Canada Could Have Fined China $25,000 for Spy Balloon Incident: Briefing Note

A U.S. Air Force U-2 pilot flies above the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon as it hovers over the central continental United States on Feb. 3, 2023, before later being shot down by the Air Force off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 22, 2023. U.S. Air Force/Department of Defence/Handout via Reuters

The government had the option of fining the Chinese regime up to $25,000 for flying a suspected spy balloon over Canada without a federal permit, according to a briefing note from the Department of Transportation.

“Any individual that breaks these rules can be subject to fines,” said the briefing note titled High Altitude Object Incidents. “There are fines of up to $5,000 for an individual or $25,000 for a corporation for launching an unmanned large balloon without the [Minister of Transport’s] authorization.”