Kingdom of Reflections | Royaume des réflexions

Episode #509: Tutor Tales - Ep 3: The Long Goodbye

After more than two decades of reports, promises, deferrals, and life extensions, Canada's Snowbirds finally have an answer — but the road that led here is a story all its own. In Part Three of The Tutor Tutor Tales - Mr Maillet brings you Canada's Enduring Jet, we as trace the long and frustrating history of the CT-114 Tutor replacement debate — from the Department of National Defence's own 2003 internal report recommending immediate action, through the Liberal promise that was never funded, the Harper years of near-silence, and the Trudeau government's $30 million life extension gamble in the wake of CaptainCasey's death in Kamloops. We examine the May 2026 announcement at 15 Wing Moose Jaw — the selection of the CT-157 Siskin II, the Pilatus PC-21, as the Snowbirds' next aircraft — and ask the honest question: after twenty-three years of deferral by governments of every stripe, what confidence do Canadians have that this time, the promise will be kept? The 2026 season is the Tutor's last. Sacramento, California, in October, is the final show. What comes next is real — but it still has to be delivered.

Episode #508: Tutor Tales Ep 2 - The Snowbirds as the Heart of a Nation

In this second installment, Mr Maillet takes you from the training skies of Moose Jaw straight into the heart of a nation as we trace the thrilling, high-stakes evolution of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. Born out of a defiant, shoestring gamble by Colonel O.B. Philp and officially inheriting the wartime heroism of 431 Bomber Squadron, the team transformed a modest jet trainer into a global masterclass in precision flying. This episode takes you inside the cockpit to experience the four-foot wingtip geometry of the iconic nine-plane formation, while confronting the profound "price of excellence" paid by ten fallen heroes—concluding with the raw, national heartbreak of Operation Inspiration and the loss of Captain Jenn Casey. Discover how a transient demonstration team defied institutional odds to become an enduring permanent symbol of Canadian unity, carrying the pride and memory of a country on its wings. Did I make a mistake? Got an idea for an episode? Let me know! joseph.maillet@ocsb.ca Short segment of "Flight of the Snowbirds" (1986) by David Foster is featured around the 12-min mark. Music like Foster's is used at Snowbirds Airshows.

Episode #507: Tutor Tales Ep 1 - The Legacy of the CT-114 Tutor

As the Royal Canadian Air Force officially announces that the 2026 airshow season marks the final farewell for the iconic CT-114 Tutor. In this premier episode, Mr Maillet journeys back to Montreal in the late 1950s to uncover the high-stakes origins of a Canadian legend. Rising from the ashes of the devastating Avro Arrow cancellation, a small team of engineers at Canadair took a massive private gamble on a jet trainer that would go on to log over one million flight hours, shape the brilliant legacy of the 1967 Golden Centennaires, and train generations of military pilots at CFB Moose Jaw. From its elegant, spin-calibrated engineering to its profound impact on national pride, discover how a plane built purely on a company's own initiative became the enduring backbone of Canadian aviation. Hear an error? Have an Episode Idea? Let Mr Maillet know - joseph.maillet@ocsb.ca

Épisode #506: Ruby J. & Sophie M. discutent de leurs romans

Les élèves ont pour tâche de mettre en application l'apprentissage approfondi lors de la création d'un balado. En première partie, les élèves discutent d’un roman qu’ils ont pu lire en classe. En seconde partie, les élèves expliquent le processus de création de leurs balados. Le tout est cadre du cours de Français Immersion 8e année et est complété uniquement en français et fait à 100% par les élèves. Students are asked to create a podcast applying the Deep Learning mindset. In the first part, students will discuss their chosen books that they have read in class. In the second part, students are asked to explain the process of creation of their podcast. This task is completed only in French as part of the Grade 8 French Immersion course and complete 100% by students.

Épisode #505: Cassidy C. & Anh C. discutent de leurs romans

Les élèves ont pour tâche de mettre en application l'apprentissage approfondi lors de la création d'un balado. En première partie, les élèves discutent d’un roman qu’ils ont pu lire en classe. En seconde partie, les élèves expliquent le processus de création de leurs balados. Le tout est cadre du cours de Français Immersion 8e année et est complété uniquement en français. Students are asked to create a podcast applying the Deep Learning mindset. In the first part, students will discuss their chosen books that they have read in class. In the second part, students are asked to explain the process of creation of their podcast. This task is completed only in French as part of the Grade 8 French Immersion course.