- Quebecers are organizing to fight the smeter program, and so far 111 municipalities have voiced concerns, just as our municipal councils and the Union of BC Municipalities did, only to be laughed at by Rich Coleman and Christy Clark. They are allowed to keep their analogs for initial extortion fee of $48 and $8 a month, a far cry from our extortion.
- A press release re. health symposium in Toronto. Please circulate widely, and send it to your local newspapers, too. As soon as a version is available for us to see and/or hear, I will let you know.
“Ontario Doctors to study symptoms from cell phone and Wi-Fi exposure
TORONTO, Sept. 11, 2014
An American public health expert will lecture Canadian doctors tomorrow about the hidden dangers of wireless radiation from their patients’ cell phones, Wi-Fi and other wireless consumer devices.
“We’ve shown that men who keep phones in their pockets can have problems with infertility and possibly impotence,” said Dr. Devra Davis, PhD, President of Environmental Health Trust.
“Studies now show that the microwave radiation from tablets and smart phones can penetrate more deeply into the brains of children than adults.” Dr. Davis is an internationally renowned public health specialist and award-winning author of “Disconnect”,about the hidden dangers of cell phones. Her previous work has been at the leading edge of issues such as second hand smoke, asbestos, air pollution and climate change.
Last week the Ontario Government announced $150 million in new funding for wireless devices in classrooms starting with students in junior kindergarten.
“ If your government is eagerly promoting the use of wireless devices in classrooms,” said Davis, “then it’s ignoring the World Health Organization’s determination that such radiation is a health risk. That’s why it’s so critical for your doctors to learn how to diagnose the symptoms that are tied with this exposure, especially in children.”
Dr. Davis will join a group of Canadian doctors and scientists participating in one of the first full day symposiums describing the causes and symptoms from exposure to wireless devices. The symposium is designed for Ontario medical doctors and other health care practitioners.
The course will offer guidance for doctors to determine if their patients’ symptoms are related to using wireless devices. The course is offered in association with the Environmental Health Clinic of Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.
For further information:
Interviews: Dr. Devra Davis PhD
Contact: media@c4st.org
Phone: 705-444-9662
– – –
http://www.c4st.org/images/documents/symposium/symposium-press-release.pdf
- WARNING: MAJOR SOLAR FLARE could disrupt the grid, damage electronics.
- Would anyone be willing to start a chart of MLAs and their reactions to the fire report and the discriminatory fees? I think we need a large public chart showing those who are concerned enough about our safety to at least discuss the fire situation, and those, like liberal Don McRae (below) who probably will be too busy to read it.
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Letters:
In response to having sent the Fire Report, a member got this response from our Green Party MLA’s office. I’ve highlighted a couple of comments that are worth noting for others who live in Mr. Weaver’s constituency!!
Thank you for your email. I have passed along your concerns to Andrew and I want to let you know that he is very aware of the doubts that you and many other British Columbians have expressed over smart meters. First off, I want to assure you that you will not be forced to have a smart meter on your home. Since day one, Andrew has been a strong advocate for people’s right to determine what is attached to their homes. As I’m sure you know, the response from BC Hydro was to grant an opt-out option, allowing individuals to retain their analogue meters for a fee. Similarly, Andrew has also advocated for having this fee lowered so that they adequately reflect the costs incurred by BC Hydro and are more on par with other jurisdictions.
With regards to your concerns about smart meter fires, Andrew has been assured on multiple occasions that the Smart Meters we use here in BC are different from those that were in use in Saskatchewan and are therefore not at risk of the same fate. Similarly, in reference to the report you attached from the Coalition to Stop Smart Meters, Andrew is aware of this report and the freedom of information requests that were filed by the coalition. Our office will continue to follow this matter and remain up-to-date on the latest findings associated with smart meters here in BC. Andrew will also continue to pass along the concerns and opinions expressed to us and do his best to ensure his constituents have their voices heard.
Thank you again for your email and sorry for the slow reply, we have been receiving a high volume of emails over the last few weeks so our response time has been affected.
Best Wishes,
Teresa Hartrick
Constituency Assistant
Office of Andrew Weaver, MLA
219-3930 Shelbourne Street
Victoria, BC V8P 5P6
Ph: 250.472.8528
September 11, 2014
To: BC Hydro Smart Meter Program
Greg Reimer, V.P. Transmission & Distribution, BC Hydro
Dear BC Hydro Smart Meter Division, and Mr. Reimer,
Well, I have just received a 4th notice from you telling me my account is in arrears, and threatening me with disconnection if I don’t pay the outstanding amount. As you well know, I ALWAYS pay my bill for electricity consumption on time. The outstanding amount is wholly due to the “legacy fees” you are charging me for keeping my analogue meter.
I object to these legacy fees in the strongest possible terms. They are extortionist and discriminatory, terms that may strike you as hyperbolic and ridiculous. However, I assure you they are neither. Let me explain.
