you have to divvy up somewhere. 01:15:44.685 --> 01:15:46.445 Are you, does that happen often? 01:15:46.445 --> 01:15:48.295 You're getting broken down, stuck. 01:15:49.045 --> 01:15:52.275 Ron Leblanc: In, in my area and in this, this, the region where we are, 01:15:52.295 --> 01:15:57.635 we are in because we, we cover such vast, uh, vast areas like my office. 01:15:57.845 --> 01:15:59.495 Covers from Houston to Stewart. 01:16:00.150 --> 01:16:00.300 Yeah. 01:16:00.300 --> 01:16:01.580 Stewart on the Alaska border. 01:16:01.850 --> 01:16:02.730 That's a pretty good area. 01:16:03.210 --> 01:16:03.450 Yeah. 01:16:03.600 --> 01:16:06.910 So it's a four and a half hour, five hour drive from Smithers. 01:16:06.940 --> 01:16:09.720 If I'm in Houston and I get a call to be in Stewart, that's a 01:16:09.800 --> 01:16:11.060 five and a half, six hour drive. 01:16:11.130 --> 01:16:11.960 Mm hmm. 01:16:11.970 --> 01:16:14.380 And that's before you deal with whatever you have to deal with. 01:16:14.450 --> 01:16:14.780 Mm hmm. 01:16:14.800 --> 01:16:19.190 Then you deal with that and you might as well just spend the night there. 01:16:19.250 --> 01:16:19.720 Mm hmm. 01:16:19.760 --> 01:16:23.200 Um, or say if it's full, like this time of year with tourists, 01:16:23.200 --> 01:16:23.920 there's nowhere to sleep. 01:16:23.930 --> 01:16:26.860 Maybe you can sleep at one of the Mounties houses or at the detachment. 01:16:27.690 --> 01:16:28.000 Mm hmm. 01:16:28.000 --> 01:16:29.590 Or maybe you sleep in your tent that night. 01:16:29.970 --> 01:16:33.490 You know, we just, our truck up here, our trucks are equipped to 01:16:33.490 --> 01:16:34.990 kind of spend the night somewhere. 01:16:35.650 --> 01:16:38.650 You know, if something happens at the bush, out in the bush and you have to 01:16:38.650 --> 01:16:41.440 head out there at 11 o'clock and it may be till five in the morning until 01:16:41.440 --> 01:16:45.670 you're done, maybe it's a grizzly bear mauling, or maybe it's an investigation 01:16:45.670 --> 01:16:49.910 that needs attention and you just, you just have to be prepared to be there. 01:16:50.690 --> 01:16:55.520 Whether it be minus 30 or plus 35, like you have to have all your 01:16:55.530 --> 01:16:57.210 gear ready to go all the time. 01:16:57.595 --> 01:17:01.065 And you know, you're on patrol in your truck and you have something in 01:17:01.065 --> 01:17:05.575 mind to go do, and you may be pulled away from doing that or come across 01:17:05.575 --> 01:17:09.865 something and you just have to be able to switch gears and, and deal with it. 01:17:10.645 --> 01:17:11.965 Travis Bader: So here's something you'd probably know. 01:17:12.055 --> 01:17:15.505 Um, you got to work with your hands a heck of a lot as a CO. 01:17:15.875 --> 01:17:16.695 Minus 30. 01:17:16.755 --> 01:17:18.045 What are you using to keep your mitts warm? 01:17:18.915 --> 01:17:19.475 Ron Leblanc: Oh, geez. 01:17:20.375 --> 01:17:24.025 Well, obviously try to wear gloves as much as you can, and then sticking your 01:17:24.025 --> 01:17:25.735 arms under your hand, under your armpits. 01:17:26.030 --> 01:17:30.670 But I've, I've jammed my hands and guts of moose to keep him warm. 01:17:30.690 --> 01:17:33.850 You know, I thought about doing the Star Wars thing, climb into one. 01:17:33.860 --> 01:17:34.490 Right, right. 01:17:34.980 --> 01:17:35.760 But yeah, I mean. 01:17:36.705 --> 01:17:41.465 You know, I, I've seen them overnight come back the next morning to that same 01:17:41.465 --> 01:17:43.265 carcass and it's still warm inside. 