In March 1986 , the SERT was established tasked to respond to hostage incidents involving foreign diplomats or other crises beyond the capability of the ERT . The former HARP members formed the nucleus of the unit with operators recruited from the ERT Program which at that time had approximately 350 members . Volunteers had to successfully complete a two week selection course . Women were entitled to apply . Volunteers had to then complete a six month training course to respond to incidents on land , at sea or at airports based on methods and tactics of the British Army Special Air Service , the US FBI Hostage Rescue Team and the German Federal Police GSG 9 . The SERT consisted of 49 operators divided into two teams of 24 who rotated on a monthly basis between on call and training , and if required , could deploy as a whole unit . After three years service in the unit an operator was normally required to transfer out , however , extensions were possible . The government allocated $ 11,250,000 over thee years to set up SERT . The number of personnel in SERT eventually grew to 72 . In August 1987 , a MOU was agreed between the RCMP and the CAF for the provision of fixed wing and rotary wing support for SERT training and operations . The 1987 Report of the Senate Special Committee on Terrorism and the Public Safety recommended that SERT be located in the CAF . The Committee 's 1989 report criticised SERT for failing to conduct training exercises with other Canadian police forces tactical units . SERT had conducting joint training and exercises with the British SAS and US Army Delta Force . Since inception , SERT had never been deployed on a operation . The unit pre-deployed in readiness to support law enforcement for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1987 held in Vancouver and in 1988 the XV Olympic Winter Games in Calgary and the 14th G7 Summit in Toronto
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1987
Special Emergency Response Team