1) The City of Kelowna has agreed to be a pilot “5G smart city” — beginning with monitoring pedestrian and vehicle traffic. This is the type of “smart city” that Toronto rejected, based on concerns that privacy would be invaded. So why is Kelowna doing this?
People need to get organized and look at this by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association:
https://ccla.org/waterfront-toronto/
Smart city pilot project in downtown Kelowna explores ways to improve how we move around
“5G isn’t just the next G – it will truly transform how we live and work with new applications and solutions that are being built through collaborations with industry, government and universities,” said Jorge Fernandes, Chief Technology Officer, Rogers Communications. “We are focused on bringing together the right partners to build a strong 5G ecosystem and this pilot with UBC and the City of Kelowna will serve as a blueprint for the development of made-in-Canada 5G smart city technology.”
Unlike traffic cameras, LiDAR captures consistent data over the course of a 24-hour period, regardless of changes in lighting or weather, and the resolution of the data is insufficient to capture or reveal identifying details about people or permit facial recognition. The Kelowna smart city project uses these wireless sensors and software from Blue City Technology to collect anonymous data (stored securely on Microsoft Azure) on vehicle and foot traffic patterns, which will be used by UBC research students to help find ways to improve vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist safety.
This pilot project is part of research being done by UBC through a partnership with Rogers.”
Kelowna Hosts 5G Pilot
5G sensors will monitor movements around Kelowna’s downtown
2) On Tuesday, June 2, 3:30 PT there will be a live streaming opportunity to listen to discussion and questions answered by Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion with regard to the government’s response to the pandemic. You can go on the link and submit questions.
Ask And Answer: Have A Question For The Government About Pandemic Help? Ask It Here.
“What coronavirus support program do you qualify for? What about disability or child care benefits?
The federal government has unveiled different programs and emergency funding to support Canadians during this pandemic, but all the rules and processes can be confusing.”
3) In the May 26 update [2) – https://stopsmartmetersbc.com/2020-05-26-court-rules-against-calgarys-bylaw-to-consider-telecoms-utilities/], I included an article from the Financial Times about a court ruling against Calgary’s bylaw re. telecoms. Unfortunately, that article was from the initial decision in 2018. A member from the Albertans for Safe Technology provided the Court of Appeal decision and a quick summary of it. It is below in Letters. Many thanks to Jerry. Albertans for Safe Technology is a new group, and you can get more info about it from Facebook.
4) 5G technology is being imposed upon the public without choice and without any research to show that it causes no harm. There have been a few studies which show harm, especially to the skin and eyes. Millimeter waves, on their own and without being emitted in a strong beam, cannot penetrate deeply. But some studies have shown that the sweat glands act as antennae and direct the millimeter waves deeper into the skin.
Many countries and experts are saying we do know that millimeter waves can cause damage, the extent is uncertain — therefore, there should be a moratorium until more research has been done. At the minimum, the Precautionary Principle should be applied. Yet ICNIRP states that the current standards, written more than 20 years ago and based on thermal (heating) effects only, are sufficient. On what basis?
(click on photos to enlarge)
Review of 5G mm-waves’ effects on skin
“The new aspect of the 5G technology, that is of concern to some of the future users, is that both, antennas and devices will be continuously in a very close proximity of the users’ bodies. Skin is the only organ of the human body, besides the eyes, that will be directly exposed to the mm-waves of the 5G technology. However, the whole scientific evidence on the possible effects of millimeter-waves on skin and skin cells, currently consists of only some 99 studies. This clearly indicates that the scientific evidence concerning the possible effects of millimeter-waves on humans is insufficient to devise science-based exposure limits and to develop science-based human health policies.’
Letters:
From: Jerry Managre, Albertans for Safe Technology
To: “citizensforsafertech” <citizensforsafertech@shaw.ca>
Sent: May 27, 2020
Subject: City of Calgary “Rights-of-Way” Court Case
Hi Sharon,
The link you provided in today’s email was to an October 23, 2018 news story. I was not able to find a media report on the Judgement delivered on May 21, 2020.
Here is a link to the actual Judgment: https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abca/doc/2020/2020abca211/2020abca211.html
The Majority Judgement in the Court of Appeal of Alberta was delivered by Honourable Madam Justice Marina Paperny and the Honourable Madam Justice Patricia Rowbotham with a Dissenting opinion by the Honourable Mr. Justice Thomas W. Wakeling.
The introduction to the Judgement states, “This appeal highlights the tension between telecommunication carriers, who must ensure high-quality and uninterrupted service across provincial borders, and cities, who have a legitimate interest in managing and regulating their rights-of-way.”
It also highlights, ” The dispute arose when the City of Calgary and the respondents, Bell Canada Inc., Rogers Communications Canada Inc., Shaw Communications Inc., and Telus Communications Inc. (collectively referred to as the “Telecoms”) were unable to reach an agreement on access to City rights-of-way for the construction of transmission lines.”
Although initial 2018 media reports emphasized the potential impact on 5G placement, the term 5G is not found in the judgement. If 5G was mentioned by the Telecoms or the City of Calgary in their submissions, 5G is not mentioned in the Decision. The word “wireless” is found only twice and only in reference to the Telecoms products and infrastructure. The words “electromagnetic” and “radiation” are not found. There is also no reference to “cells” or “small cells”.
So, although the Judgment may have repercussions with respect to 5G and other wireless infrastructure, the Justices discussions and decisions were mainly about the right of the City to have control over the telecoms placement of in-ground infrastructure in municipal right-of-ways.
Although the Bylaw refers to the need for the Telecoms to “comply with all safety and environmental requirements of Municipal Legislation and Other Legislation” the discussion by the Justices was concerned with the safety requirements relating to the physical placement of infrastructure in the Rights-of-Way. There was no discussion of the physical impacts of the use of the technology on the health and safety of people nor the impact of EMR on the environment.
From the Judgement:
[70] The Gas, Power and Telecommunications Report presented to City Council in November 2016 is telling. The majority of the seven-page report is devoted to telecommunications issues while the social, environmental and economic risks occupy about a half page.
[71] The extrinsic evidence amply supports the conclusion that the main purpose of the Bylaw was to address the work done by telecommunications providers in municipal rights-of-way, to address the difficulties the City had experienced under the negotiated agreements, and to advance the City’s own interest in a fibre strategy.
The City of Calgary does not appear to share our concerns with respect to the human and environmental impacts of electromagnetic radiation including that transmitted by the 5G network. The subjects they are interested in are documented below in an excerpt from the Judgement. It’s likely the Telecoms were very interested in avoiding the requirement in line [296] for “comprehensive commercial general liability insurance.”
Best wishes,
Jerry
Sharon Noble, Director, Coalition to Stop Smart Meters
“The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river.” Ross Perot