Ottawa Didn’t Disclose China’s Spy Balloon Because There Were ‘Lives at Stake,’ Minister Says

Ottawa Didn’t Disclose China’s Spy Balloon Because There Were ‘Lives at Stake,’ Minister Says
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino rises during question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 30, 2023. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
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Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says Ottawa didn’t tell the public about China’s spy balloon that was spotted over North America because there were “lives at stake.”

“There are lives at stake. There are techniques at stake. This is complex stuff,” Mendicino told the Canada-China House of Commons committee on Feb. 6.