Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was provided a classified memo on the subject of “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP)” in February, CTV News has learned.
Obtained through a freedom of information request, the heavily redacted document offers a glimpse into how the Canadian government responded to the unidentified object that was detected and shot down over northern Canada’s Yukon territory on Feb. 11. According to the “Secret” memo, the Yukon object was the 23rd so-called “UAP” tracked over North America in the first few weeks of 2023.
“NORAD numbers objects on a sequential basis, per year, to track every detected object that is not immediately identified; upon cross-examination most objects are found to be innocuous and do not meet the threshold for higher reporting or engagement,” the memo explained. “Object #23’s function, method of propulsion, or affiliation to any nation-state remains unverified.”
After decades of denial and dismissal by U.S. authorities, the Pentagon, NASA and American lawmakers are now investigating what they call “unidentified anomalous phenomena” or “UAP” – official terms for what are more commonly known as “unidentified flying objects” and “UFOs.”
“UAP #23” was one of three unidentified objects shot down by fighter jets over North America earlier this year, immediately following the Feb. 4 downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon. While the three objects have not been publicly identified, all were reportedly much smaller than the 200-foot-tall apparent Chinese surveillance device.On Feb. 16, U.S. President Joe Biden said the three mysterious objects likely no posed no threat and were probably private or research balloons.
Transmitted on Feb. 14, the “Memorandum for the Prime Minister” was classified “Secret” and for “limited distribution.” It was CC’d to Trudeau’s national security advisor, Jody Thomas, and signed by Janice Charette, who then served as the powerful clerk of the Privy Council.
Canada’s Privy Council Office, or PCO, is a centralized hub that directs the country’s public service and is responsible for providing non-partisan support to the prime minister and cabinet as they make policy decisions.
Detected on the afternoon of Feb. 11, the Yukon object was shot down the same day by a U.S. F-22 fighter jet. At the time officials described it as a “suspected balloon” that was “cylindrical” in shape.
“NORAD Canadian CF-18 Hornets had been scrambled but the F-22s were better located based on time, space, and fading light,” the memo stated. “As additional UAP are detected, we will continue to keep you apprised.”
Due to harsh winter conditions and the remote mountainous terrain, efforts to recover debris from the Yukon object were called off on Feb. 17.
“It is unknown whether it poses an armed threat or has intelligence collection capabilities,” the memo added. “The area in which the impact occurred is a known (caribou) migration route, which opens the possibility of future accidental discovery by Indigenous hunters.”
Extensive redactions were made to the memo under sections 15 and 69 of Canada’s Access to Information Act, which pertain to national security and cabinet confidentiality.
The declassified document was provided to CTVNews.ca by a civilian researcher who wished to remain anonymous. CTVNews.ca verified the document’s authenticity by filing a new information request with the Privy Council Office. The PCO and Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to requests for comment.
In a statement to CTVNews.ca, Canada’s Department of National Defence would not disclose how many other unidentified objects have been detected over North America since the flurry of February incidents.
“Following the identification of the larger high-altitude surveillance balloon, NORAD adjusted our detection capabilities to give us better fidelity on seeing smaller, slower objects at various altitudes,” a Canadian defence spokesperson said. “Each event is unique and NORAD’s response is determined on a case-by-case basis.”
Short for North American Aerospace Defense Command, Norad is a joint Canada-U.S. defence group that is responsible for protecting the continent from incoming attacks.
Iain Boyd, a professor of aerospace engineering and director of the Center for National Security Initiatives at the University of Colorado, says the memo shows how Canadian and U.S. elements of Norad effectively work together “without regards to national boundaries.”
“It also appears to indicate a low level of understanding of the object in terms of its capabilities and function,” Boyd added. “Under normal circumstances, you’d like to think that the decision to shoot it down would only be made after a thorough assessment had been made of the danger it posed based on all information available.”
Boyd says the events of February illustrate Canadian and U.S. limitations when it comes to detecting, tracking and identifying objects in their airspace.
“We have gone from a crazy few days where four objects were shot down, to nothing in the six months since,” Boyd said. “It would be interesting to know what changes in procedures, if any, have been undertaken by Norad and other organizations charged with protecting Canada and the U.S.”