01:17:43.795 --> 01:17:44.255 Travis Bader: Yeah. 01:17:44.425 --> 01:17:44.725 Yeah. 01:17:45.385 --> 01:17:47.715 That's a, uh, well, that's a good lesson for hunters. 01:17:47.815 --> 01:17:48.155 Yeah. 01:17:48.735 --> 01:17:49.435 Ron Leblanc: Take the guts out. 01:17:49.555 --> 01:17:49.945 Yes. 01:17:50.925 --> 01:17:51.645 Travis Bader: Absolutely. 01:17:52.275 --> 01:17:54.155 Um, I don't know how to answer this one. 01:17:54.155 --> 01:17:57.110 I don't think you will either, but, uh, Which government agency 01:17:57.110 --> 01:17:58.600 is starting all these fires? 01:17:58.800 --> 01:17:59.500 Oh God. 01:18:00.040 --> 01:18:00.260 Ha! 01:18:00.830 --> 01:18:04.990 Have you, uh, have you seen the, uh, the conspiracy stuff about, 01:18:05.040 --> 01:18:06.630 uh, conductive energy weapons? 01:18:06.720 --> 01:18:07.250 No. 01:18:07.340 --> 01:18:07.680 Oh, okay. 01:18:07.680 --> 01:18:08.830 Apparently the color blue. 01:18:08.970 --> 01:18:09.200 Ron Leblanc: That's uh... 01:18:09.200 --> 01:18:09.660 Color blue. 01:18:09.720 --> 01:18:11.700 Well, we used to have blue uniforms, but they're black now. 01:18:11.770 --> 01:18:12.170 Okay. 01:18:12.550 --> 01:18:12.790 Travis Bader: Yeah. 01:18:13.170 --> 01:18:14.800 No, they say color bluey if you look at... 01:18:14.990 --> 01:18:17.810 Uh, some of these places where these fires and there's like blue umbrellas 01:18:17.810 --> 01:18:19.510 are still up or blue cars are there. 01:18:19.510 --> 01:18:24.180 And apparently Oprah's painting our house blue, like all these, it's on the 66. 01:18:24.180 --> 01:18:24.910 6 Hertz spectrum. 01:18:25.000 --> 01:18:26.640 Ron Leblanc: So if you have blue, there's no fires. 01:18:26.680 --> 01:18:26.880 Travis Bader: Yeah. 01:18:26.880 --> 01:18:30.650 The conductive energy weapon will bypass your, uh, Oh, 01:18:30.660 --> 01:18:30.910 Ron Leblanc: okay. 01:18:30.930 --> 01:18:33.340 Well, that's, I've been unlucky then. 01:18:35.090 --> 01:18:35.640 Travis Bader: Yeah. 01:18:35.710 --> 01:18:41.430 Um, How lenient will they be with someone who accidentally breaks the rules? 01:18:41.460 --> 01:18:42.980 Will it be a rough time? 01:18:44.050 --> 01:18:46.080 Ron Leblanc: Accidentally breaks the rules. 01:18:48.380 --> 01:18:53.610 So is that someone that has done something and reports it, or is that we check 01:18:53.610 --> 01:18:58.460 somebody and they realize that they've done something wrong and we sort of 01:18:58.540 --> 01:19:01.270 educate them on the spot that this is an 01:19:01.270 --> 01:19:01.930 Travis Bader: infraction? 01:19:02.060 --> 01:19:02.960 Good distinction. 01:19:03.030 --> 01:19:05.130 Let's say somebody reports, self reports. 01:19:05.180 --> 01:19:05.570 Ron Leblanc: Okay. 01:19:06.120 --> 01:19:07.590 So there's a common one is. 01:19:08.815 --> 01:19:14.185 Uh, say a four point mule deer season, someone shoots a three point, self 01:19:14.185 --> 01:19:20.475 reports, immediately does what they're supposed to, their call CO, take 01:19:20.475 --> 01:19:23.525 the guts out so you're not wasting the animal because it's definitely 01:19:23.525 --> 01:19:24.595 not going to be able to keep it. 01:19:25.635 --> 01:19:30.655 Um, we've, we will attend and take a statement and we'll base that on. 01:19:32.040 --> 01:19:34.350 Uh, due diligence of the hunter. 01:19:35.090 --> 01:19:38.090 So how long did that guy stare at that animal? 01:19:38.100 --> 01:19:40.580 Did he shoot right away as soon as he saw horns or did he spend 01:19:40.580 --> 01:19:42.190 some time and do his homework? 