Author Archives: Michael K. Barbour

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About Michael K. Barbour

Michael K. Barbour is the Director of Faculty Development and a Professor of Instructional Design for the College of Education and Health Sciences at Touro University California. He has been involved with K-12 online learning in a variety of countries for well over a decade as a researcher, teacher, course designer and administrator. Michael's research focuses on the effective design, delivery and support of K-12 online learning, particularly for students located in rural jurisdictions.

More full-tilt afterburner (Navy style)

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As we mentioned in a previous entry – see Government of Canada to procure new aircraft for the iconic Canadian Forces Snowbirds – the 2026 season will be the last time the Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be using their Candair CT-114 Tutor aircraft, and the CT-157 Siskin II (Pilatus PC21) won’t ready until the early 2030s.  So be sure to catch this last Snowbird performance for the next 3-5 years.

Greetings!

So, you’ve got the U.S. Air Force (Thunderbirds & F-35A Demo), Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds, joined by some of the best military and civilian aviators, and now the U.S. Navy brings even more fun to Sacramento. We’re less than two weeks away from the massive launch of discount tickets for 2026. And …

Today, we’re thrilled to announce the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet Demonstration!

Come out to Mather Airport on October 10th & 11th, and experience the full-tilt capabilities of the Navy’s extraordinary aircraft. The use of maximum afterburner will leave you spellbound as the skies above Sacramento come alive with freedom’s roar!

The VFA-122 West Coast Rhino Demo Team

From our friends “down the road” at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, Strike Fighter Squadron 122 is proud to showcase the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet to audiences around the world. The Tactical Demonstration you will see flies the Super Hornet as close to the “edge of the envelope” as safety and prudence allow.

You have to see it to believe it. And the only place to get up close to the action is at the Airshow!

Here’s to a great day,

“Az”

Your California Capital Air Show Insider

P.S. – Given the monster lineup, the return of cooler Fall weather, and peak demand for the Night Show, we expect this year’s Airshow to sell out before Airshow weekend.

Previous years saw tickets sell out quickly, so securing your discounted tickets at launch will ensure you don’t miss out on our best and most comfortable show to date (with reduced attendance and more space!).

Deeply discounted tickets launch on Wednesday, June 24 at Noon Pacific Time. And keep an eye on your email for your special access link!

2026 California Capital Airshow

Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday with the

United States Air Force Thunderbirds
and the
Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds!
October 10-11, 2026

Sacramento Mather Airport – KMHR

Presented by Sacramento County in partnership with the City of Rancho Cordova

______________________________________________________________________

California Capital Airshow | (916) 876-7568 insider@californiacapitalairshow.com | https://CaliforniaCapitalAirshow.com/

Hill 70: On the eve of the important WW I battle, a look at Hill 70 Memorial Park

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An item from the Legion Magazine that may be of interest to members.
Weekly Feature
Observation Post

The limestone obelisk and revamped ampitheatre at Hill 70 Memorial Park in Loos-en-Gohelle, France. [hill70.ca]

Hill 70: On the eve of the important WW I battle, a look at Hill 70 Memorial Park

STORY BY RICHARD FOOT

It was in 2007, while touring Canada’s First World War battlefields with his family, that Mark Hutchings first set foot on Hill 70.

In startling contrast to the stunning memorial and grounds he had seen at Vimy Ridge, there was nothing to mark one of Canada’s most significant actions of the war except a nearby cemetery holding the graves of some of the 1,877 troops who died capturing Hill 70 in 1917.

“We went straight up the hill, and I stopped and said, ‘Hill 70, this is the highest feature—this must be it,’” recalled Hutchings. “And there was nothing there.”

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O Canada 5-Volume Set
The Briefing
The Briefing

Former military medic Jessica Miller resigned from the Women Veterans Council in early January 2026. [Courtesy Jessica Miller]

Jessica Miller on the Women Veterans Council resignations

STORY BY ALEX BOWERS

Retired sergeant Jessica Miller believed in the cause, believed in the potential of the Women Veterans Council when it was launched on Jan. 29, 2025.

The body, explained the former military medic, was “based off one of the 42 recommendations in the Invisible No More report” from the previous year, a study undertaken by the standing committee on veterans affairs of the experiences, challenges and systemic barriers faced by women—past and present—in the Canadian Armed Forces. Miller had faith that change could finally be possible, and that serving on the council could help deliver it.

Not so, the now-ex-member says.

