English River Band Member Off to Afghanistan

English River Band Member Off to Afghanistan

Friday, August 06, 2004 at 14:04

A woman from the English River First Nation in Patuanak is anxiously awaiting the return of her son from a peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.

Marcie Dawatsare’s son, Corporal Robin Dawatsare, is with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry out of Edmonton.

They were deployed to the war-torn country earlier this week and will be there until Christmas.

Dawatsare says she’s been assured her son is well-trained and that the situation in Afghanistan is not as dangerous as it is in Iraq.

Still, she admits she can’t help but worry about her son’s safety.

Dawatsare says she’s been told that 12 Canadian soldiers with roots in northern Saskatchewan have already been deployed to Afghanistan, and all have returned home unharmed.

Dawatsare says she’s already heard from her son since his arrival in Afghanistan, and says the first thing he noticed was the oppressive heat — which has reportedly reached temperatures of 57 degrees Celsius.