No Easy Ride: Reflections on My Life in the RCMP (32 page)

The author toward the conclusion of his RCMP service, Carman, Manitoba, August 1988.

MV
Catherine Pearl
, the author’s private vessel that was used to make contact with various detachments along the coast of Vancouver Island.

The author presents his stepson, Constable A.W. Giesbrecht, with an RCMP badge in July 2008, while his proud mother, Lynne, observes.

Newspaper article regarding the author’s retirement.

My most sincere thanks go out to my first senior constable, William Joseph McCoy, and to Gerald Scholefield, Ron Mangan, George Apps, Larry Knight, Clyde Kitteringham and Danny Bereza for their insights, mentoring and friendship while I cobbled the work together. Without their input, the project might have died on the order table. I’d also like to thank Ken Crosby’s wife, Betty, for permission to use Ken’s poem, “Last Post.” And I will never forget Alice, the “life saver” from Moose Jaw.

A writer will never be an author without two essential individuals: a publisher and an editor. I had the epitome of both. My gratitude forever goes out to Rodger Touchie and my editor, Lesley Reynolds; Lara Kordic, a most wonderful copy editor; and Kate Scallion, who, at the outset, gave me encouragement when I needed it most; Jacqui Thomas, who created the design; and Susan Adamson who did the layout. And my final words go out to my soulmate and wife of 25 years. Lynne, you are my inspiration, my light, my sounding board. Without your nurturing and anchoring skills, this book would have never happened.

In Memory of:

Sandy Ashby, née Roach

Joan Dooley, née Hollett

Ian Parsons was born in Kamsack, Saskatchewan. Formally trained as a musician, he joined the Lord Strathcona’s Horse Regimental Band in Calgary Alberta, and in 1961 he joined the RCMP. During his 33 years with the force, he served in many capacities, including as an academic instructor, researcher, management trainer and commissioner officer. He has worked in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Newfoundland, Manitoba and British Columbia. Ian has a BA from Carleton University, majoring in psychology and law, and holds certificates in general and advanced police studies from the Canadian Police College.

In retirement, Ian has returned to his first love, making music. Together with Danny Bereza, an old friend and fellow musician from the Northernairs dance band in Whitehorse, he plays professionally at bistros in and around the Comox Valley in a duo called Silk Pajamas. Ian lives in Courtenay, BC.

Copyright © 2013 Ian T. Parsons
Foreword copyright © 2013 Rodger Touchie

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, audio recording or otherwise—without the written permission of the publisher or a licence from Access Copyright, Toronto, Canada.

Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd.
heritagehouse.ca

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Parsons, Ian T.
      No easy ride: reflections on my life in the RCMP / Ian T. Parsons.

Electronic monograph.
Issued also in print format.
ISBN 978-1-927527-17-7 (EPUB).—ISBN 978-1-927527-18-4 (PDF)

1. Parsons, Ian T. 2. Royal Canadian Mounted Police—Biography. I. Title.

HV7911.P36A3 2013       363.2092       C2013-900026-7

Edited by Lesley Reynolds
Copyedited by Lara Kordic
Proofread by Lesley Cameron
Cover design by Jacqui Thomas
Cover photo (top) by Pamela Mills. Dedicated in memory of her father, RCMP Staff/ Sgt. Gerald (Gerry) F. Mills; cover photo (bottom) by Savushkin/iStockphoto.com

Heritage House acknowledges the financial support for its publishing program from the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF), Canada Council for the Arts and the province of British Columbia through the British Columbia Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

Distribution of this electronic edition via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal. Please do not participate in electronic piracy of copyrighted material; purchase only authorized electronic editions. We appreciate your support of the author’s rights.