Strange and Undecided

Episode 16 - The Haunting of the Banff Springs Hotel

This week, Jarret and Pat are looking into the Banff Springs Hotel and its alleged haunting. The hotel is located inside the Banff National Park in Banff, Alberta, Canada, and is regarded as one of Canada’s most famous hotels. For over 125 years the hotel has welcomed guests from all over the world. Most of the guests have come and gone but some of them haven’t exactly left and may never leave. Due to the sheer number of ghost sightings and encounters reported, this has given the hotel a reputation as being one of the most haunted places in Canada. 
 
SHOW NOTES
Banff Springs Hotel - Wikipedia
Banff Springs Hotel | The Canadian Encyclopedia
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel History | Fairmont Banff Springs History (historichotels.org)
Parks Canada - Banff Springs Hotel National Historic Site of Canada (pc.gc.ca)
Landmarks-And-Legends-Banff-Springs-Hotel
The haunting of Banff Springs | Canadian Living
Is Room 873 of the Banff Springs Hotel Haunted? (projectengineer.net)
Guest Post: Haunting Legends of Fairmont’s Banff Springs Hotel In Canada | Spooky Things online (wordpress.com)
A Creepy Compendium: Meet the Fairmont Banff Springs ghosts! [2024] (thebestcalgary.com)
Ghostly Tales of the Banff Springs Hotel (mysteriesofcanada.com)
The Ghosts of Fairmont Banff Springs - Avenue Calgary
Historic Hotels Worldwide
The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel - The Little House of Horrors
The Haunted Banff Springs Hotel, Canada - Haunted Rooms America
The haunted history of the world famous Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (curiocity.com)
The paranormal hotel dubbed one of most haunted in the world - and only the brave can stay - Mirror Online
Banff Haunted Hotel - Mystery at the Banff Springs • Travel Tales of Life
Missing Room 873 Banff Springs | immrfabulous.com
Banff Springs was named among the worlds most haunted places (curiocity.com)
Fairmont Banff Springs: Canada’s Spookiest Hotel - Malorie's Adventures (maloriesadventures.com)
Haunted Canada Ghost Bride (2014) | The Royal Canadian Mint

Episode 15 - Mystery Brain Disease in New Brunswick, Canada?

In January of 2019, patients were told they had a new or novel brain disease. This occurred in a cluster of individuals exhibiting "similar" signs and symptoms in the eastern province of New Brunswick, Canada. The symptoms fell under the umbrella of dementia and prion disease but were tested and determined not to be either. Was this a new brain disease or was something else to blame? And why was the investigation shut down so abruptly?
 
SHOW NOTES
Government officials misled the public about the “mysterious” New Brunswick neurological disease, and we have the documents to prove it (canadaland.com)
final-report.pdf (gnb.ca)
Cluster of Neurological Syndrome (gnb.ca)
Whistleblower warns baffling illness affects growing number of young adults in Canadian province | Canada | The Guardian
Moncton medical student calls for new investigation into ‘mystery neurological illness’ - New Brunswick | Globalnews.ca
Questions remain about mystery brain disease in N.B. | CTV News
Patients, families call on N.B. to reopen investigation into neurological illness | CBC News
'Mysterious' brain disorder strikes hundreds, cases keep growing (nypost.com)
New Brunswick, Canada, mystery brain disease: Dozens sick in neurological syndrome cluster - The Washington Post
New Brunswick, Canada, mystery brain disease: Report finds no new disorder - The Washington Post
New Brunswick mystery brain syndrome to be probed (thestar.com)
Mystery brain disease in New Brunswick? Families call for investigation as cases increase (thestar.com)
Cause of eight N.B. 'mystery' brain disease deaths identified by pathologist | CTV News
New Brunswick patients with mysterious brain illness call for action after herbicide detected | Watch News Videos Online (globalnews.ca)
Mystery brain disorder baffles Canadian doctors | Canada | The Guardian
"Mystery brain disease" ruled out by New Brunswick committee - YouTube
Doctors investigate mystery brain disease in Canada (bbc.com)
Former N.B. health minister says ‘mysterious neurological’ disease idea unfounded, should be 'put to bed' | SaltWire
Public Health now questioning ’validity’ of New Brunswick’s mystery brain disease | Radio-Canada.ca
Inside the murky, high-stakes investigation into New Brunswick's mystery illness - Macleans.ca
New Brunswick’s Mystery Neurological Illness | The Walrus
In New Brunswick, experts try to figure out why dozens have been affected by a mystery brain disease - The Globe and Mail
N.B. woman with unexplained neurological symptoms wants answers: ‘This is not a common thing’ | Globalnews.ca
Neurologist says N.B. 'mystery' illness could be caused by herbicide | National Post
Investigate glyphosate connection to mystery brain disease - CCNB (conservationcouncil.ca)
High levels of glyphosate in most patients with ‘atypical neurological diseases’: open letter [video] – NB Media Co-op (nbmediacoop.org)
A medical mystery in New Brunswick | CBC.ca
PHAC to deploy to New Brunswick over reports of mystery brain symptoms | CBC News
Glyphosate in Canada - Canada.ca
Jim Irving says glyphosate ban would be 'disastrous' | CBC News