The Canadian military routinely states that it “does not typically investigate sightings of unknown or unexplained phenomena outside the context of investigating credible threats, potential threats, or potential distress in the case of search and rescue.”
In March, CTVNews.ca revealed that the federal government’s top scientist had launched the first official Canadian UAP study in nearly three decades. Known as the Sky Canada Project, the effort from Office of the Chief Science Advisor of Canada seeks to understand how UAP reports “are managed in Canada and to recommend improvements.” A new Sky Canada Project webpage promises a final public report in 2024.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.
Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.
In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.
Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.
Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.
He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.
The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.
Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.
He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.
George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.
Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.
In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.
St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
ON DECK
Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.
The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
CALGARY – Mired in their first four-game losing skid in 20 years, the Calgary Stampeders are going back to Jake Maier at quarterback on Saturday after he was benched for a game.
It won’t be an easy assignment.
Visiting McMahon Stadium are the Eastern Conference-leading Montreal Alouettes (10-2) who own the CFL’s best record. The Stampeders (4-8) have fallen to last in the Western Conference.
“Six games is plenty of time, but also it is just six games,” said Maier. “We’ve got to be able to get on the right track.”
Calgary is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
“I do still believe in this team,” said Stampeders’ head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson. “I want to see improvement, though. I want to see guys on a weekly basis elevating their game, and we haven’t been doing that.”
Maier is one of the guys under the microscope. Two weeks ago, the second-year starter threw four interceptions in a 35-20 home loss to the Edmonton Elks.
After his replacement, rookie Logan Bonner, threw five picks in last week’s 37-16 loss to the Elks in Edmonton, the football is back in Maier’s hands.
“Any time you fail or something doesn’t go your way in life, does it stink in the moment? Yeah. But then the days go on and you learn things about yourself and you learn how to prepare a little bit better,” said Maier. “It makes you mentally tougher.”
Dickenson wants to see his quarterback making better decisions with the football.
“Things are going to happen, interceptions will happen, but try to take calculated risks, rather than just putting the ball up there and hoping that we catch it,” said Dickenson.
A former quarterback himself, he knows the importance of that vital position.
“You cannot win without good quarterback play,” Dickenson said. “You’ve got to be able to make some plays — off-schedule plays, move-around plays, plays that break down, plays that aren’t designed perfectly, but somehow you found the right guy, and then those big throws where you’re taking that hit.”
But it’s going to take a team effort, and that includes the club’s receiving corp.
“We always have to band together because we need everything to go right for our receivers to get the ball,” said Nik Lewis, the Stampeders’ receivers coach. “The running back has to pick up the blitz, the o-line has to block, the quarterback has to make the right reads, and then give us a catchable ball.”
Lewis brings a unique perspective to this season’s frustrations as he was a 22-year-old rookie in Calgary in 2004 when the Stamps went 4-14 under coach Matt Dunigan. They turned it around the next season and haven’t missed the playoffs since.”
“Thinking back and just looking at it, there’s just got to be an ultimate belief that you can get it done. Look at Montreal, they were 6-7 last year and they’ve gone 18-2 since then,” said Lewis.
Montreal is also looking to rebound from a 37-23 loss to the B.C. Lions last week. But for head coach Jason Maas, he says his team’s mindset doesn’t change, regardless of what happened the previous week.
“Last year when we went through a four-game losing streak, you couldn’t tell if we were on a four-game winning streak or a four-game losing streak by the way the guys were in the building, the way we prepared, the type of work ethic we have,” said Maas. “All our standards are set, so that’s all we focus on.”
While they may have already clinched a playoff spot, Alouettes’ quarterback Cody Fajardo says this closing stretch remains critical because they want to finish the season strong, just like last year when they won their final five regular-season games before ultimately winning the Grey Cup.
“It doesn’t matter about what you do at the beginning of the year,” said Fajardo. “All that matters is how you end the year and how well you’re playing going into the playoffs so that’s what these games are about.”
The Alouettes’ are kicking off a three-game road stretch, one Fajardo looks forward to.
“You understand what kind of team you have when you play on the road because it’s us versus the world mentality and you can feel everybody against you,” said Fajardo. “Plus, I always tend to find more joy in silencing thousands of people than bringing thousands of people to their feet.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