01:19:42.800 --> 01:19:45.220 Maybe he shot at a four point and hit the three point. 01:19:45.900 --> 01:19:48.080 Um, maybe it passed through an animal. 01:19:48.940 --> 01:19:54.190 Um, maybe he hasn't had a whole lot of hunting deer experience, or maybe 01:19:54.190 --> 01:19:57.820 he's a seasoned hunter and still was a little too eager on the trigger. 01:19:58.200 --> 01:20:02.860 All of these things play into our discretion and that's, 01:20:02.970 --> 01:20:05.280 we don't have a ticket quota. 01:20:06.320 --> 01:20:08.010 People ask, what's your, we don't have that. 01:20:08.060 --> 01:20:08.840 There is no ticket quota. 01:20:08.860 --> 01:20:11.650 Nobody's ever told me you will write this many tickets. 01:20:12.290 --> 01:20:14.350 There'll probably be some questions if you write none. 01:20:14.550 --> 01:20:14.940 Travis Bader: Sure. 01:20:15.950 --> 01:20:18.550 Ron Leblanc: Yeah, but we don't have a ticket quota. 01:20:18.550 --> 01:20:23.610 So we'll base all of that on circumstances, uh, what occurred and 01:20:23.610 --> 01:20:26.720 then, you know, it could be a warning. 01:20:26.720 --> 01:20:31.550 It could be a violation ticket that that animal is going to be seized. 01:20:32.465 --> 01:20:38.005 Uh, your, your tag is still going to be punched, but, you know, if you don't 01:20:38.005 --> 01:20:42.595 report it and we somehow get wind of it and, and it's going to be a very 01:20:42.595 --> 01:20:44.865 different outcome than if you self report. 01:20:47.035 --> 01:20:47.165 Travis Bader: Yeah. 01:20:47.165 --> 01:20:47.855 I can imagine. 01:20:47.935 --> 01:20:48.175 Yeah. 01:20:50.245 --> 01:20:54.004 If you could change any law or deterrent, what would you do 01:20:54.005 --> 01:20:55.575 to lower poaching incidents? 01:20:56.970 --> 01:21:01.850 Ron Leblanc: I think more education to the hunting, hunting and fishing population. 01:21:02.440 --> 01:21:10.315 Um, Um, we, there's not a lot of great references for hunters online 01:21:10.335 --> 01:21:13.435 or, you know, there's the Cora Cora's and there's talking to other people. 01:21:13.475 --> 01:21:14.165 That's a start. 01:21:15.155 --> 01:21:19.305 Um, calling a CO, getting more information, maybe joining a forum, maybe 01:21:19.305 --> 01:21:21.635 joining a hunting group or a game club. 01:21:22.495 --> 01:21:25.245 That's a start, but I think the government could do better in 01:21:25.255 --> 01:21:27.565 terms of helping educate hunters. 01:21:28.425 --> 01:21:31.935 Uh, so there's courses that you have to take to go and hunt. 01:21:33.015 --> 01:21:36.115 But anybody can just go online and buy a fishing license. 01:21:36.165 --> 01:21:36.815 I know. 01:21:37.265 --> 01:21:40.395 And then you're just hope for the best and see what happens. 01:21:41.035 --> 01:21:45.605 And fishing is very highly regulated and depending on the body of water 01:21:45.615 --> 01:21:50.085 you're on and the type of species you're targeting, there's a lot there. 01:21:50.745 --> 01:21:54.535 And to, you know, maybe a little bit of training or some more education 01:21:54.535 --> 01:21:58.795 on the fishing side might, you know, announce a prevention sort of thing. 01:21:59.300 --> 01:22:00.190 Travis Bader: Yeah, I think that'd be good. 01:22:00.350 --> 01:22:00.610 Yeah. 01:22:00.810 --> 01:22:02.620 I mean, it's called a Fish and Wildlife ID. 01:22:02.990 --> 01:22:03.140 Yeah. 01:22:04.240 --> 01:22:04.740 That kind of makes 01:22:04.740 --> 01:22:05.100 Ron Leblanc: sense. 