COURTESY OF;
1) Telus announced that it just purchased the 15 MHz spectrum from the federal govt for $1.5 billion. Total auction resulted in financial gain of $2.1 billion . This is one of the reasons Health Canada cannot say that RF radiation is dangerous. They make billions each year from selling off portions of the spectrum. This is a potent area of the spectrum, very close to the natural frequencies in all living things, including us. What a conflict of interests!!
2) Be careful and check your bill. Many $$meters are still being read manually (Hydro admits to close to 50,000) and errors are happening. If you don’t catch them and INSIST that they be fixed, no one else will.
3) We can all learn how to reduce our energy consumption and eventually wean ourselves from Hydro/Fortis. Better for our environment and certainly better to be in control of our energy production.
4) “Dr.” Perry Kendall is telling schools boards and parents that wifi in school is safe. This is not what independent scientists, real experts say. In 2010 this report was done by Carolyn Jarvis of CTV. Of course, Kendall does not agree. School boards depend on Kendall’s advice and refuse to tell parents and teachers of the potential harm presented by this unnecessary RF exposure.
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You can’t see it but it’s everywhere. WiFi connects computers to the internet, no cords required. Now kids are using it in wireless
classrooms across the country. But is it an invisible danger? Carolyn Jarvis investigates why some parents say WiFi in schools is making our kids sick.
5) I have written to various bodies about BC Hydro’s obfuscation about the failed meters, the removal from fire scenes and the lack of investigation of the meters to determine the reasons for failures. This is of great significance, I believe. We have right to know that the devices on our homes or on our neighbours’ homes are not going to cause fires – and we do not have this proof. I hope you will take the time to request a full, complete and transparent audit of this program by the Auditor General. Right now negligence seems to be the norm. (Below are my letters.)
Letters:
From: Dennis and Sharon Noble [mailto:dsnoble@shaw.ca]
Sent: March 6, 2015 9:40 PM
To: ‘bcauditor@bcauditor.com’
Subject: BC Hydro refuses to provide answers re. failed meters.
Importance: High
Dear Madam Auditor,
You have received many complaints about the Government’s and BC Hydro’s handling of the smart meter program — about the harassment of customers, the discriminatory fees that are exorbitant, high and erroneous bills that Hydro refuses to acknowledge, as well as many other examples of bad management that warrants your investigation. There are many tens of thousands of British Columbians who believe that we are suffering from the same abusive and inefficient implementation practices as outlined by the Ontario Auditor General in her report.
Also in her report, the Auditor General noted that smart meters have failed and have been reported to be fire hazards. The same is true in British Columbia. I have reports and evidence that confirm that ITRON smart meters are dangerous, having failed, overheated, melted, and caused fires, all of which Energy Minister Bill Bennett and BC Hydro executives deny. Photos of just a few are available at http://www.stopsmartmetersbc.com/fires/smart-meter-fires-2015/
As you see below, my efforts to obtain inspection reports on failed meters have been in vain. I have been told no meter has failed so none has been inspected. This despite my having multiple reports from BC Hydro, BC Safety Authority (BCSA), and the Provincial Fire Commissioner to the contrary.
Meters have been taken from fire scenes (which is illegal) as reported by the media, by fire chiefs, and by BCSA, supposedly so that BC Hydro’s lab can inspect them. Yet PowerTech, BC Hydro’s laboratory, says it has never seen a failed smart meter. Apparently no tracking or inspection is being done of failed meters or those involved in fires.
This is a matter of life and death. Property has been destroyed and lives have been endangered but no agency seems to be involved in finding out why. This is negligence in the extreme, and I am asking your office to take charge, to investigate what has happened and why. These smart meters are dangerous and should not be on our homes. We are asking for your office to perform a full and transparent investigation like the one done by Ontario’s Auditor General.
If you would like more information, or substantiation of any of my statements, I will be happy to provide it.
Respectfully,
Sharon Noble
From: Dennis and Sharon Noble [mailto:dsnoble@shaw.ca]
Sent: March 6, 2015 9:08 PM
To: John Horgan. Leader NDP; ‘Dix, Adrian’; ‘Holman.MLA, Gary’; ‘Shin, Jane Jae Kyung’; ‘maurine.karagianis.mla@leg.bc.ca’; ‘Commission Secretary BCUC:EX’
Cc: CKNW Mike Smyth (msmyth@theprovince.com)
Subject: BC Hydro refuses to provide answers re. failed meters.
Importance: High
Dear Mr. Horgan, Ms. Hamilton, and MLAs,
Below you will see that BC Hydro refuses to provide answers to questions regarding failed meters – answers to which the public has a right and which are vital if we are to be reassured that these smart meters are not fire hazards.
