Canadian NORAD Region and the Canadian Contributions to the NORAD Tracks Santa Program

The Canadian NORAD Region and members of the Canadian Forces have had key roles in NORAD and the NORAD Tracks Santa Program on the internet since their inception.

Canadian NORAD Region Jet Fighter Escort for Santa Claus and the NORAD Tracks Santa website


The NORAD Tracks Santa website from 1997 thru 2005 showed that as Santa approached Newfoundland in Canada, a flight of Canadian NORAD Region/Canadian Air Force fighters (CF-18 Hornets) had a rendezvous with Santa in order to provide him an escort/honor guard and ensure that he had no difficulty with the various Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ) he must enter flying through Canada. The Canadian NORAD Region still designates escort pilots for the annual Christmas Eve journey of Santa Claus, even for those years when a Santa Cam video is not shown of their escorts duties.

Canadian NORAD Region providing Santa Claus escorts as Santa is flying over Newfoundland, Canada on December 24, 2005. Link to full size video

For the 2011 NORAD Tracks Santa season Santa Claus official escort duties were handled by:

1. In the east by 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron, Captains Gregory Myers and Aaron Dhillon, launched from 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, Canada, to welcome Santa as the sleigh approached Canadian airspace.

2. In the west by 410 Squadron Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Hamilton, and his wingman Captain Corey Mask of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada took over the escort duties as Santa made his way into Western Canada.

For the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa season Santa Claus official escort duties were handled by:

1. In the east by 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Sylvain Ménard, and Major Eric Haas, an exchange officer from the United States Air Force, launched from 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, Canada, to welcome Santa as the sleigh approached Canadian airspace.

2. In the west by 409 Squadron Commander, Lt.-Col. Eric Kenny, and Captain Chad Ireland of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada took over the escort duties as Santa made his way into Western Canada

In 2009, Lieutenant-Colonel Sean Penney and Captain David Chamberlin of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, and Captain Yannick Jobin and Captain Dave Patrick of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, took on the responsibility of welcoming Santa when he arrives in Canada for his annual Christmas Eve journey.

In 2008, Major Kirk Soroka and Captain Dan Walters of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, and Captain Benoît Bouchard and Captain Matthew Maurice of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, took on the responsibility of welcoming Santa when he arrived in Canada on his annual Christmas Eve journey, and escorting him safely through Canadian airspace.

In 2007, Captains Dave Moar and Craig Sharp of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada, and Captains Colin Marks and Yannick Jobin of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec took on the responsibility of welcoming Santa when he arrived in Canada on his annual Christmas Eve journey, and escorting him safely through Canadian airspace.

In 2006, four fighter pilots, Captain Forrest Rock and Lieutenant Colonel Patrice Laroche, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Captain Dan Walters and Major Chris Hamilton of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world.

In 2005, four fighter pilots, Lieutenant-Colonel Patrice Laroche and Captain William Radiff, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Major Alex Day and Captain Dave Monk of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world.

In 2004, four fighter pilots, Major Darron Bazin and Captain Jody Edmonstone, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Captain Damian Unrau and Captain Brian Bews of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world.

In 2003, four fighter pilots, Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Kissman and Captain Dave Pletz, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Captain Bill Hodson and Captain Desmond Brophy of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world.

In 2002, three fighter pilots, Major James Manning and Captain Daniel Belanger, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Captain Desmond Brophy of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world.

Canadian NORAD Region Holiday Messages
2011 NORAD Tracks Santa Holiday Message by Canadian NORAD Region.

2010 NORAD Tracks Santa Holiday Message by Canadian NORAD Region.

2011 - Canadian Forces Members who Tracked Santa on Christmas Eve with NORAD Tracks Santa
These Canadian Forces members tracked Santa on Christmas Eve of 2011 using NORAD Tracks Santa.

