"Public board sides with Health Canada, Ontario premier

"Dave Miller says the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board trusts Health Canada's belief that Wi-Fi is not a cause for concern. (CBC)

"The man behind the public board's plan to wire the schools is siding with Health Canada. He also said most parents are excited by the prospect of their children using wireless internet to learn.

"Mostly, we are hearing calls about when are we going to get this installed, and how come it hasn't been done by now," said Dave Miller, manager of business and learning technologies at the school board. They ask, "How come I'm not ahead of the other guy?"

"Some west Ottawa parents are speaking out about their concerns with wireless internet connections in their children's school, saying not enough is known about long-term exposure to Wi-Fi . . .

"Our children should be dissecting rats, they shouldn't be functioning as lab rats," Van Hees said, "And this constitutes as a massive experiment on children." "Jessica Van Hees says children are being put at risk by schools that have Wi-Fi. (CBC)

"About one-third of schools at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board are already equipped for Wi-Fi, but the plan is to have all schools, including portables, ready by the end of 2012. Semple and Van Hees Both say their school has not informed them about installing Wi-Fi, which is set for March.

"There is conflicting information about whether exposure to radio frequencies from a wireless internet connection is a health hazard.

"A World Health Organization report from May 2011 indicates the frequencies may be linked to some forms of cancer. In December, Health Canada updated its website to acknowledge the alternative viewpoint from international agencies but insists more research is needed and Wi-Fi is no cause for concern . . .

The Globe and Mail: Posted February 20, 2012

Intro:   "The Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association has called for schools to stop installing Wi-Fi because it poses a "potential health and safety risk" to staff and students.

"Let's hope that the science being taught in our schools is a lot better than the "scientific" reports that teachers are producing for each other . . .

"That's because the OECTA Wi-Fi study, entitled "A position regarding the use of Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation, including WiFi, in the workplace," is a disturbing mix of fear-mongering, false assumptions and twisted logic. Where to begin . . .

Poll Choices:
No, that's ridiculous, just look at the science
Yes, it's important to be cautious with our children's health
Maybe, if new damning evidence emerges WiFi radiation?
Teachers need to worry about more important things

First Posted February 21, 2012

Intro: "Some west Ottawa parents are speaking out about their concerns with wireless internet connections in their children's school, saying not enough is known about long-term exposure to Wi-Fi . . .

"Summary:
Fueled by stimulus funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), electric utilities have accelerated their deployment of smart meters to millions of homes across the United States with help from the Department of Energy's Smart Grid Investment Grant program. As the meters multiply, so do issues concerning the privacy and security of the data collected by the new technology.

"This Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) promises to increase energy efficiency, bolster electric power grid reliability, and facilitate demand response, among other benefits. However, to fulfill these ends, smart meters must record near-real time data on consumer electricity usage and transmit the data to utilities over great distances via communications networks that serve the smart grid.

"Detailed electricity usage data offers a window into the lives of people inside of a home by revealing what individual appliances they are using, and the transmission of the data potentially subjects this information to interception or theft by unauthorized third parties or hackers . . .

REPORT A PROBLEM

"The Coalition to Stop Smart Meters is asking everyone who is experiencing any problems during the installation of a smart meter or after having a smart meter installed to contact them at: coordinator1@stopsmartmetersbc.ca

"The problems can be related to any issue such as:
- Intimidation, threats, bullying, harassment by Corix installers or BC Hydro
- Increased utility bills
- Damage to appliances, meters or property
- Interference with home or medical equipment
- Health. Health effects most often reported in other jurisdictions include, but are not limited to: Tinnitus or Ringing in the ears, Palpitations, Tachycardia, Arrhythmia, Headaches, Dizziness, and Sleep disturbance

"It is important that all problems be reported in detail, with date of installation of the smart meter, and the date when problems occurred, began or were first noticed. Such data could be useful for legal redress . . . 

BILL INCREASE
TELL YOUR STORY TO B.C. NEWSPAPERS

"THEY have long feared that a mobile phone mast has been causing cancer in their village. Now the residents of Benajarafe have scored a massive victory by having it removed.

"After a two year battle, Vodafone has been ordered to take down the controversial transmitter.

"The locals are adamant that the mast, which stands just metres from their houses was the reason for a high incidence of recent cancer deaths.

"Of the nearly 400 residents there have been a staggering 50 cases of cancer with more than 30 people dying in recent years.

"Many others claim to have been suffering from insomnia, headaches, depression and memory disorders due to the mast . . .

"You have a government that is micromanaging the message, obsessively. It seems to vet everything that goes out to the media" Margaret Muro, Canadian Science Journalist 

". . . It's so hard to get hold of scientists that a lot of my colleagues have given up," she explained.

"Ms Munro cited another example of research published in another leading scientific journal, Nature, that was published last October.

"An international team including several scientists from the government agency, Environment Canada, set out details of a hole that appeared in the ozone layer above the Arctic.

"Ms Munro said she had called one of the scientists involved who she had dealt with several times in the past. He agreed to speak to her, but said that he had been told that her request had to be put to government media relations officials in Ottawa.

"So I phoned up Ottawa and they just said no you can't talk to the guy. A couple of weeks later, he was available but by then the story had been done. So they take them out of the news cycle," she said.  

"Ms Munro also claims that journalists were denied access to scientists working for the government agency Health Canada last year, when there was concern about radiation levels reaching the country's western coast from Japan following the explosion at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Ultimately, journalists obtained the information they sought from European agencies.

"The Postmedia News journalist obtained documents relating to interview requests using Canada's equivalent of the Freedom of Information Act. She said the documents show interview requests move up what she describes as an "increasingly thick layer of media managers, media strategists, deputy ministers, then go up to the Privy Council Office, which decides 'yes' or 'no'" . . .

"The government has never explained what the process is. They just imposed these changes and they expected us to sit back and take it," she explained.

"Professor Andrew Weaver believes that the media protocol is being used by the Canadian government to "instruct scientists to deliver a certain message, thereby taking the heat out of controversial topics".

He added:  "You can't have an informed discussion if the science isn't allowed to be communicated. Public relations message number one is that you have to set the conversation. You don't want to have a conversation on someone else's terms. And this is now being applied to science on discussions about oil sands, climate and salmon."

This two-hour seminar is an opportunity for information and discussion on the subject of Smart Meters.
3586 West 4th Avenue in Vancouver
Wednesday, February 29th at 7pm