The Canadian Government has authorized open public access to thousands of federal government documents concerning UFOs. A total of 9500 digitized documents spanning the years 1947 to the early 1980s have been made available through the Library and Archives Canada website. Titled “Canada's UFOs: The Search for the Unknown” the files include correspondence, reports, memos and procedures, some of which specifically deal with UFOs. The files come from Canada’s National Defense Department, the Department of Transport, the National Research Council, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Canada’s online release of its UFO X-Files follows closely upon the release at the end of January of Denmark's UFO files. Britain continues to release thousands of UFO files through a program of gradual releases it began in May 2007 through its national archives with the most recent being on October 2008. The French Space Agency had earlier announced on March 22, 2007, that it was making public its secret UFO files through a government website.
The important difference between the released Canadian UFO files with other country releases is the inclusion of departmental analyses rather than simply reports of UFO sightings. According to Victor Viggiani from Exopolitics Toronto, who has been monitoring the Canadian Government UFO website since its inception, “The Canadian files do not simply list UFO sightings; they describe actions, meetings and inter-departmental memoranda generated by Canadian officials that attempt to make sense of the considerable onslaught of UFO sightings as well as referencing American problems with keeping abreast of UFO sightings.”
For example, a September 1967 memo titled "Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) - Investigations", was released which stated:
"a number of investigations of the reports suggest the possibility of UFOs exhibiting some unique scientific information or advanced technology which could possibly contribute to scientific or technical research.
Another memo details a UFO sighting at Shag Harbor witnessed by member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and six civilian witnesses on the night of October 4, 1967. The memo describes how “[w]itnesses reported seeing an object 60 feet in length moving in an easterly direction before it descended rapidly into the water, making a bright splash on impact.” The report continued: “A single white light appeared on the surface of the water for a short period of time. The RCMP, with help from local fishermen and their boats, endeavoured to reach the object before it sank completely.”
Undoubtedly the most significant documents are those associated with a 1950-1952 classified investigation and analysis of UFOs by a Department of Transportation team led by Wilbert Smith, a senior radio engineer. In his Project Magnet Report, Smith commented extensively on the flight performance of UFOs that were far in advance to anything known at the time:
"… it is difficult to reconcile this performance with the capabilities of our technology, and unless the technology of some terrestrial nation is much more advanced than is generally known, we are forced to the conclusion that the vehicles are probably extra-terrestrial, in spite of our prejudices to the contrary."
Not all of the information made available through the Canadian archives is completely new to UFO researchers - many having been released in the 1980s in 16mm microfilm form through libraries in Canada and the U.S. The Library and Archive website, however, now provides a comprehensive online resource for the world public and media to scrutinize the Canadian Government UFO X-Files. Canada first began to release UFO files through its online archive in October 2007, and these have quickly increased to its present level of 9500 files. Canada therefore joins a select group of countries that have so far publicly released UFO files through government sponsored websites. As President Obama heads to Canada on February 19, he could take time from his busy schedule to ask Prime Minister Steven Harper for tips on how the U.S. might release to the public its own classified UFO X-Files.
Video: Larry King Live on U.K. UFO Files Release
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have questions or comments regarding this article? Tell us about it here!