Daniel Otis, a Canadian freelance investigative journalist, has filed more than 200 requests under federal and provincial freedom of information laws with various Canadian agencies, seeking data on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) observed in Canadian airspace.
He has received thousands of pages of relevant material, including seventy years of reports from Canadian pilots, soldiers and police officers thedebrief.org.
“For more than two years, I used Freedom of Information requests to uncover records, procedures and briefing materials on unidentified objects and lights in Canadian airspace,” Otis said.
“While this may seem bizarre at first glance, I have obtained thousands of pages of relevant material, including seventy years of reports from Canadian pilots, soldiers and police officers.”
However, one of his requests was denied by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), which refused to release data on UAP detected at or near Ontario’s nuclear power plants.
Otis launched the request based on an anonymous tip he received. OPG claimed that releasing the data could seriously threaten the safety or health of an individual.
The journalist has now hired a law firm, the Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF), to help him appeal the decision. The CCF is a national and non-partisan charity that defends constitutionally protected rights and freedoms.
He argues that the public has a right to know how government agencies are addressing the UAP issue, especially as it relates to national security and nuclear energy.
Otis’ case is part of a broader effort to increase transparency and accountability on the UAP topic, which has gained increased attention and legitimacy in recent years.
In the United States, a UAP Disclosure Act is being proposed by lawmakers to require the government to release more information about UAP sightings and investigations.