01:22:05.110 --> 01:22:09.410 So I don't know if there's some appetite to integrate some, have a 01:22:09.410 --> 01:22:12.630 separate fishing or maybe integrate that into the hunting or, you know. 01:22:12.760 --> 01:22:16.560 Travis Bader: Honestly, I think having a, uh, just basic, cause like your hunting 01:22:16.560 --> 01:22:19.580 course, your core course teaches you how to be safe, teaches you how to be legal. 01:22:19.990 --> 01:22:21.470 Um, those are the big things. 01:22:21.470 --> 01:22:22.400 It doesn't teach you how to hunt. 01:22:22.610 --> 01:22:22.880 Yeah. 01:22:23.080 --> 01:22:23.590 Um. 01:22:24.200 --> 01:22:26.820 I mean, people can read the synopsis and try and extrapolate, but 01:22:26.860 --> 01:22:30.230 there's so much to hunting all the different types of species out there. 01:22:30.710 --> 01:22:32.620 Ron Leblanc: You know, and you know, there's identification 01:22:32.620 --> 01:22:34.750 and in the core about animals. 01:22:34.750 --> 01:22:35.590 So fish. 01:22:36.140 --> 01:22:38.460 Salmon, especially, people can get that confused. 01:22:38.460 --> 01:22:42.820 You know, you keep a coho or maybe there's no Chinook retention and 01:22:42.820 --> 01:22:45.760 they're like, Oh, it's not a Chinook, it's a sockeye and they get confused. 01:22:46.080 --> 01:22:46.550 I know. 01:22:46.580 --> 01:22:49.030 And you know, the photographs aren't so great. 01:22:49.040 --> 01:22:49.090 Well, you 01:22:50.180 --> 01:22:52.470 Travis Bader: look at the photographs and then you look at another set of 01:22:52.470 --> 01:22:56.160 photographs and they've been taken at different stages of the spawning 01:22:56.170 --> 01:23:00.260 cycle and one looks like the other, and the things you're looking for 01:23:00.260 --> 01:23:01.640 on one now show up on another one. 01:23:01.640 --> 01:23:04.090 And it can be, unless you're out there and you've. 01:23:04.465 --> 01:23:08.235 You've done it a bit and you get to know these critters and the fish. 01:23:08.285 --> 01:23:08.665 Ron Leblanc: Yeah. 01:23:09.115 --> 01:23:13.505 Like when you kill a steelhead, cause you think it's just something different. 01:23:13.585 --> 01:23:14.065 Whoops. 01:23:14.085 --> 01:23:14.545 Yeah. 01:23:14.545 --> 01:23:16.755 That's, that's, uh, that's a bad day for you. 01:23:17.135 --> 01:23:17.245 It's 01:23:17.245 --> 01:23:17.925 Travis Bader: not a good day. 01:23:18.505 --> 01:23:20.945 What do you do if you find somebody with a steelhead that's, you 01:23:20.945 --> 01:23:22.175 know, they're losing the meat 01:23:22.175 --> 01:23:22.765 Ron Leblanc: for sure. 01:23:23.425 --> 01:23:23.685 Yeah. 01:23:23.685 --> 01:23:28.235 There's, there's some, it, it can, it definitely. 01:23:28.670 --> 01:23:34.680 It's a serious offense because of the, there is no retention of steelhead here. 01:23:34.950 --> 01:23:35.140 Can 01:23:35.140 --> 01:23:36.290 Travis Bader: First Nation keep steelhead? 01:23:37.050 --> 01:23:37.290 Yeah. 01:23:37.340 --> 01:23:38.050 On their, 01:23:38.450 --> 01:23:38.830 Ron Leblanc: on their land. 01:23:38.830 --> 01:23:38.839 Traditional territory. 01:23:38.840 --> 01:23:39.810 Traditional territory. 01:23:40.220 --> 01:23:40.530 Travis Bader: Okay. 01:23:40.540 --> 01:23:40.790 Sure. 01:23:41.510 --> 01:23:42.040 Does that 01:23:42.040 --> 01:23:42.430 Ron Leblanc: happen? 01:23:42.610 --> 01:23:45.200 It does happen, but they also recognize that the species is 01:23:45.200 --> 01:23:46.620 not doing as well as it should. 