To understand why and how the Air Cadet League of Canada came into being, it is necessary to recall the early days of World War II. France had fallen, the Low Countries had been invaded, and Britain was under heavy attack from the air. The critical need was for planes and more planes -- and for trained young men to fly them in defence of freedom.

Against this background there grew in Canada the idea of a select corps of teen-aged youths who would devote some of their spare time to preparing for the day when they would take their places as aircrew in the ranks of the RCAF.

In 1940, Air Minister Power, who was very much aware of the need for this type of Air Cadet training, called in a group of influential civilians and asked them to set up a country-wide voluntary organization to sponsor and develop this growing movement. The response was immediate, and a civilian organization was soon created to work on a partnership basis with the RCAF. As it later developed, this partnership was to be the main reason for the striking success of the Air Cadet Movement in Canada.

On the 11th of November, 1940, Order-in-Council PC 6647 was passed. This order authorized the formation of the Air Cadet League of Canada and set forth the responsibilities of the civilian body and of the RCAF. On April 9, 1941, the Air Cadet League of Canada was granted a Dominion Charter authorizing it to operate as a charitable, non-profit corporation. An administrative headquarters was established in Ottawa, and the stage was set for a concentrated appeal for sponsors and volunteers throughout the provinces.

In the early part of 1941, a national board of key men was chosen and it met for the first time in Ottawa on June 2nd of that year. One of the first acts of the national directors was to appoint an outstanding chairman in each of the nine provinces. The provincial chairmen in turn, set up their committees and these gentlemen travelled widely, talking to public- minded citizens and recruiting local sponsorship for the squadrons.

The organization of squadrons proceeded through the fall months of 1941 and by the end of the year there were 79 squadrons affiliated across the country. By May, 1942, there were 135 squadrons and 10,000 cadets; and a year later, 315 squadrons with 23,000 cadets.

The primary purpose of the League during its formative years was a military one, but its founders were also thinking in terms of the long- range benefits of Air Cadet training. They realized that through voluntary study, the cadets would improve their knowledge of aviation and increase their usefulness to the community. Through participation in supervised squadron activities, they would find opportunities to develop those qualities usually associated with good citizenship.

It was the character-building aspect of Air Cadet training which appealed most strongly to the youth leaders of the country. Service Clubs, Educators, Boards of Trade and Veterans Groups offered their services to the League, not only as a contribution to the war effort but also as a means of assisting the youth of the country along the road to good citizenship.

In September of 1944, the movement reached the peak war strength of 374 squadrons, over 29,000 cadets, 1,750 officers and instructors and another 2,000 civilians who supplied financial and other support.

It is unfortunate that during the early years accurate records were not kept of the number of cadets who joined the fighting forces. It has been established, however, that during one brief period, between October, 1943, and June, 1944, over 3,000 Air Cadets graduated into the wartime RCAF and more than a score of them were subsequently decorated for gallantry. This was a proud record and one which provided tangible proof of the value of wartime Air Cadet training.

Immediately following the close of the war, there was a natural lessening of interest in all cadet activities throughout Canada. Many squadrons that had been set up "for the duration" were disbanded and the movement settled down to a low point of approximately 11,000 cadets in 155 squadrons.

The peacetime story of the Air Cadet Movement is perhaps even more impressive than its wartime history. Commencing in late 1944, the League planned and carried out its peacetime conversion with the same vigour that it tackled its wartime responsibilities. Probably the most important job facing the Air Cadet Movement in 1945 was to provide an incentive which would rival in its appeal the wartime goal of graduation into the RCAF. The answer was found in a variety of awards for outstanding proficiency and loyalty to the squadrons. From the standpoint of popularity, perhaps the outstanding innovation was the summer camps held at RCAF Stations.

In 1946, the RCAF introduced Flying Scholarship courses for senior cadets, a development which gave added importance to the movement. Since the scheme began, some 13,853 Air Cadets have completed their flying courses and can now proudly call themselves pilots. This training has been completed at little or no cost to either the boys and girls or to their families. Selection of Air Cadets for flying scholarships is done in an orderly way. The candidates must be physically fit, at least 17 years old, and have completed level 4 of Air Cadet training. In addition, they must pass a qualifying exam and pass through a rigorous Canadian Forces/League selection procedure at local, provincial and national levels.

Also in 1946, the Government approved a maximum establishment for the post- war period of 15,000 cadets across Canada. Simultaneously, a new peacetime program for Air Cadets, based on a combination of aviation and citizenship training, was put into effect by the League and the RCAF.

