Canadians should remember the Bomarc lesson
By Lethbridge Herald on May 28, 2025.
Editor,
The glorious leader of the United States, Donald Trump, has invited Canada and the officials to join in on the GoldenDome missile defense system. This system would protect North American from our Feared Enemy, Russia. Should we join in on thiventure?
In 1958, the Diefenbaker Conservative government cancelled the best military aircraft that was developed in the world, by Canadian engineers in Canada. The Arrow, developed by Avro could outfly anything on Earth at the time. Because testing facilities were only available in the U.S., the military was aware of Canada’s, Avro’s, Arrow project and envious of a neighbor that had something better. The CF 100, Canuck, built by Avro, in service with the RCAF, could outfly any American fighter at the time. Even today, the Arrow would still rank as one of the top aircraft.
With American lobbying, the Diefenbaker government was convinced that the future no longer existed in aircraft, being replaced by ballistic missiles. Fearing the Russian threat of the Cold War, a scheme was developed to build a missile defense system for North America. America managed to get Canada to agree to join. Canada was on order for three Bomarc missiles to defend the nation.
Then the Conservative government ordered all traces of the Arrow to be destroyed, even though five aircraft were finished. The new engines designed for the new aircraft were also destroyed instead of being sold to France, which was eager to buy them.
The Bomarc made big news as the godsend to save Canada, but after great expenditure by the government, I don’t remember any of these being delivered. The Arrow has become like a fairy tale, but the workers at Avro remember, with the drafting instructor at SAIT telling students that the top engineers at Avro received offers from U.S. companies at five times their wages weeks before the cancellation.
Can we trust our neighbours? We build fences around our property. We work with neighbours, but we usually do not eat at a common table. Each neighbour looks after their own existence. Likewise, countries are loyal to their own, not necessarily trusting the neighbour with their lives.
Is this Golden Dome just another diversion to keep Canada from taking a better path? Trump is worried that Canada is separating onto different alignments with other nations, leaving the control of America.
This Golden Dome, the Golden Opportunity, is in a world of development, with drones, laser technology and other defensive inventions. Are any world leaders really stupid enough to try solving their disputes with atomic weapons? Working together get things done. Everybody has their own ideas, but if we pull together the world is a better place. Make peace, not war.
Are we Proud Canadians or wanna be Amercican puppets?
Walter Kerber
Lethbridge
13-12
Once again we saw a Conservative Government screwing Canadians out of what could have been a huge achievement for this country. Catering to the Americans.
Unlike the conservatives we proudly supported under Lougheed they have proven to be disastrous for Canadians time and time again.
are we not now trying to grow our independence? hard to imagine how buying into a usa controlled system, especially with that orange freak, will help us get out from under the usa skirt.
dare i say…if we get under the trump “golden dome”, will that likely turn out much like a trump golden shower?
This was a Canadian sprunki supersonic interceptor aircraft developed in the 1950s. It was notable for its advanced technology and design. However, the Conservative government ordered the project to be canceled and all traces of the Arrow to be destroyed, despite having five completed aircraft.