I am writing concerning the editorial of April 20, 2018 entitled ‘Let’s look at the facts‘ with a subtitle on the online version of ‘Lack of evidence doesn’t stop fear mongers.’
It concerns a presentation to Penticton city council regarding the potential for adverse health effects from emerging ‘5G’ microwave technologies. The editorial was, in my opinion, a public slapdown which displayed both a frightening ignorance of the ‘facts,’ and a highly irresponsible tone which effectively misleads the public.
Let’s clarify the ‘facts.’ There are two types: wireless industry ‘facts’ generated by wireless industry funded studies, and independently funded studies. Wireless industry studies generally either show ‘no harm’ or cast doubt on studies that do show harm. When a study emerges showing harm, the $4 trillion wireless industry simply funds three or four studies that show ‘no harm.’ The wireless industry is very pleased that you don’t take the time to figure out this simple but effective deception learned from tobacco and asbestos. Health Canada and our provincial health offices are busy looking the other direction, having been ‘captured’ by the industry, and legislators in general are too timid to step out of line and ask hard questions about this taboo topic.
Wireless is not a safe technology. There is no evidence of safety and undeniable evidence of harm. Studies that show ‘no harm’ do not infer safety. More than 25,000 studies show ‘biological effects,’ many of which could reasonably be considered lethal over time. Some effects occur at up to 100,000 X below the level of Canada’s grossly misnamed ‘Safety Code 6,’ which is not a law but a ‘guideline.’ But these effects are disregarded by Safety Code 6’s built-in escape hatch, in which it ignores any ‘non thermal effects.’ Your body, however, does not have that luxury.
Wireless is, in essence, an unregulated industry. And while it may deny them, the wireless industry is not immune to facts, being well aware of the long-term health risks. An examination of many wireless corporation annual reports reveals that most (possibly all) cannot obtain personal liability insurance coverage for their wireless products. The largest insurance companies in the world, Swiss RE and Lloyds of London, who make their money selling insurance, won’t sell them insurance. They compare wireless to asbestos, which nearly bankrupted them with claims, and they won’t take the risk. What does that tell you about safety?
The Penticton citizens who made this presentation were performing a public service in a vacuum created by the failure of our public health system. They are sounding an alarm all of us should pay attention to.
Whether or not you agree with them, these citizens should be applauded for their courage and leadership, not subjected to public shaming and name-calling tactics.
Ron Ramsey
Maple Ridge, B.C.