Early in 1949, the movement spread to the new province of Newfoundland where six active squadrons, all supported by strong civilian committees, were in operation only a few weeks after Confederation. A year later, the need for an increase in the maximum establishment was recognized by the Government and the ceiling was raised to 22,500 cadets.

As the League paused to observe its Tenth Anniversary in 1951, it could point to a fine record of service to Canada. Some 65,000 boys had worn the Air Cadet uniform and participated in the training program.

In 1961, as the League celebrated it's coming of age, more than 150,000 Air Cadets had received training in the squadrons now numbering 332. If all the cadets who had received Air Cadet training to that time could have been paraded at one time in column of route, the parade would have stretched for a distance of 35 miles.

In view of a strong demand for new units at the time and to provide for gradual expansion, authority was granted in 1972 for an increase by stages to the present entitlement of 28,000 Air Cadets.

On February 1, 1968, the Air Cadet League lost its original partner -- the Royal Canadian Air Force -- and unification brought about a new partnership with the Canadian Armed Forces.

In 1969, a Directorate of Cadets was formed at National Defence Headquarters to set policy and coordinate the activities of the three cadet movements. This office now functions under the Director General Reserves and Cadets. The day-to-day control of Air Cadets is vested in six military regions affiliated with the functional Commands of the Canadian Forces with the functional commander also serving as Regional Commander: Atlantic Region - Maritime Command; Eastern Region - Mobile Command; Central Region - Canadian Forces Training System; Prairie Region - Air Command; Pacific Region - Maritime Pacific; and Northern Region.

Following several years of "unofficial" participation in squadron - operated "Girl Cadet Flights", official participation by girls in the Air Cadet Movement was approved by Parliament on July 30, 1975. At the present time, girls make up about 30% of the enrolment in Air Cadet squadrons across the country.

The challenge faced by the Air Cadet leaders of the sixties was to revitalize the movement and establish its credibility with a new and very aware generation of young Canadians.

In the early years of Air Cadets, the RCAF had operated an impressive number of bases scattered across the country and there was no shortage of small aircraft, especially those in the "Expediter" or "Dakota" categories, which were well suited to providing familiarization flying opportunities for Air Cadets. However, with the coming of Service unification in Canada, the closing of many air bases and amalgamation of others -- and with the trend to larger, long-range aircraft -- the situation changed rather drastically.

By the mid-1960's, it had become obvious that Air Cadets were simply not being provided with sufficient opportunities to actually experience the thrill of flight. Faced with the problem of maintaining cadet interest, the Air Cadet League decided to "put the air back in Air Cadets".

In the summer of 1965, the League's western members launched an experimental gliding program in conjunction with the Air Cadet summer camp at Penhold, Alberta. From that small beginning, gliding has developed into a major project and has built up to the point where the Air Cadet organization carries out more than 60,000 glider flights each year and turns out 320 licenced Air Cadet glider pilots annually.

In 1967, a glider procurement program was launched by the Air Cadet League with the goal of building up our own fleet of gliders for use not only at Summer Camps, but during the spring and fall gliding seasons as well.

The Air Cadet flying and gliding program was given a terrific shot in the arm in late 1972 when the League was authorized to purchase at a nominal price, surplus L-19 aircraft being released by the Canadian Forces. These were obtained through Crown Assets Disposal Corporation and continue to play an effective role, along with the League's other aircraft, in what is the largest gliding program being carried out in the world.

The Gliding Program is a cooperative partnership effort between DND and the Air Cadet League and is conducted in accordance with the terms of a renewable three-year Memorandum of Agreement.

The aim of the familiarization program is to provide each junior Air Cadet with at least one familiarization flight per year. The glider familiarization programs are conducted on weekends from March to June and from September to November at over 60 locations across Canada, ranging from Transport Canada airports to approved grass operating areas. During the summer, familiarization flying is also provided for junior Air Cadets attending courses at Air Cadet Summer Camps co-located with Regional Air Cadet Gliding Schools.

In addition to flying at the gliding sites, the junior Air Cadets have the opportunity to participate as glider ground crew, positioning the gliders for take-off and retrieving them after landing. The Air Cadet League provides administrative and recreational support at the gliding sites in order to reduce the workload of the flying staff and the squadron supervisors.

The six-week summer Regional Gliding School provides an opportunity for 320 Air Cadets to obtain a Transport Canada Glider Pilot licence. The candidate selection process is the same as that for the Flying Scholarship Program, except that the minimum age for a Glider Pilot is 16 years and the completed training level required is level 3. CIC officers qualified as Glider Instructors or Glider Tow Pilots comprise the flying training staff.