01:23:46.620 --> 01:23:50.170 And, and so, I mean, they're working with us a lot to educate their own 01:23:50.170 --> 01:23:54.280 members on, on, um, what should be harvested and what shouldn't. 01:23:54.860 --> 01:24:01.045 I mean, they, they, they do have a big, uh, Um, sockeye fishery here that 01:24:01.095 --> 01:24:05.495 members can get sockeye from, through the DFO facility and the cooperation 01:24:05.495 --> 01:24:08.625 with, with, uh, the different bands here. 01:24:08.625 --> 01:24:12.755 They, so there's enough salmon to go around for the band here. 01:24:13.515 --> 01:24:14.005 Okay. 01:24:17.815 --> 01:24:19.875 Travis Bader: Is there anything that we should be talking about? 01:24:19.875 --> 01:24:22.075 You think that we haven't covered so far? 01:24:26.785 --> 01:24:27.315 Ron Leblanc: Um. 01:24:31.800 --> 01:24:37.270 Well, I'd like to maybe talk a little bit about the process for a conservation 01:24:37.270 --> 01:24:41.430 officer and their training, like what they are, what the training is like 01:24:41.430 --> 01:24:45.120 and what they're, what they have to go through to get to the point where 01:24:45.320 --> 01:24:48.770 you're now seeing this officer in the middle of nowhere talking to you. 01:24:49.090 --> 01:24:52.000 There's a lot of training and checks and balances that. 01:24:52.435 --> 01:24:56.485 That person has to go through to get to that point totally very different 01:24:56.495 --> 01:25:00.895 from how it was 20 years ago Yeah, it's very regimented now and it's it's 01:25:01.505 --> 01:25:04.775 it's uh, it's different from you Some of these guys that have been around a 01:25:04.775 --> 01:25:08.725 long time used to talk to them about what their training was like it has 01:25:11.860 --> 01:25:16.710 Um, and, and now we go through an academy called Western Conservation 01:25:16.710 --> 01:25:17.840 Law Enforcement Academy. 01:25:18.280 --> 01:25:21.640 And it's, like I said, it's an academy, uh, recruit academy, 01:25:21.640 --> 01:25:23.670 just like, say, RCMP Depot. 01:25:23.970 --> 01:25:27.780 But for game wardens, and it's in Western Canada, and ourselves, 01:25:27.780 --> 01:25:29.130 Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan. 01:25:30.425 --> 01:25:32.375 We all joined together to do one academy. 01:25:32.405 --> 01:25:36.325 And it's just, we only may have 10 or 15 recruits each, but when you jam 01:25:36.325 --> 01:25:38.055 them all together, you got a troop. 01:25:39.385 --> 01:25:43.725 We share resources and instructors, uh, we come together and we provide our own 01:25:43.725 --> 01:25:46.475 perspectives on, uh, and expertise on. 01:25:47.560 --> 01:25:51.350 So a recruit will show up and, you know, the first couple of days 01:25:51.350 --> 01:25:54.560 it's drill and getting yelled at and pushups and running and, you 01:25:54.560 --> 01:25:56.600 know, the pair and all that stuff. 01:25:56.860 --> 01:25:57.840 So that's no different. 01:25:58.720 --> 01:26:02.930 And then it's, then it's a series of courses, off road driving course, 01:26:02.930 --> 01:26:06.970 boating course, problem wildlife course, tranquilizing course, uh, 01:26:07.030 --> 01:26:14.230 defensive tactics, firearms, long arms, investigative techniques, how to 01:26:14.230 --> 01:26:25.200 trap wildlife, Uh, Swiftwater Rescue, um, ORV, how to back up a trailer. 01:26:25.950 --> 01:26:26.270 Like. 01:26:26.370 --> 01:26:26.990 That's a good one. 01:26:27.050 --> 01:26:27.470 Travis Bader: Yeah. 01:26:27.850 --> 01:26:29.380 I know a lot of people who should take that course. 