Chairperson

The Squadron Sponsoring Committee is the locally based element of the Air Cadet League of Canada. Our mandate and challenge is to provide support for the Squadron’s operation and to work closely with the Commanding Officer in order to ensure the training objectives of the squadron are achieved.

Below is a brief description of the role of the Sponsor Chair within the squadron.

  • Provide appropriate accommodations for squadron training, administration and stores when not provided by the Canadian Armed Forces
  • Provide management of the squadron’s finances and to render an Annual Financial Statement to the Ontario Provincial Committee (OPC) office
  • Provide and manage all financial matters and related administrative needs for the squadron
  • Responsible for all fund raising activities
  • Ensure members of the SSC are registered and screened as per League/OPC polices and procedures
  • Provide transportation, if not provided by Canadian Forces, for local training exercises
  • Provide training aids and equipment if not supplied by the Canadian Forces
  • Provide necessary input to cadet applications for national summer courses, including signing of all application forms
  • Provide honors, awards, trophies and other special recognitions
  • Make recommendations to Ontario Provincial Committee regarding the enrolment, appointment, promotion, transfer or release of CIC officers for the squadron
  • Assist in enrolling suitable candidates for replacement officers and positions as CI and CO volunteers
  • Enroll suitable persons to be members of the Squadron Sponsoring Committee
  • Responsible for the viability and efficiency of the SSC
  • Ensures that financial management is done efficiently and accurately by the SSC in accordance with the strict controls and rules of the OPC
  • Maintain a privileged and close link with the Commanding Officer, meeting regularly to review and plan squadron operations and SSC activities including fund raising
  • Act as the civilian representative to the parents, public and all decision making bodies in the community
  • Responsible for implementing and maintaining liaison and agreements with Squadron Sponsors (Legion/School Board)
  • Provide input into promotions and awards
  • Ensure that the process for selecting deserving cadets for promotions and awards is established by the Commanding Officer and that the process is known, fair, impartial and consistent

The Partnership

The Royal Canadian Air Cadet program is supported by a numbers of outstanding organizations—the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Air Force, and the Air Cadet League of Canada.  This partnership can be found at all levels of the program: at the national level, the provincial level, and most importantly, at the community / squadron level.

The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces share joint responsibility for the Cadet program with their civilian counterparts, the Air Cadet League of Canada.  Each of these organizations has a multi-layered structure; with a national headquarter in Ottawa, provincial or regional offices, and the presence of the local unit or community level.

Each squadron is sponsored by a local organization.  The sponsors form a Sponsoring Committee that assists in the operation of the squadron.  The Sponsoring Committee is responsible for, among other things, fund raising, securing facilities for the squadron to do its training and administration, assisting in finding suitable adults to enroll as officers and civilian instructors and to assist in recruiting cadets.  The Sponsoring Committee’s funds make possible supplemental optional activities and programs such as citizenship trips and bands that are not funded by the Canadian Forces.

Each squadron is staffed by a group of officers, civilian instructors, and volunteers under the direction of the Commanding Officer.  The CO is responsible for the control, welfare, and training of the cadets, and for supervising the operation of the squadron and the implementation of the training program.  The CO and his/her team organize the training program according to nationally set standards, plan and implement various training activities during the week and on weekends.

At the provincial and national level, the Canadian Forces and the Air Cadet League work co-operatively to provide the necessary structure, guidance, and resources to support the squadrons at the local level.  This includes provision of uniforms, training for officers and cadets, aircrafts and gliders for the gliding program as well as administrative support for squadrons and sponsoring committees.

Without this unique partnership, the Air Cadet program would not be as successful as it is today.