Episode 14 - Montreal UFO Sighting | Hotel Bonaventure

Our story tonight takes place in Montreal, Quebec. More specifically, Montreal's Hotel Bonaventure. Regarded as one of the city's most prestigious hotels, it takes up the top two floors of one of the city’s biggest convention centers, the 17 storey Place Bonaventure. The hotel contains 397 spacious rooms but what sets it apart from other hotels, is the year-round heated rooftop pool, the 2.5-acre rooftop garden complete with trees, flowers and if the pool wasn't enough there are also waterfalls and a jacuzzi. While this might seem like an oasis or a paradise full of relaxation, on November 7, 1990, Hotel Bonaventure was anything but that. That night, the hotel was the scene of one of Canada’s most peculiar UFO sightings.
 
SHOW NOTES
Place Bonaventure - Wikipedia
Bonaventure... more than 50 years of history - Place Bonaventure
About Hotel Bonaventure Montreal and Our Rich History
ESP Psychic Expo (noraloveandlight.com)
UFO sightings in Canada - Wikipedia
How This UFO Sighting In Montreal Remains One Of Canada's Biggest Unsolved Mysteries | Digg
Close encounters of the N.L. kind: UFO investigators in Newfoundland and Labrador examining curious sightings | SaltWire
30 years ago: the UFO sighting that lit downtown Montreal's night sky | CBC.ca
An aerial UFO phenomenon over Montreal | CBC.ca
Paranormal Activity at the Hotel Bonaventure - Haunted Montreal Blog
Details-sourrounding-a-large-stationary-object-above-Montreal-by-Dr.-R.-Haines-et-B.-Guénette.pdf (garpan.ca)
The Proof Is Out There: Bizarre UFOs Hover Over Montreal (Season 3) (youtube.com)
Northern lights (aurora borealis) — What they are & how to see them | Space
Light pillar - Wikipedia
Canada’s Unexplained Phenomena: The Montréal Incident - 1 oz. Pure Sil – Global Bullion Suppliers
1oz Silver $20 Glow in the Dark UFO Coin (The Montreal Incident) – Merchantman & Sons (yourmerchantman.com)
Reddit - https://external-preview.redd.it/K4erWMQQoGxg9EHr727GjTWs84c9p02ejkQdaDRhIzc.png?auto=webp&s=7b924b2e8bfe27577a04709b5bf2a6ef0424859c

Episode 13 - Babes In the Woods Murders (ft. Special Guest)

In this week's show, I am joined by a special guest and we are looking at the Babes in the Woods unsolved murder case. A garden caretaker of Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, was clearing brush deep in the woods near Beaver Lake when he heard and felt something crunch under his foot. He dug beneath the brush and cleared out decaying leaves to reveal human bones embedded in the earth. These murders have gone unsolved for over 70 years but in 2021, there was a break-through in case. 
 
