I know New Brunswick is a maritime clime. Will you be doing any SAR or other activities on the coast? The Grohmann/Russel series are a Canadian product and one is a service issue survival knife. People either love or hate these knives. The only other dedicated Canadian survival knife was a cut down SMLE bayonet ! I am currently using a Fallkniven as my core knife. The S/S blade is convex ground. This scares sharpeners, but is not that difficult. The exposed tang makes a fair hammering pommel. Peter of Fallkniven told me this is actually for a scandinavian method of hammer-chopping small limbs and trees. The similar arctic,sub arctic, forest and maritime regions of Sweden to your north make these an option.Tthat, or walk into a Nova Scotia bar as they are singing Amazing Grace or a Stan Rodgers sea chanty and see what's worn ;O)