NORAD Becomes Official

NORAD, or the North American Air (later Aerospace) Defence Agreement, which brought Canada and the United States together in joint-air defence is an interesting story of how two separate countries used shared geography to help each other and themselves.

NORAD grew out of the two countries’ air forces who worked together to come up with a plan for North America’s air defence.  They created the Military Study Group Report in 1956 and were approved by the US Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Canadian Chiefs of Staff, and the American Government.  The Canadian Government on the other hand took longer.  There was an election approaching in 1957 so the Liberals did not do anything about the idea, but John Diefenbaker, a Conservative took power and approved it without much consultation with others.

NORAD was created unofficially in September of 1957 but the ideas were there before this, including radar's use in shared defence.  For example, the Pinetree Agreement was in 1951 and the DEW Line was discussed in 1954.

This was all made official with the signing of the NORAD Agreement on May 12, 1958.  This agreement would go on to be renewed in 1968, 1973, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1991 (twice), 1996, 2001, 2004 (with an amendment), and 2006.  Though apart from 1968 when Pearson considered it due to missile defence, there was never any question of its renewal.

With the creation of NORAD, the RCAF brought a Headquarters in St. Hubert Quebec, the Mid-Canada Line, 24 Pinetree radar stations, 2 training groups, and 9 interceptor squadrons (one in British Columbia, and eight in Ontario and Quebec).  The United States supplied 62 regular squadrons.

NORAD had different meanings to different people.  Some thought of it as the building, others the relationship behind it, some as air defence, others still a symbol of North America.