UN planes at northern Ontario airport spark social media conspiracy theories
Two airplanes parked at North Bay’s Jack Garland Airport became infamous on social media last weekend after conspiracy theories linked them to the so-called 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa.
One of the planes in question has United Nations decals on it, and a viral TikTok video circulated Saturday falsely claimed UN troops or police officers from other countries landed in North Bay to head to Ottawa to break up the demonstration.
Thousands weighed in on Twitter, trying to find out why the planes were parked at the airport.
“It just goes to shows how quickly one video can go viral with misinformation,” said North Bay Deputy Mayor Tanya Vrebosch.
The aircraft in the video was actually in operation in Amman, Jordan, for more than a year and returned to Canada on Jan. 29.
Voyageur Airways, which has a maintenance facility at the airport, said one plane was grounded for regular maintenance.
“I can confirm that the aircraft has been in North Bay for several weeks for a routine aircraft maintenance heavy check event at our Voyageur North Bay facility,” said Melchior Schori, spokesperson for Chorus Aviation Inc.
Voyageur employs about 220 people in North Bay, providing aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services for its global customer base.
Vrebosch is encouraging people to check their sources before posting claims on social media.
“People are anxious and misinformation adds to the conspiracy theories, it adds to people’s fears and the unknown,” she said.
In the last years, Voyageur Airways has provided chartered aircraft to the UN and NATO for operations in the Middle East and Africa.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Military under fire as thousands of troops face lost cost-of-living allowance
The Canadian Armed Forces is under fire for its plan to cut thousands of troops off a cost-of-living allowance without much notice.

Twitter: Parts of source code leaked online
Some parts of Twitter's source code -- the fundamental computer code on which the social network runs -- were leaked online, the social media company said in a legal filing on Sunday.
U.K. report: Black kids 6 times likelier to be strip-searched by police
Black children in England and Wales were six times more likely to be strip-searched by police, according to a report being released Monday that found children were failed by those sworn to protect them.
Burial plots in Metro Vancouver are now so expensive, they’re being compared to real estate
Burial plots have become such a hot commodity in Metro Vancouver, one spot in a Burnaby cemetery is being sold privately online for $54,000.
Court hearing for Prince Harry and Elton John's privacy case against U.K. publisher
The first hearing in a lawsuit brought by Prince Harry, singer Elton John and other high profile figures against the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper over alleged phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy, is due to begin on Monday.
All 7 Pennsylvania chocolate factory explosion victims found
All seven bodies have been recovered from the site of a powerful explosion at a chocolate factory in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania, officials said.
Singh 'not satisfied' with confidence-and-supply agreement
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he's 'not satisfied' with his party's confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberals — signed a year ago this week — because it's shown him he could do a better job running the country than the current government.
North Korea test-fires 2 more missiles as tensions rise
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern waters Monday, continuing its weapons displays as the United States moved an aircraft carrier strike group to neighbouring waters for military exercises with the South.
Is the David porn? Come see, Italians tell Florida parents
The Florence museum housing Michelangelo's Renaissance masterpiece the 'David' invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue forced the principal to resign.