Former Snowbirds pilot Maryse Carmichael.

Maryse Carmichael, a former pilot and commander of the Snowbirds, and the Snowbirds Alumni Association have launched a campaign to keep them airborne. (Maryse Carmichael/Submitted)

‘No Pause’: Snowbirds alumni launch campaign to keep iconic team flying

By Joshua Potter Jun 1, 2026 | 5:02 PM

The Snowbirds Alumni Association has started a campaign to keep the aerobatics flight demonstration team flying after news the planes would be grounded until the early 2030s.

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds was formed in 1971 and has been flying through North American skies for over 50 years, inspiring many kids and serving members of the military for decades.

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Defence Minister David McGuinty visited the Snowbirds base at 15 Wing Moose Jaw on May 19 to announce that 2026 will mark the final season for the team before their CT–114 Tutor jets are replaced, a project which is expected to take until the early 2030s.

Retired lieutenant-colonel Maryse Carmichael, a former pilot and commanding officer of the Snowbirds, said she is concerned by the decision to ground them.

“(It’s) really sad about this pause, because it’s sad for the young kids that will not get inspired by the Snowbirds like I was when I was a young girl,” Carmichael said.

Carmichael and the Snowbirds Alumni Association have started a campaign in response to the grounding.

The campaign, called “No Pause – Keep The Snowbirds Flying,” is asking the government to find ways to keep the planes operational.

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds perform a flypast over the National Capital Region, as seen from Gatineau, Que., on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang)

Carmichael said their goal is to encourage the decision-makers to come up with solutions to keep the jets flying despite their age.

“We’re super excited, and we salute the decision by the government to procure a new airplane for the Snowbirds. Our concern lies with this pause that could last three, four, five or six years for the Snowbirds, so we believe there are some practical solutions that could be put in place,” she said.

Carmichael said a level of operational expertise needed to be maintained and that the Snowbirds are not something you can shelve for a number of years.

“Some of the solutions that we’re proposing, (are) reducing from nine to seven airplanes, reducing the length and complexity of the show, and perhaps using some partners in aerospace industry,” Carmichael said.

She said the alumni association will be advocating to all levels of government and asking Canadians to contact their Members of Parliament to make their voices heard.

“I believe that keeping the Snowbirds in the skies and being present for this generation of teenagers (and) young adults that might want to join the Canadian military is the perfect time for that, and it’s also a great source of inspiration and pride for our country,” she said.

Carmichael added it’s important to communicate solutions for how to keep the Snowbirds airborne before their final season in October, and before replacement planes arrive.

“The Snowbirds have been seen at air shows by 150 million people in their 55 years of experience,” Carmichael said.

“So many of us join the military or serve the country because we saw the Snowbirds, and countless others have been inspired just to have dreams and work hard, and show the discipline and the professionalism that the snowbirds are displaying. It’s really hard to quantify inspiration, but I really believe that’s a strategic advantage for Canada.”

— with files from CJME News

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