SHOW NOTES
Stanley Park - Wikipedia
Last of the live-in caretakers: Vancouver park workers will be last to stay rent-free in idyllic fieldhouses | National Post
Stanley Park | The Canadian Encyclopedia
Parks Canada - Stanley Park National Historic Site of Canada (pc.gc.ca)
Babes in the Wood murders (Stanley Park) - Wikipedia
Murder, Mystery and Intrigue in Review: Babes in the Woods (vancouverpolicemuseum.ca)
Who were the Babes in the Woods? | Lakehead University
What is the Babes in the Woods murder case in Vancouver, BC? - North Shore News (nsnews.com)
Babes in the Woods case remains unsolved 69 years after skeletons discovered | News (dailyhive.com)
True Crime: The Babes in the Woods case - Vancouver Is Awesome
Babes in the Woods Archives | Eve Lazarus
The Babes in the Woods have their names back | Eve Lazarus
Identities of Stanley Park Babes in the Woods revealed almost 70 years later | Globalnews.ca
Vancouver police confirms identities of Babes in the Woods | Vancouver Sun
Victims ID'd in 70-year-old Babes in the Woods murder mystery: report | Vancouver Sun
Vancouver's 'Babes in the Woods' murder victims identified| CityNews Vancouver
Vancouver police share details about Babes in the Woods case - Vancouver Is Awesome

Episode 12 - Horror Stories that Keep You Up at Night

This week we are narrating for you more scary stories from the reddit thread r/freehorrorstories.
If you want your story features on the show email us at strangeandundecided@gmail.com.
SHOW NOTES
I think the water plant is haunted... : freehorrorstories (reddit.com)
The doll in the storage room [True] : freehorrorstories (reddit.com)
Elderly lady in wrong car : freehorrorstories (reddit.com)
My first sleep paralysis story : freehorrorstories (reddit.com)
A Wendigo Broke Into My House : freehorrorstories (reddit.com)
[TRUE]The man in the truck : freehorrorstories (reddit.com)
Burglary Horror Story : freehorrorstories (reddit.com)
TRUE: No One Believes : freehorrorstories (reddit.com)

Episode 11 - British Columbia's Tranquille Sanatorium | Haunted or Not?

This week's episode is going to be a little different, rooted more in history but with some interesting speculation. We are going to explore the mysterious and haunted walls of Tranquille Sanatorium in Kamloops, British Columbia. Opening in 1907 and closing in 1991, it has changed faces many times from a hospital for treating tuberculosis, to a hospital for people with mental illness. Since it has been closed down, some people believe it to be haunted by the ghosts of people who passed away at the hospital. 
 
SHOW NOTES
Tranquille Sanatorium - Wikipedia
Haunted Canada 4: More True Tales of Terror - Joel A. Sutherland - Google Books
Is Tranquille Sanatorium Haunted? (hauntedhovel.com)
Tranquille Sanatorium/Padova City | Abandoned History (wordpress.com)
The deep, dark and mysterious history of Tranquille Sanatorium and psychiatric institution | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source (infotel.ca)
Random Post: Tranquille BC Sanatorium | Short Subjects (bigdoer.com)
Tranquille: A Timeline (thewrennews.ca)
The buried history of Tranquille (thewrennews.ca)
we-love-kamloops: Tranquille Sanatorium ~ Kamloops, BC
Tranquille - Olaf in Canada
One Of BC's Most Haunted Places Is An Abandoned Sanatorium (604now.com)
Haunted Tranquille Sanatorium - US Ghost Adventures
Tranquille Canada: A Haunting History of BC’s Abandoned Sanatorium - Indie88
Vanishing B.C. Tranquille (michaelkluckner.com)
Kamloops's Tranquille Sanatorium named one of 10 most haunted places in Canada | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source (infotel.ca)
Sanatorium near Kamloops one of Canada's most haunted places - Vancouver Is Awesome
tranquillesanatorium.pdf (kamloops.ca)
Panorama of the Tranquille Sanatorium near Kamloops, BC (mrussellphotography.com)
VIDEO: One of Canada's most haunted places captured with epic drone footage (kamloopsbcnow.com)
Haunted Salem on Tumblr: Tranquille Sanatorium Canada
Is Tranquille the victim of wild imaginations? – The Superstitious Times
 