01:26:29.460 --> 01:26:29.750 Yeah. 01:26:30.090 --> 01:26:32.980 Ron Leblanc: Um, and that's just the, so there's, I'm sure there's 01:26:32.980 --> 01:26:36.770 more than that, uh, first aid and so it's a bunch of stuff jammed in there 01:26:37.140 --> 01:26:42.850 and it's 16 weeks, four months long and it's basically, it's just a tip. 01:26:42.890 --> 01:26:44.380 It's just the tip of the spear. 01:26:44.380 --> 01:26:45.990 It's just the start. 01:26:46.540 --> 01:26:47.910 The real training is. 01:26:48.130 --> 01:26:50.990 When they get back, uh, to their jurisdiction. 01:26:50.990 --> 01:26:54.370 So BC is very different than the other provinces in terms of how we 01:26:54.410 --> 01:26:57.560 get secondary approval from Crown before those charges get approved. 01:26:57.930 --> 01:26:59.290 Other provinces don't have that. 01:26:59.830 --> 01:27:03.660 We have that extra layer of, uh, of approval. 01:27:05.060 --> 01:27:09.500 And then BC is unique in different ways in terms of our law and our authorities. 01:27:10.240 --> 01:27:11.850 You know, they may have different authorities than us. 01:27:12.730 --> 01:27:16.400 So they gotta learn some of that when they graduate from that academy. 01:27:17.050 --> 01:27:18.570 Then they meet their field trainer. 01:27:18.650 --> 01:27:20.580 And then they do a minimum a year. 01:27:20.740 --> 01:27:23.850 It could be longer, but it's a minimum a year you're attached to the HIP. 01:27:24.230 --> 01:27:24.540 Wow. 01:27:24.590 --> 01:27:25.850 To an experienced officer. 01:27:26.410 --> 01:27:28.540 And there's a book that you have to... 01:27:28.770 --> 01:27:31.070 You know, get through that kind of gives you the guidance of what 01:27:31.210 --> 01:27:33.590 we want to see you get exposed to. 01:27:34.000 --> 01:27:35.770 And it may not all be done in that area. 01:27:35.770 --> 01:27:38.400 You may have to go to other parts of the province to get that experience. 01:27:39.680 --> 01:27:42.320 Uh, for instance, like moose and big critters are not going 01:27:42.320 --> 01:27:43.820 to be done in Vancouver Island. 01:27:43.840 --> 01:27:44.370 Right. 01:27:44.400 --> 01:27:45.850 But they have elk and yeah. 01:27:46.660 --> 01:27:50.420 So, you know, a minimum a year to do that. 01:27:51.595 --> 01:27:57.625 And me personally, I think you're not really understanding a fair 01:27:57.625 --> 01:27:59.215 grasp of it until five years in. 01:28:00.235 --> 01:28:00.485 That 01:28:00.485 --> 01:28:00.975 Travis Bader: long, eh? 01:28:01.055 --> 01:28:01.285 Yeah. 01:28:01.285 --> 01:28:02.245 There's just so much to it. 01:28:02.245 --> 01:28:02.285 There's 01:28:02.285 --> 01:28:02.805 Ron Leblanc: so much. 01:28:02.815 --> 01:28:07.995 I mean, you, you can get people that maybe are book smart or whatever, but to 01:28:07.995 --> 01:28:10.955 get the experience to be in the trenches. 01:28:12.015 --> 01:28:16.645 You know, five years, I think, to be, you're, you're now, you're 01:28:16.645 --> 01:28:20.585 kind of feeling comfortable with the scenarios and how, you know, 01:28:20.825 --> 01:28:21.965 you're always going to be stumped. 01:28:22.015 --> 01:28:24.495 I mean, you'll be at a gas station and someone will walk up to you and 01:28:24.495 --> 01:28:27.665 ask you a question and you're like, I actually have to look that up. 01:28:27.705 --> 01:28:28.495 I'm not sure. 01:28:29.005 --> 01:28:32.745 You know, people expect us to know everything, but we don't, um, and the 01:28:32.745 --> 01:28:38.210 regulations are And each fishing and hunting and, and all the other, uh, leads 01:28:38.210 --> 01:28:43.530 that we are, we're lead for, you know, if someone's having a fire and they need, 01:28:43.530 --> 