Recently I attended an information meeting concerning the BC Hydro Smart Meter plan. It was roughly divided into two aspects.
The first aspect was that of the corporate world and how Hydro is operating, in itself being of two parts. It is first of all voodoo economics – a deferred debt that will eventually bankrupt the company and make it an easy target for cheap corporate take-over by some supranational company. There are many problems with the billing and handling of the new microwave style metering system that will neither save money nor energy.
Secondly, is the problem with Hydro’s corporate buddies in the provincial government. The connections between the business world, the provincial government, and Hydro are typical of most modern western governments, with several people serving dual purpose roles that imply conflict of interest.
The second aspect of the presentation was the health aspect. Smart Meters use microwaves, the same energy level that cooks food in the appropriately named microwave oven. These waves are also used for cell phone use, Wi-fi, and are used in schools and businesses for their computer systems.
Health Canada does not at present recognize any health problems for people on the basis that people are not electrical beings. Any secondary student of biology and chemistry knows that microwaves, as part of the electromagnetic spectrum, have powerful effects on cellular level human biology.
The important idea here is that Hydro has been given by the government, without citizen’s consent, the right to install these meters in all homes in B.C.
There are various means to limit this, one of which is that several communities are declaring in bylaw a moratorium on the installation of these potentially damaging meters.
As our new mayor is a doctor of some sort, it would be of particular interest to hear from him on this question. More importantly, if he is truly a democratic representative of the people of Vernon, he will accept an information meeting to be given to Vernon City Council.
I call upon the new city council and the mayor to openly investigate the concerns about this issue. If there is any reasonable doubt a moratorium should be put in place in Vernon as well.
Jim Miles
Vernon
