About 700 Wing

Introduction

The Royal Canadian Air Force Association was formed in 1948 as a national advocacy group to support the Royal Canadian Air Force, and to unite Air Force veterans of the Second World War. The Royal Canadian Air Force Association was created by cabinet directives issued in May 1948. The government was in need of post-Second World War advice on matters related to Canada’s national air power. The original purpose of the organization, therefore, was to create a national organization of Canadians interested in and supportive of their country’s air force, and the various groups of demobilized air force veterans across the country was acknowledged as a good place to begin building a network of Canadian citizens well-versed in matters of aerospace defence and security.

Former Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal L.S. Breadner accepted the task of organizing the new association. He successfully enlisted the participation of various community groups and clubs of former airmen and airwomen, and also invited unaffiliated air veterans to join as members-at-large.

An Order-in-Council legitimized the new association. With Treasury Board funding and headquarters accommodation provided by the Department of National Defence, the RCAF Association held its first annual meeting in Ottawa, 16 September 1948 at which ACM Breadner was named the first Dominion President. Much organizational and administrative work followed, and the first membership cards were issued in February 1949.

Constitution and By-laws were framed so that the Association could be incorporated under the Companies Act. A Charter under the Act was granted by the Secretary of State of Canada, on 14 May 1951. Over the years the Association grew and prospered, closely linked with the Royal Canadian Air Force. However, in 1968, the RCAF ceased to exist with the unification and integration of Canada’s three armed services. This event resulted in a gradual disconnect between the RCAF Association and Canada’s air element, redressed to some degree with the formation of Air Command in 1975. Air Command then became the focal point for all regular and reserve Air Force activity. In 1992 Air Command challenged the RCAF Association to reposition itself as both an advocacy group and a focal point for Air Force veteran activity. A name change for the Association was proposed by Air Command to reflect that reality. A change of name was an emotional issue, and the proposal was exhaustively debated within the Association for more than a year before it came to a vote at the annual convention in Winnipeg in October 1993. The vote was overwhelming, with 86.2% of delegates in attendance voting in favour of a name change.

On 1 July 1994, the Air Force Association of Canada became the new official title of our Association. Over the following five years, the membership of the Association grew by 30%, to 16,380 members.

Nationally, the Association is a strong advocate of a professional and well-equipped Air Force for Canada and is an active advocate of veterans’ rights through membership in the National Council of Veteran Associations.

700 Wing RCAFA

700 (City of Edmonton) Wing was chartered in 1949 off the Royal Warrant that founded the Royal Canadian Air Force Association in 1948. The Wing was incorporated as a provincial not-for-profit society 9 November 1961 and raises funds through a variety of means to carry out this worthwhile mission.

Copyright © 2021 700 Wing RCAF Association. All rights reserved. Website by Altivine.