SHUT DOWN THE AIRSHOW AND ADS EXPO IN ABBOTSFORD!
Picket at Guildford Town Centre, on 104th Avenue @ 152nd Street, Surrey, 3:30-6:00 August 6
We members of 50+ groups collectively known as the Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network (CWPJN), strongly oppose the International Airshow and Aerospace, Defence and Security Expo (ADSE) in Abbotsford, BC, from August 7 to 10. Events such as these serve to normalize and expand the arms trade, aggressive military policies, growing military budgets and aggressive military engagements. They also recruit.
It is especially troubling that ADSE is taking place at Tradex Convention Centre on August 7 and 8, the Abbotsford Airshow at the Abbotsford International Airport from August 8 to 10, just after the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, August 6, and on that of Nagasaki, August 9. Public administrations and businesspeople should be organizing mass commemorations of the victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear explosions and denouncing war and all weapons of mass destruction, especially as tensions increase in Eastern Europe, West Asia and the Asia Pacific. Instead, Canadian and US military air forces are celebrating the technology of war including nuclear capable tech and military action at this show. Also, the Carney government is investing more in the war industry, militarization and US-NATO expansion and aggression.
The Abbotsford Show is advertised as a family-friendly event with a benign display of aviation technology where young children are to admire the machinery of death by air. It is really a military event to promote war and war machinery. It teaches youth to overlook the destruction of life that is escalating around the world as tensions between the biggest powers grow and militarization is being ramped up in which yet again hundreds of thousands of civilians are being wounded and killed for the lowest of reasons. There should be mass events to express the common yearning for world peace, demilitarization, cease-fires in Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan and all conflicts and negotiations to end them in a just way. Warfare is not entertainment!
Several craft on display are engaged in West Asia and elsewhere. For example, the show is demonstrating the RCAF CF-18 Hornet fighter jet. A version of the CF-18, the E/A-18 Growler will be shown. The US Airforce will be a major presence with a presentation of the F-35 fighter jet, the C-17 Globemaster III cargo carrier and the Pegasus refueler.
We in the CWPJN are campaigning to stop the Canadian government’s plans to acquire of 88 fighter jets (F-35) for at least $70 billion. We underscore that such fuel-intensive craft contributes massively to climate disaster. We stand against the purchase of armed drones, too, as well as surveillance aircraft and IT.
Just as we staunchly protested the CANSEC arms trade fair, we adamantly protest ADSE. We also oppose the Abbotsford Airshow in August and the national airshow in Toronto on the Labour Day weekend, as they are characteristically military exhibitions intended to promote and sell Canada’s military materials and engagement. We oppose the arms trade and policies and actions of military aggression.
Signed: The Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network (July 2025)
www.peaceandjusticenetwork.ca www.facebook.com/CanadaPeaceJustice YouTube Channel
THE AEROSPACE, DEFENSE AND SECURITY EXHIBITION IN ABBOTSFORD
The Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) organizes an exhibition in Abbotsford every year. The exhibition coincides with the Abbotsford Air Show, which features active and historic fighter and utility aircraft of the Canadian Air Forces and US Air Forces. The Air Show will go from Friday, August 8 to Sunday, August 10 this year with the Aerospace, Defense and Security Exposition (ADSE) overlapping on August 7 and 8. Both events stimulate military production and sales, recruit employees, network between military forces, political and corporate leaders, and promote the war industry to the public.
It is abominable that these two war-making events happen on the 80th anniversaries of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, August 6 and 9th. Anti-war development and profiteering activities ought to happen, not a festival of war and war technology.
THE ORGANIZERS
The function of AIAC is as follows.
As the voice of aerospace in Canada, AIAC is the national hub for advocacy and knowledge, committed to driving positive change and helping Canada’s aerospace industry adapt, grow, innovate and scale, both domestically and internationally. Contact Us – AIAC
That is very clear. It is thus very similar to the Canadian Association of Defense and Security Industries (CADSI) which organizes the annual Canadian Security arms trade show (CANSEC) in Ottawa; it is also an industry advocate composed of industry representatives.
AIAC organizes ADSE in Abbotsford and the Canadian Aerospace Summit in Ottawa. AIAC and CADSI are institutions of the private sector intent on pushing forward their interests in expanding business and reaping profits from war. Around 115 companies are members in AIAC. It runs several committees for influencing the government, getting contracts, innovating technology, getting government funding (particularly from the National Research Council) and building military infrastructure. One of its activities is modernizing NORAD.
Notably, AIAC lists four interesting focus areas of its Disruption and World Class Ideas Committee.
