Grey County

	CAPTAIN MARCUS FROM NORTH BAY, ONTARIO, STOPPED TO SIGN AN AUTOGRAPH FOR A FAN JUST BEFORE THE AIR SHOW STARTED IN HANOVER.	THE SNOWBIRDS WORK HARD ALL YEAR AS A TEAM SO THAT WHEN THEY ARE DOING SHOWS THEY CAN INCLUDE MOVES LIKE THIS ONE WHERE EVERY JET IS IN ITS RIGHT PLACE AND THEY APPEAR TO BE ONLY INCHES APART.

Snowbirds fly into Hanover for air show

HANOVER -- Over 5,000 people were treated to a thriving sky show last month. The Snowbirds flew to Hanover May 27 for the official opening of the new runway at the Saugeen Municipal Airport.

The Snowbirds are a group of volunteer pilots from the Canadian Forces. Every year, from May to September, the air and ground crews travel across North America with their shows. The Hanover show started with one jet speeding in front of the crowd, not more than a couple feet off the ground, to cut the ribbon on the new runway. The pilot then did some amazing stunts, including spinning, twirling, backwards, and upside down moves.

The rest of the show lasted almost an hour and included all nine jets doing spectacular moves and formations. One of the highlights was when all the planes formed the outline of a Canadian Maple Leaf. The show also included solo stunts, and group stunts with three, five and seven planes.

IT WAS A BRIGHT, HOT SKY OVER THE SAUGEEN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN HANOVER MAY 27 FOR THE SNOWBIRDS AIR SHOW AND OPENING OF NEW RUNWAY.

Everyone who watches a Snowbird show is amazed at the precision involved. People hold their breath as single and double teams of planes head toward each other at record speeds. To anyone watching for the first time, it looks like the planes are about to crash into each other, but at the lost second they pass by. It looks like there isn't more than a couple of inches feet between them in the sky. Each show includes about 55 different moves, with no more than 10 seconds in between each move.

This year's flying crew includes 12 pilots and 12 alternates. The pilots, including one woman, come from all across Canada. The pilots have to try out to become a Snowbird, and then they belong for two years. Flying tryouts are held every year at the Snowbirds' home base in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. This year, they will do 62 shows in 43 different cities. The Snowbirds have been doing air shows for 27 years.

Groups interested in organizing a Snowbirds Air Show next year must write to the home base before October 1, 1997. Include details about your event. The address is P.O. Box 5000, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, S6H 7Z8.

On June 2, Canadians voted in a federal election. It was the second time voters went to the polls in less than five years. The Liberals were returned to power. Jean Chretien was re-elected as the country's Prime Minister. The Liberals won 155 seats in the country, which gives them a majority government. It won't be as big as it was. In the 1993 election, the Liberals won over 200 seats.

Most of the Liberals who won in this election come from Ontario. The party that received the next highest number of seats was the Reform Party. Its leader is Preston Manning. With 60 seats, this party will be the country's official opposition.

The Bloc Quebecois Party won 44 seats; the NDP won 21 seats,. and the Conservatives won 20 seats. This means for the first time in Canada's history there are five official parties in government.

All the winners in this area were Liberals who were re-elected. The following are the Members of Parliament for this area:

• Simcoe North, Paul Devillers;
• Simcoe-Grey (new riding), Paul Bonwick;
• Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey, Murray Calder;
• Bruce-Grey, Ovid Jackson;
• Huron-Bruce, Paul Steckle;
• Perth-Middlesex, John Richardson.