The suspected Chinese surveillance balloon found floating over sensitive military sites in the western United States had been tracked by the Canadian government since last weekend as it passed through Canadian airspace, sources told CTV News.
Canadian officials have not publicly stated whether the huge high-altitude balloon entered Canadian airspace. But sources told CTV News that it had passed over the Canadian Arctic, Alberta and Saskatchewan before it was seen over Montana on Thursday, while flying over a nuclear launch site. Sources told CTV News that he was tracked the entire time he was in Canadian airspace.
After being flagged by Norad, the joint US-Canadian agency responsible for air defense in both nations, US fighter jets investigated the balloon and determined that it was not equipped with any weapons, but was equipped with high-resolution cameras.
Despite Canadian officials having known about the balloon since the weekend, the Department of Homeland Defense only confirmed that it had been tracking the balloon. Thursday nightafter the United States announced the location of the balloon.
Asked why the public was never informed about the balloon until after it entered US airspace, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino cited the sensitivity of the timing of the information.
“We have to strike that balance and make sure that we are not compromising in any way our operations and the techniques that we use to protect Canadians. But we are honest about what we need to do and when we can share that information.” he told CTV News Channel’s Power Play on Friday.
“We do, and we also work closely with our allies on that front. And we will continue to do so so that we can protect our perimeter, our sovereignty and our national security.”
A Defense Department statement also mentioned that it was monitoring a “potential second incident” but gave no further details. Sources told CTV News that a smaller object may have been released from the balloon that could pose a risk to aircraft. In response, a flight advisory was issued to pilots in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
The sources also told CTV News that US intelligence knows of a total of at least four of these balloons from China sent to other countries, in addition to the one currently over the US. That includes the one the Pentagon confirmed. Friday night hovering over Latin America.
This incident comes at a time of heightened tension between China and the West. In a statement, China’s Foreign Ministry said the balloon came from China and apologized for its entry into US airspace, but insisted the balloon was used for civilian investigation purposes rather than espionage.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was scheduled to visit Beijing on Friday for high-level talks, but the visit was abruptly cancelled. Global Affairs Canada (GAC) also announced that it had summoned the Chinese ambassador, Cong Peiwu.
“The Chinese ambassador to Canada was summoned by Canadian Global Affairs officials,” GAC spokeswoman Charlotte MacLeod said in a statement on Friday. “We will continue to forcefully express our position to Chinese officials through multiple channels.”
With files from CTV National News Parliament Hill correspondent Kevin Gallagher, The Associated Press and The Canadian Press.