NORAD Chief Santa Trackers from Canada
The first two NORAD Chief Santa Trackers, starting when the NORAD Tracks Program went on the World Wide Web in 1997 thru the 2004 NORAD Tracks Santa season, came from the Canadian Forces. They were the “Founding NORAD Chief Santa Tracker” Major (currently Lieutenant-Colonel(Retired)) Jamie Robertson, Canadian Forces, and the second “NORAD Chief Santa Tracker” Major (currently Lieutenant-Colonel) Douglas Martin, Canadian Forces.



In 1997, then Major Jamie Robertson, Canadian Forces, Deputy Director of NORAD Public Affairs at the time, took charge of the annual NORAD Tracks Santa program and expanded it to the World Wide Web, where corporation-donated services have given the tradition global accessibility. Major Robertson served as “Founding NORAD Chief Santa Tracker” thru the 2000 NORAD Tracks Santa season and transferred to a new assignment in July 2001, while organizing the 2001 NORAD Tracks Santa season.

December 24, 1998 BBC News Story - NORAD Tracks Santa on the Internet - Origination of the NORAD Tracks Santa program in 1955 - Story by then Major Jamie Robertson of NORAD. Link to full size video

As the “Founding NORAD Chief Santa Tracker”, Major Robertson was the creative director with creative control over all aspects of the NORAD Tracks Santa program and its supporting website. Back in 1997, he determined the basic layout and content of the NORAD Tracks Santa website of text, and scenarios. Even some of the website images would be produced by Major Robertson as the “Founding Chief Santa Tracker” of NORAD on the World Wide Web. Those key design layouts and most of the content have endured and are still in use by the NORAD Tracks Santa program more than a decade later.



Major Robertson met with and obtained partnerships, with generous support for the NORAD Tracks Santa program, from organizations such as Analytical Graphics, Inc., IBM, America Online (AOL), and Globelink International Services. Some of these partnerships established by Major Robertson during his tenure as the “Founding Chief Santa Tracker” have also endured more than a decade later. Among the many supporters of the NORAD Tracks Santa program brought into the fold by Major Robertson were Naturally Santa, Inc. and many local Colorado Springs, Colorado radio stations.

After his transfer from NORAD in July 2001, and a couple of follow-on assignments, Major Robertson was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, based on his outstanding success as “Founding NORAD Chief Santa Tracker” at NORAD and other assignments. After some additional follow-on assignments in the Canadian Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Robertson retired from the Canadian Forces in 2009 with 20 years service. Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Jamie Robertson, Canadian Forces, is currently the Director, Registry Operations for the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.



In July 2001, "exactly nine weeks before September 11th," Major Douglas Martin, Canadian Forces arrived at NORAD to replace then Major Jamie Robertson as NORAD’s Deputy Director of Public Affairs. On September 11, 2001, Major Martin witnessing the attacks from inside Cheyenne Mountain. Major Douglas Martin was the NORAD Chief Santa Tracker from 2001 thru the 2004 NORAD Tracks Santa seasons. Even with the challenges NORAD faced in the last half of 2001, such as overseeing Operation Noble Eagle, thanks to the leadership of NORAD’s Chief Santa Tracker, the 2001 NORAD Tracking Santa season was an outstanding success. Major Martin’s tenure as NORAD Chief Santa Tracker saw many successes such as: 1) the appointment of Aaron Carter for the 2002 NORAD Tracks Santa season, 2) first use of a toll-free "1-800" type telephone number for children and the young at heart across the United States of America and Canada to call the NORAD Santa Tracking hotline without incurring long distance charges , Major Douglas Martin, Chief, Santa Tracking Operations, NORAD interviewed by Joyce Gramza for the 50th tracking season of NORAD Tracks Santa in December 2004.  Link to full size video 3) The two-year appointment of Ringo Starr, the former Beatle star as primary honorary Santa Tracker for the 2003 and 2004 NORAD Tracking Santa seasons, and 4) Lining up in the numerous celebrities who made video and audio appearances during the 2004 fiftieth (50th) tracking season of NORAD's annual tracking of Santa Claus.

