Privacy

The unelected premier of BC. Christie Clark and her caucus are trying to ram through changes to the Privacy Act.  According to an article written by Rob Shaw, of Postmedia.

The proposed legislation would make it easier for government to share  people’s private information across ministries, something the current law  prohibits. Government officials have said it will improve service, making it  easier for people to apply for programs, or change personal information, across  a variety of ministries at one time.

It also paves the way for high-tech digital ID cards that will one day let  people access secure government services on the Internet, rather than in person  at provincial offices.

Read more: http://www.canada.com/news/privacy+bill+being+pushed+through+prematurely+says/5590198/story.html#ixzz1bjzmersv

One big problem with this Bill is it hasn’t actually been written yet.  In essense, what they want is a blank cheque on our personal information and we are supposed to trust them to fill in the blanks by regulation, later on, as they see fit.  With no debate or oversight.

NDP MLAs took aim at the government’s proposed changes to the Freedom of  Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and quickly discovered the bill  points to some regulations government has yet to write.

“Much of the guts of this bill will probably be contained in regulations that  will not be debated here publicly in the chamber but will be confined to those  who write regulations and an ultimate decision by cabinet,” critic Bruce Ralston  said in the legislature Thursday.

“I think [the] process of providing a fairly bare-bones bill and then filling  in all the gaps and essential elements of the bill by regulation is one that is  decried as antidemocratic.”

Coincidentally, or not, at the same time they are plowing ahead with the installation of Smart Meters across the Province.  For those of you who have been living off the grid in a cave somewhere, Smart Meters are a very contentious issue in this province.  For three reasons.

One.  The cost and the motive.  The program is slated to cost just shy of $1 Billion.  There is nothing wrong with the existing meters.  They work fine.  The new meters will not reduce power usage in any way, so the cost will not be recouped over time.  That is, until they introduce time of use billing, which is an excuse to jack the rates and burden the ratepayers.  At the same time subsidizing the huge power needs of the proposed LNG Plant at Kitimat, Encana activities, the Northern Transmission Line, which is destined for Alaska and all of the proposed mining activities in that area.  Also, to implement a so-called smart grid, regionally, throughout North America, which means we will be subsidizing usage South of the Border as well.  How?  By paying for the infrastructure and hosting the environmental destruction that is Site C and run-of-river projects ruining hundreds of rivers in BC.  Public debt for Private Profit.  Aptly named P3′s.  By then, our Hydro rates will have doubled.  The Vancouver Sun published an excellent article today by Marvin Shaffer,adjunct Prof. at SFU.  You can read it here.

Two.  The Privacy issue.  The Smart Meter is a wireless wiretap on your domestic activities.  Without a warrant.  How do they do that legally?  A little loophole called implied consent.  Which means, if you say nothing, they will assume that means yes.  Even if they don’t inform you of the implications, which are many.  They individually indentify electrical devices inside the home and record when they are operated, causing invasion of privacy.  They monitor household activity and occupancy in violation of rights and domestic security.  They transmit wireless signals which may be intercepted by unauthorized and unknown parties. and can be used by criminals to aid criminal activity against the occupants.  Data about the occupants daily habits and activities are collected and stored on permanent databases which are accessed by parties not authorized or invited to know and share that private data.  (Capgemini), a multinational corporation that sells marketing information to other corporations, and counts Homeland Security and DoD as clients. Currently, the contractor from Corix will bypass your house if you post a sign denying consent.  For now.

As a person who does not trust the political party currently occupying the Seat of Government, I naturally put these two stories above together to assume that part of the agenda on the changing of the Privacy Laws in BC is to correct the problem of thousands of people provincewide who, for their own reasons, do not want a smart meter and have taken the actions of notifying BC Hydro in writing, and by email, and by notification posted on the meter itself.  I’m sure that the plan is to come back to those residences, after the Privacy Law is passed (and the new regulations pencilled in) and change your meter regardless of your position on the matter.

Three.  The health question.  Many people object to Smart Meters because they are sensitive to RF low frequency radiation.  Microwaves, cell phones, WiFi, baby monitors.  The science isn’t conclusive.  Which means that the Precautionary Principle should be applied.  Every week a conflicting study is published.  The media goes wild for about 30 seconds.

These questions have yet to be answered before we allow our Government to unilaterally decide how we shall be monitered.  They are big questions.  Pay attention!  Many people will say, “I don’t step outside the law, so I have nothing to hide”.  This may be true now, but if we allow Laws to be changed by regulation or by-law, then the door is open to make your actions criminal acts in the future.  Say, saving seeds from your heritage open-pollinated runner beans that you collected from your Gramma, for example.  Think about it.  Talk to your friends about it.  They aren’t going to hear this on the evening news.

One last comment I’d like to make before I let you go, dear reader.  Christie Clark , who has no mandate to govern this Province by her own admission during her by-election campaign, is running around the Province claiming to create jobs every time she opens her mouth.  Tell that to the 700 BC Hydro employees who have or are about to receive a pink slip.  At the beginning of winter, in a year when Environment Canada is predicting a La Nina (colder and active) weather pattern this year.  More storm events, possibly higher than average snowfall and fewer boots on the ground.  This is sure to cause unnecessary disruptions and delays in service.  Think about that next time you see a Hydro crew out doing their work.  For good wages.  Those are the people who stock the food bank.  Good, solid, union jobs.  Also, if you get a chance to see your Meter Reader again before big brother takes his/her job, don’t forget that they will be out of a job soon, unless we all act together.  Save his/her job, it will pay our communities back in spades.