SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — Canadian Forces Snowbirds

Honourable senators, on Sunday, the gem of the Royal Canadian Air Force, our beloved Snowbirds jets, soared over the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix race in Montreal, perfectly timed, as always, to coincide with the patriotic finish of “O Canada.” Shockingly, just days earlier, the Carney Liberal government announced they will soon ground the Snowbirds for several years and replace them with prop planes.

I then received a copy of a letter that former 2005-06 Snowbirds Team Lead Ian McLean wrote to Prime Minister Carney, and I want to quote it to you in its entirety:

Sir, I am a retired fighter pilot who served as Snowbird 7 for the 98-99 airshow seasons. I later commanded the Squadron as Team Lead (Snowbird 1) for the 2005 and 2006 Airshow Seasons.

I was astounded to hear your government announcement suspending the Snowbirds until 2030 irrespective of plans to replace the team with propeller aircraft. The military has spent millions of dollars upgrading Tutor Jets specifically to allow continuation beyond 2030.

The military requires recruitment. Your government has shelved their best recruiting vehicle and disbanded a unit that has spent 55 years representing the skill, professionalism and dedication of the military to the population of Canada and the United States. At a time when our existence as an independent and free nation existing north of an unpredictable neighbour on our southern border is needed, the government has chosen to eliminate one of the most recognizable symbols of Canadiana that there is. That is indeed an “elbows down” move.

The military will lose corporate knowledge and skills developed by the Snowbird team throughout its 55-year history. The knowledge and skill required to fly close formation at low level while performing aerobatic manœuvres has been earned by successive teams. The cost of that knowledge and skill has been written in the blood of fallen team members. Reacquiring that knowledge following a 5 year hiatus will not be easy or cheap. It will require fiscal input and the sacrifice of personnel as corporate memory will have vanished.

Canada deserves to be represented by a 9 plane jet demonstration team. To do otherwise would simply be stepping backwards and letting the country down. Please reverse the suspension and have the military advance the cause of acquiring replacement jets while maintaining an interim jet airshow presence perhaps with a reduced number of Tutors and serving personnel.

Sincerely,

Ian McLean

Major (Ret’d)

Snowbird 1 (2005, 2006)

Save our Snowbirds!