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Member Benefit Partner
Medipac Insurance
 

Email sent to: mkbarbour@gmail.com

Canvet Publications Ltd.
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1-844-602-5737 | 613-591-0116 | magazine@legion.ca

Fireworks from a WWII Liberty ship. July 4, Pier 35

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This opportunity might be of interest to members geographically located in the Bay Area.

SS Jeremiah O'Brien

National Liberty Ship Memorial
-There are a lot of places to watch San Francisco’s Fourth of July fireworks.

Most of them are parking lots. Some are beaches. A few are boats.

This one is a 441-foot WWII Liberty ship berthed at Pier 35 with a clear sightline to the Bay, a working bar, and a steam engine that’s been running continuously since 1943.

July 4, 2026 — Dockside aboard the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, Pier 35, San Francisco.

The ship opens at 7pm. Fireworks start at 9:30pm. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. The engine room will be open for tours before the show.

If you’ve been meaning to get down to the ship but never quite made it — to see the engine room, walk the decks, understand what these vessels actually were — the Fourth is the low-pressure way to do it. She’s docked. The crew is around. The fireworks are just the excuse.

Tickets: $45 adults / $30 seniors / $25 youth

→ Get tickets

Pier 35, San Francisco. Arrive by 8:30 to get settled before dark.

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Pier 45 Suite 4A
San Francisco, CA 94133
United States
SS Jeremiah O’Brien

Pier 35, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94133

ssjeremiahobrien.org  |  info@ssjeremiahobrien.org

Upcoming events to celebrate Canadian pride! 🇨🇦

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An newsletter from a fellow Canadian organization in the Bay Area.  Note the events that may be of interest to members.

Canadian Studies Announcements

In This Issue:

External Events

• Team Canada watch party

• 14th Annual Canada Day Celebration in SF
• DML Canada Day Picnic
• SF Pride 2026 – Friends of Canada

Academic Opportunities
• Call for proposals: “Interrogating Canadian Identities” conference at York University

EXTERNAL EVENTS

Team Canada Watch Party
Friday, June 12 | 11:30 am | San Francisco | RSVP

Join the Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco to cheer on the Canadian men’s national soccer team as they face Bosnia-Herzegovina. The match kicks off at 12:00 PM. All are welcome – bring your friends, your energy, and your team spirit! Food & drinks will be available for purchase. Seating will be first come, first served.

14th Annual Canada Day Celebration in SF

Tuesday, June 23 | 5:30 pm | San Francisco | RSVP

Join the San Francisco Canadian Expat Meetup Group to celebrate Canada Day in the city! ​Wear your red & white, rep your favourite Canadian team gear, and get ready to sing, “Oh Canada!” with fellow Canadians! Everyone is welcome – bring friends, family, and coworkers. This is a great opportunity to network with other Canadians in the Bay Area and make new friends.

DML Canada Day Picnic

Saturday, June 27 | 11:30 am | San Mateo | Tickets

The Digital Moose Lounge invites you to join your fellow SF Bay Canadians at their annual Canada Day Picnic! Enjoy a fun afternoon of activities and games for the whole family, with a delicious BBQ, cold drinks, and sweet treats. Meet new friends and reconnect with old ones as you embrace your heritage and celebrate with patriotic pride. Remember to wear your red and white alumni gear, or represent your favorite Canadian sports team!

SF Pride 2026 – Friends of Canada

Sunday, June 28 | 11:00 am | San Francisco | RSVP

The Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco cordially invites Canadians and friends of Canada to march in the 56th annual SF Pride Parade. All are welcome to join our friends and family to celebrate diversity and to support the 2SLGBTQI+ members of our communities in California, Canada, and beyond.

The exact assembly location and time will be announced approximately one week prior to the parade. Please register via Eventbrite to receive updates.

ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES

Call for Proposals: “Interrogating Canadian Identities” Conference at York University
Deadline: June 8, 2026

The Interrogating Canadian Identities (ICI) SSHRC grant at York University is hosting a conference to interrogate anachronistic and persistent images and ideas about Canadian identity. These conceptions are often rooted in the historical conceptions of settler communities and this country’s first 155 years.

The conference welcomes paper proposals investigating the continued impact of that past on contemporary views of what it means to be a Canadian, in light of changes to the Canadian population in recent decades; movements toward greater diversity, equity, and inclusion; and other shifts in the way Canadians understand their identities in the 21st century.

Read the full call for proposals here.

Canadian Studies Program

213 Philosophy Hall #2308

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Canadian Studies Program | Univ. of California, Berkeley 213 Philosophy Hall #2308 | Berkeley, CA 94720 US