- Artificial Intelligence Applications
- Virtual Reality (VR)/Augmented Reality Training – Workforce Development
- Next Generation Technologies (Hydrogen Power, Radical Airframes etc.)
- Disruptive Manufacturing, Operations, Processes, Training Techniques
THE AEROSPACE, DEFENSE AND SECURITY EXPO (ADSE)
ADSE has existed since the 1960s, about as long as the Abbotsford Airshow. It takes place in the trade show venue named Tradex Convention Centre. The theme for 2025 is Resilience & Readiness.
Aerospace Defence and Security Expo (ADSE) 2025 – AIAC
CAPTION: Tradex [Trade Show & Event Venue – Convention Centre in Abbotsford]
Its top two sponsors are KF Aerospace and Pacific Economic Development Canada, demonstrating the closeknit relationship between the Canadian government and private air defense corporations. Revealing that the Air Show is an extension of the show at Tradex, the Abbotsford International Airport is the third top sponsor of ADSE. The chief corporate sponsors include Bombardier Defense, Conair Aerial Firefighting, MTU Maintenance, IMP Aerospace and Defense, Saab (engines) and KPMG (financing). ADSE and the Air Show continuously invite more sponsorships.
Several corporate and Canadian government representatives are featured speakers. Aerospace Defence and Security Expo (ADSE) 2025 – AIAC The presence of regional and national government, including the Department of National Defence, is substantial. Secretary of State for Defense Procurement, Stephen Fuhr, is headlined along with Diana Gibson for BC Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. Also listed are Arianne Reza, Deputy Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada, Wendy Hadwen, Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy-Industry, National Defense, and Sara Cohen, Deputy Head of Mission (Foreign Policy and National Defense) at the Embassy of Canada to the United States. The Royal Canadian Air Force is represented by Major-General Jeff Smyth (MSM, CD), Chief Air and Space Defense Development. Standing in for Defense Research and Development Canada is Dr. Ahmad Khorchid, Director, R&D Innovation Operations.
According to the ADSE program, the DND person is to speak mid-morning and the RCAF Major-General at noon on the first day. The R&D government person is to appear on the stage late that afternoon. Public Services and Procurement gets a spot the next morning. Stephen Fuhr takes up the place of honour at the luncheon and chat on the second day. The diplomat from the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., is to present that afternoon, followed by the Canadian Minister of Jobs and Economic Development.
PROPOSED ACTION AT ADSE VENUE ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 8
Program: 8:30 to closing at 4:00, with Secretary of State-Defence Procurement, Stephen Fuhr, speaking at the luncheon at noon. Dinner into the evening.
Picket with signs, flags and leaflets. Best time? (early morning or noon or 3:30 at closing time?)
Venue: Trade Show & Event Venue – Convention Centre in Abbotsford 1190 Cornell St, Abbotsford BC V2T 6H5, southwest of Abbotsford city center.
Closest exit from Highway 1 is Fraser Hwy juncture, south on Mt. Lehman Rd. between Hwy 13 and Hwy 11
THE ABBOTSFORD AIRSHOW
CAPTION: The F-35 Fighter Jet will be demonstrated again at the Abbotsford Airshow this August.
Canada is going ahead with purchasing this boondoggle, despite its history of high and extraordinarily costly maintenance. It needs a refitting after each sortie, special landing facility, the installation of a digital system and particular intensive training.
The Abbotsford Show is advertised as a family-friendly event with an entertaining, benign display of aviation technology where young children are to admire the machinery of death by air. It is really a military event to promote war and war machinery. It teaches youth to overlook the destruction of life that is escalating around the world as tensions between the biggest powers grow and militarization is being ramped up in which yet again hundreds of thousands of civilians are being wounded and killed for the lowest of reasons. There should be mass events to express the common yearning for world peace, demilitarization, cease-fires in Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan and all conflicts and negotiations to end them in a just way.
Several of the aircraft on display are engaged in West Asia and elsewhere. For example, take the RCAF CF-18 Hornet fighter jet and a version of the CF-18, the E/A-18 Growler. The US Airforce will be a major presence with a presentation of the F-35 fighter jet, the C-17 Globemaster III cargo carrier and the Pegasus refueler.
The Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network is campaigning to stop the Canadian government’s plans to acquire of 88 fighter jets (F-35) for at least $70 billion. We underscore that such fuel-intensive craft contributes massively to climate disaster. We stand against the purchase of armed drones, too, as well as surveillance aircraft and IT. It is releasing a statement to spread these positions.
From Just Peace News issue #20
Barbara justpeace87@yahoo.com
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