The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto became a safe space for discussions about Sasquatch and other cryptids during a three-day conference that also served as the backdrop for a new documentary on healing through Bigfoot.
Indigenous artist Judy Sackaney (Wachi Medowin) returned to 16 Spadina Road from May 30 to June 1 for the third annual Ochiskicho Kaytukaheykano: Bigfoot Will Heal Us Through Wahkohtowin 2025 conference.
“I added the word wahkohtowin, meaning ‘all other spiritual beings,’” Sackaney said following the first presentation by Paranormal Ranger Michele Meiners on June 1. “So that means everything: little people, aliens, dragons, fae … When I first started this event, I knew it wasn’t going to be just about Bigfoot.”
The conference, which first began in September 2023, was anchored by high-profile guests, including the Paranormal Rangers — Jonathan Dover, Michele Meiners and Stan Milford Jr. — as well as former FBI agent John “Xman” Desouza, Bigfoot investigators James Brost, Derek Martin, Ian Snyder, Pat McCray, Tyler Scott, Gin Zubriskas, Joanne White Buffalo and Mike Paterson. Speakers addressed a crowd of about 30 people, including Bigfoot enthusiasts and vendors.
For Sackaney, the event is a chance for Bigfoot to bring people together.
“They’re the ones that brought us together,” she said. “They even tell us what we need to share and what not to share … and their main message is for our people to return to ceremonies, share stories and their experiences.”
Meiners, who opened the Saturday lineup, returned for her second year at the conference. She said the event provides a safe, open space for people to share their stories.
“People can tell their real stories and experiences without shame, without paranoia, intimidation or fear,” she said. “They’re seeing things, but they just don’t know where to go. They need a direction.”
Her work intersects with that of Desouza, who became one of the youngest special agents in FBI history at 23. He wrote about his experiences in the 2016 book, The Extra-Dimensionals: True Tales and Concepts of Alien Visitors. Meiners noted that hoaxes like the Majestic 12 UFO documents have contributed to a culture of mistrust for modern paranormal investigators.
She has collaborated with the Paranormal Rangers and physicist Dr. Jim Segala on cases such as Skinwalker Ranch and the Uintah Basin in Utah — locations known for intense paranormal activity. Her experiences at Skinwalker Ranch left a lasting impact.
“My connection to Skinwalker Ranch in the early days of our project — I was a lab rat,” she said. “I went through some pretty interesting things physically, psychologically and emotionally. I had to find safe places and people who could really hear me out without saying, ‘Oh, she’s just seeing things.’”
Desouza encouraged Meiners, who is Navajo with Ojibwe ancestry, to write about her experiences.
Retired FBI special agent John Desouza opened up about his work on uncanny case files at the
Native Canadian Centre of Toronto on May 31.
“I’m learning through these medicine women — Judy (Sackaney) and Tracy,” Meiners said. “Every one of us has gone through some hardships in our lives, and we’ve come together. We were talking, and I accept the fact now that Bigfoot is a healer.
“We look at them as kind of a foe in the United States — as terrifying.”
Some consider Bigfoot to be a peaceful spiritual being or guardian. Sackaney has had many brushes with them, and she uses that as the inspiration for her art.
“They heal us,” Sackaney said. “What I’ve said about their footprints and tree breaks and even their structures — their healing lodges.”
That perspective shifted after she connected with Sackaney last year. Since then, they’ve begun work on an untitled documentary — one of the reasons the Paranormal Rangers, all retired Navajo law enforcement officers, made the trip north.
Filming the documentary were Warren Braegger and his son Wyley. Braegger, the owner of KGRA Digital Broadcasting — one of the largest paranormal digital networks in North America — travelled from Ogden, Utah, to capture footage.
Braegger, who has been ghost hunting since 2001, now focuses much of his work on UFOs and cryptids like Bigfoot. Though he’s worked with Meiners before, this was his first trip to Toronto.
“They invited us to come and do this documentary, so I’m like, yeah, let’s try it,” the 50-year-old said. “Mostly, it’s to support these guys. We’ve gone on investigations with the Rangers and some of the other speakers.”
The documentary, which is still untitled, aims to explore how Sasquatch is viewed as a healer in Indigenous teachings. Sackaney and Meiners hope to release it sometime in 2026.
Plans are already underway for a 2026 event, with organizers aiming to expand the speaker list to include Indigenous voices from around the world.