Chinese balloon (image credit - CNN)

By Michael Reeve

BALLOON FLAP

Surveillance balloon ‘an embarrassing mistake by China:’ TRU Professor

Feb 6, 2023 | 4:05 PM

KAMLOOPS — On Saturday (Feb. 4), the United States military shot down a Chinese balloon over the Atlantic Ocean. In an emailed statement to CFJC Today, the Canadian Department of National Defense confirmed that the “high-altitude surveillance balloon” entered US airspace over Alaska before traveling through Canada and back into the continental US.

“Canada and the US jointly decided to publicize the presence of the balloon at an appropriate time, taking into account operational security,” continues the statement.

TRU political science professor Robert Hanlon believes a lot of politics was at play in the decision to publicize the balloon.

“We are what some writers are calling the start of a new cold war. There certainly is value in using that balloon, having it in the media for a week, getting a lot of attention on what the Americans may consider an adversary and rival. In this context it is very relevant, but I would tend to lean on the more boring answer that this was an embarrassing mistake by China,” said Hanlon.

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The Department of National Defense went on to say it fully supported the plan to shot the balloon down.

While Canadians may be concerned about the potential of a surveillance balloon floating across the country, Hanlon believes it can serve as a wake up call for what’s out there.

“Canadians need to be very worried about surveillance,” stated Hanlon. “The balloon itself, I would say is old technology. There are much sophisticated ways of acquiring information. We know that satellites are much more effective. On the one hand it is absolutely concerning but on the other, we should have our eyes wide open in other areas.”