THIS past weekend, Surrey RCMP officers, municipal employees, and six Surrey School District students and staff completed the final leg of the Pulling Together Canoe Journey, which wrapped up at Stanley Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Surrey RCMP said they were honoured to participate in the journey, as both paddlers and ground crew, with support from this year’s hosts – Squamish First Nation, West Vancouver Police, and the Royal Canadian Navy.  This was also the first year that Surrey detachment entered its own canoe as part of the Semiahmoo First Nation family.

“The feedback we received from all of the participants was excellent,” says Superintendent Shawn Gill, Surrey RCMP Community Services Officer, who helped paddle the canoe along with several other special guests at points during the ten day journey. “It was great to see the healthy rapport being developed between our officers, staff, local youth, and our Indigenous communities. This event is a long standing tradition that has a lasting impact on strengthening relationships amongst all groups involved.”

“Our students and staff had an incredible experience,” says Rob Rai, Safe Schools Director, School and Community Connections. “Staff have repeatedly mentioned how impressed they were by the students’ growth and development in such a short amount of time. Being able to immerse themselves in this environment surrounded by such positive influences was a great learning opportunity for these students. Thank you to all our partners for making it a success.”

RCMP said: “The Pulling Together Canoe Journey is an important way for the Surrey RCMP to build stronger connections and create a greater cultural awareness amongst all our communities. The Surrey RCMP continues to seek additional opportunities to work with our local Indigenous community in the interests of public safety and building trust between First Nations and the police.”

For more information on the Pulling Together Canoe Journey, visit http://pullingtogether.ca.