CFB Esquimalt helps track Santa's route

Capt. Dominique Lassonde will keep watch at the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre at CFB Esquimalt to ensure Santa Claus arrives safely Christmas Eve.

It’s official.

Santa is on his way, and rest assured that if he needs help once he flies into B.C. tonight (Dec. 24), he’ll be in good hands.

While the wee ones lay tucked in their beds, Capt. Dominique Lassonde of the Canadian Air Force will remain on alert at CFB Esquimalt. The pilot, together with Coast Guard officials, will keep watch for the man in red over computer screens at the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre at CFB Esquimalt.

“We’re ready,” the seasoned air force pilot says. “But Santa’s been doing this since the 16th century and he hasn’t hit anything. I’m sure he keeps his equipment upgraded.”

The high-tech rescue centre organizes air, marine and land rescue efforts anytime a distress call comes in for B.C. and the Yukon, and up to 1,500 kilometres out into the Pacific Ocean. It’s Lassonde’s job to co-ordinate air rescues.

The team works in conjunction with North American Aerospace Defence Command, which provides surveillance on hundreds of ships and planes approaching the continent.

For more than 50 years, NORAD Santa trackers have been keeping watch for Mr. Claus. They spend Christmas Eve answering phones and responding to e-mails from children wanting to know where Santa is.

“We could get a call from NORAD that Blitzen has a sore leg, and they have to put down somewhere,” Lassonde explains of a possible emergency scenario.

Numerous military aircraft, ships and Coast Guard vessels can be called upon at a moment’s notice to assist the jolly old elf and his nine reindeer.

“It’s exciting,” Lassonde says of his job. “I get to be here when the kids get their toys and in case Santa needs help. It’s all about the kids.”

For updates on Santa’s Christmas Eve journey, please visit www.noradsanta.org. Children are also invited to call NORAD headquarters toll-free at 1-877-446-6723, or e-mail noradtrackssanta@gmail.com.

... Yesterday night, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Christmas Concert with the Nadem Band at the Royal Theatre at Victoria, BC... happened that I was in the city ...

... anyway... the concert was wonderful... the musicians, the speaker, the singers, the show, the place...even the weather!!...

... but as always happen... no everything is perfect... usually there is a dark spot that brokes the perfection... and last night was not the exception... usually I don't use this space to complaint others behaviours... but I was encouraged to do... and I really feel I shall do it!!!

... I am a person that respect laws and policies... on the theatre are signs stating that recording is not allowed...nothing about cameras or photos... althought that I asked to the ushiers and they said to me that there was not problem at all for taking photos... photos are allowed if they are taken without flash... I was OK with that... and I behave following that policy... I took few shots without flash....

UNTIL...

... the ushier from the right wing of the second floor, aproached to me and reprended me because I was broken the rules... I said to her that I asked... although the signs never prohibited photos and besides I was not the only one... we were at least a dozen persons taken pictures and most of them were using flash... I was not!!!

... anyway... I was so upset, I was almost in tears... that was not fair to me... that makes me feel like discriminated and that feeling was increased during the rest of the concert because it was full of flashes from other cameras all around the theatre... at all times!!!

... at the end of the concert, I just want to tell everyone that the Royal Theatre should have consistency with its policies or at least train its employees about the equity delivery service to the customers...

... or at least state at the beginning of the show that the photos are prohibited... so people don't get confused and feel discriminated as I was!

... when we were walking away from our seats, I just couldn't avoid to take some shots of that lady... I won't post a neat and clear one... but at least this blurry one...
....just for feel a kind of relief of what she made me feel last night... I don't know if was because I am not as white and pale as she is... or just because my accent, or whatever reason she had against me... but at least I have a real reason against her...

I was not broken a rule... I was not disrespectful... I was not ignorant... I was just acting like any other person at the place...
... when my husband has to stand up from his seat to be honoured as other colleagues I saw many people taking pictures and I was punished and prevented to do the same...

...once again... was it fair???