Extortion is defined as:
“a criminal offense of obtaining money…from a person…through coercion…commonly practiced by organized crime groups….to halt future violence.” It “involves the verbal or written instillation of fear that something will happen to the victim if they do not comply with the extortionist’s will.” (Wikipedia)
That pretty much describes BC Hydro’s behaviour in its attempts to force wireless meters on all its customers. I am being threatened with the loss of a vital resource if I do not succumb to the demand that I have a dangerous and unproven radio-transmitting device installed on my home. The only option BC Hydro presents to avoid this action is to pay a monthly fee. This is the very definition of extortion! I must pay to remain safe; being exposed to a radio device (that I believe is extremely unhealthy, insecure, invasive, and a fire hazard) is free! (Please note that the links given here are but a tiny sample of the plethora of information available on these topics).
Discrimination is defined as:
“action that denies…rights to categories of people based on prejudice.” It “includes treatment of…an individual based on their…membership in a certain group in a way that is worse than the way people are usually treated…” and “restricting members of one group from…privileges that are available to another group….” (Wikipedia)
In this case, people choosing to keep their old meters are being charged $32.40 per month. A large portion of this “fee” is said to be necessary to pay for the extra costs that BCH incurs by having to maintain a manual meter reading capacity to accommodate the old meters. What is being completely ignored by BCH, the BCUC and the provincial government is that the smart grid is not active, and no one’s meters are being read wirelessly. I have verified this by checking the activity of my neighbours’ smart meters with an RF meter, and there is no activity. This means that these people also need their meters read manually, or have their electricity consumption estimated by BCH. They are not being charged any fee for this manual service. Therein lies the blatant discrimination being practiced by BCH: smart meter customers being manually read are not assessed a fee, while non-smart meter customers receiving exactly the same service are being charged the fee. Furthermore, if smart customers can have their consumption estimated, why cannot non-smart customers receive the same treatment (at least until the grid is actually activated) to avoid the fee?
In the face of BC Hydro’s big stick (power disconnection), we lowly customers have very little power (no pun intended). I am left with no option but to pay the extortionist and discriminatory “fees”, as demanded by BCH. Let it be noted that I do so only under intense duress. You will receive the “past due” amount today via internet banking.
It is most distressing to have deal with a monopolistic “public” utility that has gone rogue, and has lost its regulator through government manipulation.
XXXXX
Account numbers xxxxx
Copies via electronic mail to:
Patrick Wruck, BCUC
John Horgan, NDP MLA
Adam Olsen, BC Green Party
Sharon Noble, Coalition to Stop Smart Meters
Mike Farnsworth, MLA
Don McRae, MLA
Unna St. Clair, Citizens for Safe Technology
And an email to me from the author of the above letter about meeting with someone in the Liberal MLA’s office:
Hello Sharon,
FYI, a copy of a letter I hand delivered to my MLA’s office yesterday, along with a copy of “Truth About Smart Meter Fires and Failures in BC”, and a copy of the August 27, 2014 article in The Valley Voice entitled “Smart Meter Scandal”.
Don McRae was away from his office so I left this material with his office person there. She engaged me in a conversation about what this material related to. It was clear that she viewed everything I had to say, and the material I handed her, as nonsense. She told me the smart meter program was essentially a done deal. The government, including Mr. McRae, had done a ton of research before implementing the smart program, and there really was little of value that I or anyone could add to that.
However, she agreed to give my material to Mr. McRae, warning me he was “extremely busy”, and may not get to it. So on it goes! I continue to operate on the premise that if enough of us stick to what we know, and do what we can, then little by little we can chip away at the monolithic mindset in governments and industry and let the truth seep in.
To: scantone.jones@leg.bc.ca
Subject: FW: Re April 29/14 meter replacement letter
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 09:32:38 -0700
Hi Scanti;
Here is a copy of the origional letter sent to me from Bc Hydro;
None of my requests so far have been dealt with.
When I asked for my $65 installation charge to waived at the customer service dept they immediately tranferred me to a smart meter rep called Will 78716 who was not polite to me. He insisted that BC hydro owns my analogue meter and not I as the home owner, even though he couldn’t provide me any proof.
Will told me that I do not have a choice when Corix comes by regardless of my registered mail. They will only provide me what is in the corix truck at that time, which is a digital meter. I am paying to keep my analogue meter that came with my house as blackmail every month! I do not have a legacy meter contract with BC hydro
and am not enrolled in it. I signed nothing. I still am under the original contract.
To this day I am paying extortion and blackmail fees every month so my power does not get cut off. I asked will when the digital meter per average would expire? He said rough guess at the best 2020. And then a smart meter.
I am asking you to have BC hydro reverse my failed installation $65 and future failed installation fees. I am asking that you and Stephanie Cadieux put pressure on BC hydro to top harassing and threatening me and honour the conditions set in my registered mail. I am a member of the class action lawsuit and until this is resolved I stand by the registered letter. If the harassment continues I will seek the media and a lawyer.
As for Will resolving my issues as a long time loyal paying customer? He hung up on me as he said we were going in circles.