01:28:47.810 uh, us to go deal with the fire during a fire ban, we're, we're going to that. 01:28:48.010 --> 01:28:50.920 Someone's burning slash when they shouldn't be burning, we're not, there's 01:28:50.920 --> 01:28:53.630 environmental file, we're going to that. 01:28:54.560 --> 01:28:57.170 ORV, uh, we're the lead agency for that. 01:28:57.885 --> 01:29:01.395 So there's, you know, not, not including all the other stuff that we do with 01:29:01.535 --> 01:29:06.655 helping the local police with emergency situations and, you know, in small towns, 01:29:06.655 --> 01:29:10.475 there's only so many cops and, you know, if they need a hand, we, we get called 01:29:11.015 --> 01:29:12.785 search and rescue need an extra boat. 01:29:12.985 --> 01:29:14.425 We know the area we're well equipped. 01:29:14.455 --> 01:29:16.255 We have all the communications devices. 01:29:16.635 --> 01:29:17.625 We're plug and play. 01:29:18.095 --> 01:29:20.395 We're like the Swiss army knife of law enforcement. 01:29:20.745 --> 01:29:21.645 We can do it all. 01:29:22.125 --> 01:29:22.695 That's pretty 01:29:22.695 --> 01:29:23.135 Travis Bader: cool. 01:29:24.285 --> 01:29:26.325 Ron Leblanc: Boats, quads, drones. 01:29:27.275 --> 01:29:29.095 Or the snowmobiles. 01:29:29.645 --> 01:29:32.685 You know, and then there's the, these recruits still have to 01:29:32.685 --> 01:29:36.775 go through avalanche safety and snowmobile training and ice rescue 01:29:36.775 --> 01:29:39.185 and lots and lots of training. 01:29:39.185 --> 01:29:41.975 And then there's all the law enforcement side that's more specific 01:29:41.975 --> 01:29:44.045 to BC and getting all of that done. 01:29:45.125 --> 01:29:48.295 And then, so now they've got all of this stuff and they've got to 01:29:48.295 --> 01:29:51.775 retain it and, and then be deployed. 01:29:51.775 --> 01:29:54.485 And then they get sent out and we'll see how it goes. 01:29:55.215 --> 01:29:55.625 Travis Bader: Yeah. 01:29:55.635 --> 01:29:58.705 And then you get sent out and you're on your own? 01:29:58.785 --> 01:29:59.255 On your own. 01:29:59.605 --> 01:30:05.225 And you're dealing with Lord knows what, just average anglers and 01:30:05.235 --> 01:30:09.635 hunters that are maybe bending the rules a bit, maybe ignorant, or maybe 01:30:09.635 --> 01:30:14.175 people that are outright poaching and doing illegal things and knowingly 01:30:14.175 --> 01:30:14.565 Ron Leblanc: so. 01:30:14.615 --> 01:30:15.015 Yeah. 01:30:15.785 --> 01:30:16.035 Yeah. 01:30:16.035 --> 01:30:16.925 And for me, like. 01:30:17.660 --> 01:30:21.220 Like, I've trained a number of recruits, and I'm a, one of the Youth 01:30:21.280 --> 01:30:24.940 Enforced Instructor on that cadre, and I also train at the academy. 01:30:25.330 --> 01:30:30.070 Um, you know, knowing your authorities as an officer, and knowing the 01:30:30.070 --> 01:30:36.470 legislation, and also why, so that, uh, Hunter or Fisher ask you, why do 01:30:36.470 --> 01:30:38.650 we need to have no barbs on the river? 01:30:39.600 --> 01:30:43.030 Understanding why that regulation is there, and trying to explain 01:30:43.030 --> 01:30:46.510 that to the public so they can now buy into that, versus just a rule. 01:30:46.985 --> 01:30:48.025 There's a reason for it. 01:30:48.065 --> 01:30:48.795 This is the reason. 01:30:49.905 --> 01:30:53.855 And then now they understand, well, why is there a motor vehicle closure here? 01:30:53.855 --> 01:30:54.855 This makes no sense. 