Episode 10 - Robert Pickton | Canada's Most Notorious Serial Killer

In Vancouver, British Columbia. 65 women went missing from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, between the years 1978 and 2001, probably more that weren’t ever reported. Of that 65, 26 were found to have been murdered. These murders led to Canada's largest investigation of serial killer Robert Pickton. He was a pig farmer living in a small town in Vancouver. Somehow, he was able to get away with murdering these women without neighbors or authorities realizing. Or did they?
 
SHOW NOTES
VIDEO CONFESSION: Robert “Willie” Pickton — Prolific serial killer’s jailhouse confession to undercover cop - YouTube
BBC NEWS | Americas | 'Human meat' alert at pig farm
Pickton won't face 20 murder charges, but end of legal saga could yield answers - - The Moose Jaw Times Herald (archive.org)
Pickton guilty on 6 counts of second-degree murder - The Globe and Mail
Robert Picktons Pig Farm - Piggy Palace (crimelibrary.org)
Crown Says Will Prove Robert Pickton Murdered, Butchered and Disposed of 6 Women - International News - redOrbit (archive.org)
Serial Killer Who Fed His Victims to his Pigs | by Tim Connolly | CrimeBeat | Medium
Pickton's mother was a key influence (thestar.com)
Children of serial killer Pickton's victims get $50,000 each - The Abbotsford News (abbynews.com)
Robert Pickton - Wikipedia
Canadian serial killer Robert Pickton now eligible for day parole | National Post
Families of Robert Pickton’s victims brace for his ‘horrific’ day parole application eligibility | Globalnews.ca
Victims' families, women's advocates demand RCMP halt plan to dispose of Robert Pickton evidence | CBC News
Robert Pickton, The Serial Killer Who Fed His Victims To Pigs (allthatsinteresting.com)
RCMP want to destroy evidence from Robert Pickton's farm. Should they? | Vancouver Sun
R. v. Pickton - SCC Cases (lexum.com)
Robert Pickton: Canada's Pig Farmer Killer - The CrimeWire
Robert Pickton Case | The Canadian Encyclopedia
Robert Pickton Should Remain Behind Bars for Life - Conservative Party of Canada
'We should have caught Pickton sooner': Vancouver police chief apologizes video | Vancouver Sun

Episode 09 - Shag Harbour | UFO Crash Witnessed

October 4th, 1967. It was a clear fall night. The small town of Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia lay still next to the icy waters of the Atlantic. However, residents of the town noticed strange orange lights flashing in the sky above the water.  The lights descended rapidly towards the water’s surface. The lights impacted the water causing a bright flash and a loud boom which sounded like an explosion. However, there was no sign of a crash. Instead, the lights moved across the water and then slowly dipped beneath the surface. What did the people of Shag Harbour just witness and why is this considered one of Canada’s most famous UFO sightings?
SHOW NOTES
Shag Harbour UFO Incident | Visiting Us (barringtonmunicipality.com)
Sighting_of_Sambro_Light,_NS_by_Capt._Leo_Howard_Mersey_on_October_4,_1967,_RCMP_67-400-23-X.jpg (3131×4301) (wikimedia.org)
The Shag Harbour UFO (mysteriesofcanada.com)
'We saw something. Something came down': The Shag Harbour UFO sighting, 50 years later | National Post
The history of the Shag Harbour UFO incident | CBC.ca
The 1967 Shag Harbour UFO incident revisited in 2001 | CBC.ca
Canada's Roswell Mystery at Shag Harbour (history.com)
Dark Object by Don Ledger and Chris Styles edited and with an introduction by Whitley Strieber | Penguin Random House Canada
Sci-fi glow in the dark UFO coin | The Royal Canadian Mint
If you have any ideas for the show or want to have your story featured, email us at strangeandundecided@gmail.com !

