WINNIPEG – Almost 60 years after the tradition began and Santa Claus is still coming to the Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command region headquarters in Winnipeg for his annual pre-flight briefing.
“Anything that we can do to keep him safe and on his route and getting all the toys and gifts to the kids is the most important thing that we can do,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Darrell Marleau, Combant Operations Division Chief.
Each year, the responsibility of watching over Old Saint Nick falls to NORAD — the joint Canada/ U.S. military organization that keeps an eye on North American skies.
“I love the anticipation of what the children will feel in the morning when they wake up and look under the tree and see what we’ve brought them,” said Santa.
Once airborne on Christmas eve, Santa will travel from east to west as he makes his way across Canada, escorted by Canadian fighter jets. Once he completes his mission here, they will hand him over to American fighters as enters the U.S.
And of course he has help along the way.
“As soon as Santa calls me my toes just goes and I’m ready to go,” said Santa’s elf Eugene.
Lieutenant-Colonel Darrell Marleau had some extra advice for Santa this year.
“We’ve got a lot of men and women throughout the world right now who are defending all of our principles and ideals… so we have asked Santa to remember them especially,” he said.
And with safety check complete, the countdown to Christmas is on.
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