He was then promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, based on his outstanding success as Chief Santa Tracker at NORAD. Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Martin, Canadian Forces is currently the Canadian Forces Public Affairs Attaché, Embassy of Canada in the United States, Washington, DC. As part of his duties, Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Martin is the webmaster of CanadianAlly, an electronic newsletter and website maintained by the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC. CanadianAlly’s mission is to provide American citizens a better understanding of Canada’s role in North American Defense and Global Security issues.

See article NORAD Chief Santa Trackers of Renown for more information on the first two NORAD Chief Santa Trackers and their accomplishments.

NORAD Tracks Santa Program Canadian Partners and Supporters
The NORAD Tracks Santa Program has and has had Canadian partners and supporters over the years.

Air Canada ran the 2011 NORAD Tracks Santa Trailer on all its December 2011 flights in order to boost publicity for the NORAD Tracks Santa Program. Link to full size video

Starting with the 2011 NORAD Track Santa season, UGroup Media (Portable North Pole), based in Montreal, Quebec, became a new NORAD Tracks Santa (NTS) Partner. Thanks to UGroup Media, one can send or receive personalized video messages from Santa Claus at the North Pole, using the NORAD Tracks Santa partner for personalized video messages, UGroup Media (Portable North Pole). Air Canada ran the 2011 NORAD Tracks Santa Trailer on all its December 2011 flights in order to boost publicity for the NORAD Tracks Santa Program.

Air Canada ran the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa Trailer on all its December 2010 flights in order to boost publicity for the NORAD Tracks Santa Program. Link to full size video

Air Canada became a new NORAD Tracks Santa (NTS) Partner, starting with the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa season. Air Canada boosted publicity for the NORAD Tracks Santa Program thru a public service announcement in its December 2010 issue of its in-flight magazine, by running the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa Trailer video during all Air Canada flights, and by working with the NORAD Tracks Santa Program on other publicity events.

From the 2005 thru the 2008 NORAD Track Santa seasons, one could send e-mail to Santa Claus at the North Pole from the NORAD Tracks Santa website. For the 2008 NORAD Track Santa season, this was handled by the NORAD Tracks Santa partner for e-mail to the North Pole, Canada Post (Canada's Post Office).

Canadian bands providing musical support to the NORAD Tracks Santa program over the years include the Canadian Naden Band of the Maritime Forces Pacific and the Royal Canadian Artillery Band.

All elements of Canadian Forces in the air, on the land, and at sea have been supportive of the NORAD Tracks Santa program.

Canadian NORAD Region – NORAD Tracks Santa Program - Public Affairs Contacts

 * 1. Captain Jeff Noel, Canadian NORAD Region Public Affairs, at (204) 833-2500, ext. 2028.


 * 2. Overall Canadian NORAD Region - Public Affairs Contacts


 * E-mail: +PA@forces.gc.ca
 * Telephone: (204) 833-2500, ext. 6795

Fun Facts – Canada – Santa Claus – North Pole – Christmas and the Winter Holiday Season

 * Santa Claus is a Canadian !! In December 2008, Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney officially declared Santa a Canadian citizen.


 * The Magnetic North Pole is currently (as of 2011) within Canadian boundaries and Canada Post delivers over one million letters to Santa Claus each year free of charge.  Besides Santa, free postage is reserved for letters to the prime minister and members of parliament.


 * The Geographic North Pole is also likely part of Canada as well.


 * Canada Post was the first postal service in the world to commission Santa stamps. The Santa stamps issued from 1970, 1975, 1985, 1991 through 1993 and 1996 totaled 613,790,000 by 2003.


 * Toronto’s Santa Claus Parade, one of Canada’s largest winter tourist attractions, is the oldest and longest-running Santa Claus parade in the world. No other legendary icon has convinced the City of Toronto to close approximately six kilometers of main transportation route for an annual parade.


 * North America’s and the world’s top expert on Santa Claus and Christmas is Canadian Gerry Bowler, a history professor at the University of Manitoba and the author of Santa Claus: A Biography, of The World Encyclopedia of Christmas, and webinar host at the University of Manitoba on Christmas and Santa Claus.