Episode 08 - Canada's Loch Ness Monster | The Ogopogo

You are in a kayak paddling across a beautiful lake. You are taking in the views of mountains and trees when suddenly a wave pushes upward from under the surface of the water. It steadily undulates across the surface and as you look closer and see flashes of green reflecting the sunlight. Something stirs in and slithers under the surface of the water. And just as fast as it appeared it descends back to the depths of the lake. This may sound like a fairy tale or folklore but for the people of Kelowna, British Columbia, their Okanagan Lake harbors what is known as Canada’s loch ness monster. The Ogopogo.   
 
SHOW NOTES
Videos/Interviews (in order)
"The Ogo-Pogo" Harry Fay (1924) Ogopogo is sea serpent (naitaka) in Canada's Lake Okanagan LYRCIS (youtube.com)
Alleged Ogopogo sighting caught on camera | Watch News Videos Online (globalnews.ca)
Possible Ogopogo sighting on Okanagan Lake | Watch News Videos Online (globalnews.ca)
Lake stratification with Stan Gregory -- Video 1 (youtube.com)
Research
Legend of Ogopogo in the Okanagan Valley | Tourism Kelowna
Ogopogo: The Myth - McKinley Beach
www.ogopogoquest.com - Researching the existence of Ogopogo
Canada’s mysterious lake monster (bbc.com)
Do you know about the Ogopogo statue at the bottom of Okanagan Lake? - Salmon Arm Observer (saobserver.net)
Copyrighting the Ogopogo: The © Story Behind the News Story – Hugh Stephens Blog
Ogopogo | Cryptid Wiki | Fandom
What Lurks Beneath: The Legend of Ogopogo — Swim Drink Fish
Ogopogo: The Myth - McKinley Beach
The Legend of Ogopogo | Reader's Digest Canada (readersdigest.ca)
Ogopogo: Canada's Loch Ness Monster | Live Science
Ogopogo: How Canada's famed lake monster gained worldwide notoriety | Canada (dailyhive.com)
Ogopogo | The Canadian Encyclopedia
Is Ogopogo A Giant Sturgeon | Lake Okangan Legend (fraserriversturgeon.com)
 
If you want your story featured on the show or have any ideas, please email us at strangeandundecided@gmail.com.

Episode 07 - The Murder of Lynne Harper and the Wrongful Conviction of Steven Truscott

June 9th, 1959. A day like any other. Kids playing outside and enjoying the weather. Lynne Harper was one of these kids however, that day would be the last day she was seen alive by anyone. She disappeared and two days later she was found dead in a woodlot of a nearby farm. There was no question about it, she had very clearly been murdered. But who killed Lynne Harper?
 
SHOW NOTES
Case not closed: The enduring tragedy of the Harper – Truscott murder case – Canadian Military History (militarybruce.com)
Intermission | Telling the Story of the Murder Trial that Changed the Country (intermissionmagazine.ca)
Who killed Lynne Harper? Retired OPP sergeant says travelling salesman a suspect in string of unsolved murders | National Post
50 years later, insect evidence overturns Canada's most notorious case - Regina v. Steven Truscott - PubMed (nih.gov)
Steven Truscott - Innocence Canada
The search for Lynne Harper | Goderich Signal Star
'Viable suspect' explored in murder that saw Steven Truscott wrongfully convicted (therecord.com)
LFP Archives: The day Steven Truscott was wrongly convicted of murder | London Free Press (lfpress.com)
Steven Truscott Case | The Canadian Encyclopedia
Lynne Harper Murder Likely Never To Be Solved (citynews.ca)
Other leads on possible suspects ignored (thestar.com)
Autopsy secrets a `powerful' jury factor (thestar.com)
Steven Truscott to get $6.5M for wrongful conviction | CBC News
 
If you want to send us any ideas for the show or have your story featured, email us at strangeandundecided@gmail.com