The Air Cadet Gliding Program involves the effort of many people at all levels: the Directorate of Cadets and Air Cadet League Headquarters in Ottawa, the CF national engineering staff, regional CIC and Air Cadet personnel, and of course, the many volunteers of the Air Cadet League of Canada.

Figures received on a regular basis from Transport Canada and the Canadian Airline Pilots Association reveal that one out of every five Private Pilots in Canada at the present time are ex-Air Cadets and 63 percent of the Commercial Airline Pilots flying today got their start in Air Cadets. No statistics are available as to how many Air Cadets join the Canadian Forces, however, it is estimated that 28 percent of the flying, technical and administrative members serving in the "Air Force" today had some form of Air Cadet training. Even more important, the wastage rate among ex-Air Cadets joining the service is almost nil.

Since the Air Cadet League of Canada came into being in April 1941, close to one million young Canadians have participated in the training program. It is estimated that in one way or another, 500,000 Canadians are involved in the Air Cadet Movement today.

The Air Cadet League Today - Responsibilities

• The Air Cadet League makes recommendations to the Chief of the Defence Staff regarding the formation, organization and disbandment of Air Cadet squadrons;
• The League provides local sponsors for each squadron;
• The League administrates Air Cadet squadrons in cooperation with the Canadian Forces;
• The League enrols qualified personnel as Air Cadets, and recommends the appointment, promotion and retirement of cadet officer instructors;
• The League provides appropriate training and stores accommodation not provided by the Canadian Forces;
• The League arranges cadet training recreational programs other than the mandatory training provided by the Canadian Forces;
• The League provides training aids, equipment and transportation not supplied by the Canadian Forces;
• The League provides financial support as required for the 444 Air Cadet Squadrons across Canada; and
• The League operates an administrative Headquarters in Ottawa.

As the basic unit in the administrative structure of the Air Cadet League, Squadron Sponsoring Committees are often described as "the backbone of the Air Cadet Movement".

An analysis of the disbursements made by Sponsoring Committees in all parts of Canada indicates that the average amount being raised from non-government sources and expended at the "squadron level" is approximately $400.00 per cadet per year. In some cases, the amounts are considerably higher than this, however, the amount of money raised at the "squadron level" is in excess of $8,797,000.00.

There are twelve Provincial Committees, one for each province, one for the Northern Territories, and one for N.W. Ontario. The membership comprises all local Sponsoring Committee Chairmen, plus such other persons as may be elected. Provision is made for prominent and influential citizens to associate themselves with the Provincial Committees as members of Advisory Councils. Provincial Committees meet annually, elect a Provincial Chairman, Vice-President and other officers and, in some cases, employ full-time secretaries or managers. In a number of provinces there are also Regional Committees which come under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Committee. Provincial Committees supervise the activities of all Air Cadet units in their respective areas and are financed by means of public subscription and the support of their member squadrons.

The balance sheets of the Provincial Committees reveal that for the year ended August 31, 1995, all twelve committees raised in excess of $1,948,000.00 in support of Canada's 25,000 Air Cadets.

In addition, Provincial Committees of the Air Cadet League across Canada own all the Gliders and Aircraft that they provide to the Canadian Forces for Air Cadet Glider Pilot Training and Familiarization Flying. The fleet is valued at $2,825,000.00 not including trailers, winches and parts on hand which makes the operation worth more than three million dollars.

The League is governed by a Board of Governors comprising fifteen Canadian Citizens, representing all provinces and territories. The Board meets annually, chooses a President, Vice-Presidents, Executive Committee, National Honors and Awards Committee, National Fund Raising Committee, National Finance Committee, National Flying Committee, Policies and Procedures Committee, Effective Speaking Contest Committee and National Selections Committee. There is also an Advisory Board made up of the Past-Presidents of the League. The Board maintains a full-time administrative headquarters in Ottawa under the supervision of the Executive Director. This office works closely with NDHQ and provides year-round supervision and administration of the Air Cadet League and its numerous activities in support of 444 Squadrons.

Aside from its administrative functions in support of the movement, annual contributions solicited from the Canadian public to the Air Cadet Movement at the National Level included: Flying Scholarships -- $42,500.00, Rifle Competitions -- $500.00; Music Program -- $2200.00; Continuation Flying Training Awards -- $15,300.00; Summer Training Awards for Top Cadets -- $3,700.00; National Effective Speaking Contest -- $6,600.00; Educational Scholarships - $700.00; Awards to Top Military College Cadets -- $900.00. An impressive total of $72,400.00, which is typical of yearly giving, is forwarded directly to Air Cadets.