01:30:55.295 --> 01:30:59.975 Well, sir, there's a reason the closure is here is because access, there's a 01:30:59.975 --> 01:31:03.245 caribou herd here and it's very sensitive and having motor vehicle, you know, 01:31:03.935 --> 01:31:05.705 just trying to justify why that's in 01:31:05.705 --> 01:31:06.175 Travis Bader: place. 01:31:06.405 --> 01:31:08.915 That'd be an interesting education piece for the government 01:31:08.975 --> 01:31:10.595 to put out, just the whys. 01:31:10.800 --> 01:31:11.190 Yeah. 01:31:11.420 --> 01:31:12.150 This is a rule. 01:31:12.190 --> 01:31:12.690 Why? 01:31:12.880 --> 01:31:13.540 Here's a rule. 01:31:13.560 --> 01:31:13.810 Why? 01:31:13.820 --> 01:31:14.210 I always 01:31:14.210 --> 01:31:14.850 Ron Leblanc: want to know why. 01:31:15.160 --> 01:31:15.360 So 01:31:15.360 --> 01:31:15.800 Travis Bader: do I. 01:31:15.980 --> 01:31:16.480 I agree. 01:31:16.680 --> 01:31:18.840 It's important to know why, then you understand, and then 01:31:18.850 --> 01:31:19.990 you can tell other people. 01:31:20.120 --> 01:31:21.420 Yeah, I agree. 01:31:22.730 --> 01:31:27.000 Ron Leblanc: But yeah, I mean, you know, so if you do encounter a COO 01:31:27.000 --> 01:31:33.860 in the back country and, um, for me, this I'm speaking from my perspective, 01:31:34.040 --> 01:31:35.610 because honesty goes a long way. 01:31:36.110 --> 01:31:38.670 And the minute you lied to me, my discretion goes away. 01:31:38.770 --> 01:31:39.180 Yeah. 01:31:39.410 --> 01:31:44.450 I have a lot of discretion and we have the ability to practice that discretion. 01:31:44.660 --> 01:31:45.130 Hmm. 01:31:45.410 --> 01:31:49.240 Um, and if you're open and honest, you know, we're going to work with the person. 01:31:50.495 --> 01:31:52.805 Travis Bader: I don't have any patience for somebody who's dishonest. 01:31:53.265 --> 01:31:54.635 I should imagine other people are like 01:31:54.635 --> 01:31:54.935 Ron Leblanc: that. 01:31:54.985 --> 01:31:56.995 Yeah, I, I, I'm too old, man. 01:31:57.015 --> 01:32:01.395 I've been around, I've been there and done that with previous life. 01:32:01.435 --> 01:32:04.415 And I, I don't play the drama thing. 01:32:04.465 --> 01:32:05.235 Uh, I'm pretty 01:32:05.235 --> 01:32:05.955 Travis Bader: straightforward. 01:32:06.185 --> 01:32:06.445 Yeah. 01:32:06.505 --> 01:32:09.559 I'd much rather someone just keep their mouth shut than lie to me. 01:32:09.690 --> 01:32:10.070 Yeah. 01:32:10.500 --> 01:32:15.550 Um, um, well, Ron, thank you very much. 01:32:15.570 --> 01:32:18.960 That was, uh, some interesting questions from the public that came up there. 01:32:19.480 --> 01:32:23.560 I know there's some really interesting stories that are probably not for 01:32:23.560 --> 01:32:26.850 public consumption, but they're, they're a lot of fun, really enjoyed. 01:32:27.165 --> 01:32:30.935 Going out with you yesterday, that was, uh, it was neat to see what you do, what 01:32:30.935 --> 01:32:32.945 a day in the life of a CO looks like. 01:32:32.945 --> 01:32:38.465 And, um, I can see why the people here in Smithers say this is our conservation 01:32:38.465 --> 01:32:40.705 officer and not the conservation officer. 01:32:41.085 --> 01:32:42.555 Thank you so much for being on this. 01:32:42.565 --> 01:32:42.995 So thanks 01:32:42.995 --> 01:32:43.595 Ron Leblanc: for having me. 01:32:43.605 --> 01:32:44.205 It's been awesome. 01:32:44.205 --> 01:32:48.225 And we'll see if there's appetite to do it again and go from there. 01:32:48.535 --> 01:32:48.905 I love it. 01:32:56.250 --> 01:32:57.375 Yeah. 01:32:57.375 --> 01:32:58.499 Yeah. 01:32:58.500 --> 01:32:58.530 Yeah.