Civilians Doing Their Part Besides gaining employment as mechanics, cooks, clerks, engineers, and labourers at BCATP aerodromes, civilians also contributed to the training plan by instructing and operating schools. Twenty-nine Elementary Flying Training Schools and all 10 Air Observer Schools were run by local companies, airlines, and flying clubs. Incorporating civilians into the early stages of air crew training allowed the RCAF to take advantage of qualified instructors and already-built aerodromes as early as the spring of 1940. This civilian participation kick-started the BCATP even as the aerodrome infrastructure was being expanded and recruits were being trained as instructors for advanced pilot courses. Shaping Canada's Social Fabric While lobbying for BCATP construction, Canadian communities were also eager for the social benefits of interaction with the air force. The Secretary-Treasurer of Mossbank, Saskatchewan, believed that a training school would bolster national pride in the citizens of his town: "The work and presence amongst us of many members of the Air Force would give our people a new spirit, make them conscious they are directly interested in the successful issue of the war, stimulate recruiting, [and] arouse their national feelings."6 Canadians took great pride in making the trainees feel a part of their communities, and the air force personnel warmly welcomed the morale-boosting recreation that came from meeting with local civilians, who were often invited to station parties and dances. Local residents attended wings presentations and graduation ceremonies, and bases were often open for the public to view and participate in sports competitions. Communities provided recreational diversions for airmen with summer fairs and winter carnivals, while station bands frequently provided the entertainment for community events. At some schools, airmen helped civilians bring in fall harvests. The mingling of residents and trainees often permanently altered the demographics of a community. When local women married airmen from Britain, Australia, or New Zealand, the new wives would leave their community and move to her husband's country. Conversely, many grooms relocated to Canada after the war, bringing with them different cultures and customs. By the end of the war, more than 3,750 RAF, RAAF, and RNZAF members found Canadian wives.

6. Letter dated 11 January 1940, from P.J. Rawlinson (Secretary-Treasurer) to Norman Rogers (Minister of National Defence), RG 12, Volume 2332, File 5168-803 (National Archives of Canada)