THE UNION OF FREE CANADIAN STATES (UFCS)

[JP Vieira]

THE UNION OF FREE CANADIAN STATES (UFCS)
The process for the independence of Canada took a rather distinct route.
In the mid 19th century, with all the tensions brewing in its southern neighbor and even more with the occlusion of the civil war, both British and Canadian local authorities realized that some preventive measures had to be taken to avoid such destructive path.
Increasing local authority was promoted, planning a gradual but irreversible course of action that would lead to the country’s independence in the early 20th century.
This process of increasing local autonomy did not stop there however; it continued leading to increasing self-reliance for its constituent states and would culminating in the signing of the Ottawa Pact; this in essence stated that all Canadian states were independent countries, but remaining with some common laws and foreign affairs; it create a common “internal” economical zone and free movement of people and goods; there was also the duty to assist all other states in case of internal disasters of external aggression.
This lead to the creation of the Union of Free Canadian States (UFCS).
The Ottawa Pact also had in impact on the military forces of each state; although the above common protection against external aggression was very much promoted, it did not meant unified armed forces; each state had full autonomy to raise its own independent forces and use its national markings.
The 13 states each constituted armed forces and although they were joined by the pact, they all had distinct appearances, sizes and capabilities; some effort was made to have complementary forces by each state, but that was never fully achieved; no state really wanted to be forced to shape its military forces in order to fit them better within the overall Canadian military.
Below we will present examples of the aircraft used by each of the 13 members of the UFCS, presented in alphabetic order; There is also a representative of common forces, this case of the joint transport squadron.

1- McDonnell-Douglas F-15A Eagle, 10509, 5th Fighter Squadron, Alberta Republic Air Force, Cold Lake air base, Alberta Republic, 1986
2- Boeing P-8A Poseidon, 329, 1st squadron, Canadian Columbia Navy, Comox air base, Canadian Columbia Plurinational State, 2024
3- Pilatus PC-21, 501, Air Training Squadron, Air Corps, Denendeh Armed Forces, Inuvik airport, Denendeh First Nations Council, 2020
4- Fouga Magister, 220, 23rd Squadron, Manitoba Air Force, Winnipeg air base, Manitoba Free State, 1966
5- Douglas C-47, 297, 2nd Air Transport Squadron, Air Corps, New Brunswick Armed Forces, Saint John airport, New Brunswick Commonwealth, 1970
6- Westland Sea King, 325, 1st Search and Rescue Squadron, Armed Forces of the Newfoundland and Labrador Confederation, Goose Bay air base,  Newfoundland and Labrador Confederation, 1990
7- Sud-Aviation SA316 Alouette III, 407, Nova Scotia Coast Guard, Halifax air base, Nova Scotia Oceanic Republic, 1977
8- Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil, VY015, Air Suport Squadron, Nunavut Security Forces, Iqaluit International Airport, Nunavut Council, 2015
9-Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II, 305, 401 Squadron, Ontario Federation Air Force, Trenton air base, Ontario Federation, 2026
10- Lockheed C-130B Hercules, Transport Group, Air Wing- Prince Edward Island Commonwealth Armed Forces, Summerside air base, Prince Edward Island Commonwealth, 1965
11-Dassault Mirage IV, 36, Escadron Stratégique 1/5, Armé de l’Air Quebequois, base aérienne 123, La Baie, Republique Québécoise, 1970
12-Hawker Hunter F.61, HD595, 105 Fighter Squadron, Saskatchewan Air Force, Moose Jaw air base, Saskatchewan Commonwealth, 1956
13- Naval Aircraft Factory NAF N3N-3,  Y-005, Air Squadron, Yukon Defence Forces, Schwatka Lake-Whitehorse air base,  Yukon Free Republic, 1949
14- Lockheed-Martin C-130J, UFCS-005, Canadian Joint Air Transport Squadron, Union Forces, Otawa Free City air base, Central Territory, 2026

[Kerick]

You’ve been very busy! An interesting concept.

[JP Vieira]

You’ve been very busy! An interesting concept.

Thank you. It has been very fun to do this

[apophenia]

You’ve been very busy! An interesting concept.

Indeed! A 'Commonwealth of Canadas', as it were 

That said, expect incoming from Lityvak on your "Canadian Columbia" 

[kim margosein]

This is intriguing.  I'm sot sure of the population and industrialization level, but I would guess Quebec and Ontario would have something resembling full service air forces while everyone else would make do with Tucanos and King Air maritime recon.  Did the US remain whole?  Did WWII take place as it did in the real world?  Did this Canadian union remain in the British Empire/Commonwealth? 

[JP Vieira]

You’ve been very busy! An interesting concept.

Indeed! A 'Commonwealth of Canadas', as it were 

That said, expect incoming from Lityvak on your "Canadian Columbia" 

Thank you. Oh, then  I am afraid to post my next scenario 

[JP Vieira]

This is intriguing.  I'm sot sure of the population and industrialization level, but I would guess Quebec and Ontario would have something resembling full service air forces while everyone else would make do with Tucanos and King Air maritime recon.  Did the US remain whole?  Did WWII take place as it did in the real world?  Did this Canadian union remain in the British Empire/Commonwealth?

Thank you; yes in general, population and gdp remained as much as in the real world; I think Ontario Quebec and around 2 more could have "full" air forces and the others something like those of small countries.
I did not considered the US, but that is very interesting... something similar...?
WWII and all other major events did take place; this scenario was post-WWII; until then Canada was a more united country. In the cold war it had a less active role but remained firmly on the West camp; Some states even sent some military abroad to Europe (and UN) missions, althought not part of NATO and not permanently.
Canada did leave the empire in the early 20th century; it  remained in the Commonwealth (more or less enthusiastically). Thank you for the interest.

[JP Vieira]

another of the common aircraft, the Boeing E-3HC

[apophenia]

another of the common aircraft, the Boeing E-3HC

Nice!

There were RW red-ring roundels like those - adopted by the RCAF for the 1967 Centennial of Canadian Confederation. In 1968, they reverted to standard blue rings and red maple leaves.

[kim margosein]

Thanks for the update, JP.  I haven't heard from you in ages.  Regarding Canada leaving the Empire there are some RW parallels.  After an abortive start around 1880, Canada grudgingly formed a navy.  The suspicion was that Britain would co-opt it for their Imperial wars.  Another interesting RW theme is AF colors of convenience.  IE the NATO E-3s using Luxembourg rouundels, and the European C-17 consortium in Hungarian markings. 

[JP Vieira]

another of the common aircraft, the Boeing E-3HC

Nice!

There were RW red-ring roundels like those - adopted by the RCAF for the 1967 Centennial of Canadian Confederation. In 1968, they reverted to standard blue rings and red maple leaves.

Thank you for sharing; it looks great

[JP Vieira]

Thanks for the update, JP.  I haven't heard from you in ages.  Regarding Canada leaving the Empire there are some RW parallels.  After an abortive start around 1880, Canada grudgingly formed a navy.  The suspicion was that Britain would co-opt it for their Imperial wars.  Another interesting RW theme is AF colors of convenience.  IE the NATO E-3s using Luxembourg rouundels, and the European C-17 consortium in Hungarian markings.

Thank you:very interesting. The common fleet inspired in those RW examples, yes