Misleading information has been provided and contradicted. Some examples:
1) Hydro said smart meters removed from fire scenes (prematurely and illegally) were sent to Hydro’s lab for investigation. One example is when the smart meter was removed from a fire in Vernon, and Deputy Fire Chief Skolrood was told the meter would be sent to “the lab” to determine if the smart meter failed;
2) Hydro denies having removed meters from fire scenes, even though this was told to the people at the Vernon fire;
3) Hydro said smart meters have never failed so none have been sent to any lab. (despite my having many photos of overheated, melted meters, and many reports of smart meters having been involved in fires.)
I have reports on many failed meters. Is anyone investigating why meters have turned brown, smoked and would have caused a fire if someone hadn’t reacted quickly? If not, shouldn’t someone be doing this because over 1.5 million homes have these potential fire hazards on walls of their homes? Here is a link to just a few of the “failed” meters that Hydro is denying exist.http://www.stopsmartmetersbc.com/fires/smart-meter-fires-2015/
Why is Hydro refusing to answer these simple yet important questions? What are they hiding?
Will you please help get this information which is being hidden from the public?
Sincerely,
Sharon Noble
From: Macdonald, Scott [mailto:Scott.MacDonald@bchydro.com]
Sent: March 3, 2015 5:00 PM
To: Dennis and Sharon Noble
Subject: RE: FOI
Ms. Noble, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act is not, and is not intended to be, a question and answer facility. Accordingly, I will pass your questions to our SMI group. They will contact you in due course.
Thank you.
From: Dennis and Sharon Noble [mailto:dsnoble@shaw.ca]
Sent: 2015, March 03 4:23 PM
To: Macdonald, Scott
Cc: John Horgan. Leader NDP; ‘Dix, Adrian’; ‘Holman.MLA, Gary’; ‘Shin, Jane Jae Kyung’;maurine.karagianis.mla@leg.bc.ca; ‘Commission Secretary BCUC:EX’; Reimer, Greg; McDonald, Jessica
Subject: FOI
Dear Mr. MacDonald,
I have attempted to get this information several times but no one will answer my questions. Therefore I am submitting a Freedom of Information request for the following information about failed smart meters and the process that follows when a meter overheats, melts or is involved in a fire determined to have been caused by “electrical distribution equipment ”, which, Len Garis said on page 3 of the smart meter report commissioned by BC Hydro, is “most closely related to the meter base, which is directly relevant to the smart meters.”
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1) Is every failed smart meter inspected to determine the cause? If not why not?
2) If so by whom? BC Hydro, ITRON, or another company?
3) If they are inspected by someone other than BC Hydro, does BC Hydro obtain a report explaining the reason for the failure?
4) Or is the failed meter merely returned to ITRON for a replacement with no investigation into the cause, as suggested by Fay in her email of January 27, 2015?
“BC Hydro’s smart meters are currently under warranty. On the rare occasion that a meter fails, BC Hydro sends the meter back to the manufacturer, Itron, and they are replaced free-of-charge. BC Hydro’s smart meters are under warranty for 66 months from the date they leave the Itron factory.”
Thank you.
Regards,
Sharon Noble
From: Smart Meters [mailto:SmartMeters@bchydro.com]
Sent: March 3, 2015 2:10 PM
To: ‘dsnoble@shaw.ca’
Subject: BC Hydro Smart Metering Program
Dear Ms. Noble,
As previously provided, BC Hydro did not remove a meter from this premise.
BC Hydro is not responsible for the investigation of fires in British Columbia and has no further information to share with you regarding this incident or the process of fire investigation in B.C.
BC Hydro suggests that you contact the appropriate authorities with any further enquiry on this matter.
Sincerely,
Fay
From: Dennis and Sharon Noble [mailto:dsnoble@shaw.ca]
Sent: 2015, February 13 2:26 PM
To: Reimer, Greg; Macdonald, Scott; McDonald, Jessica
Cc: John Horgan. Leader NDP; ‘Dix, Adrian’; ‘Holman.MLA, Gary’; ‘Shin, Jane Jae Kyung’;maurine.karagianis.mla@leg.bc.ca; ‘Commission Secretary BCUC:EX’
Subject: BC Hydro Smart Metering Program
Mr. Reimer, Mr. MacDonald, Ms. McDonald,
I would appreciate receiving confirmation that the meter was not removed by anyone prior to the fire inspector’s completion of his investigation. And that no agent of Hydro, Corix, ITRON or electrician removed the meter.
In essence you are saying that the reports from the time of the fire are incorrect. If this is so, was the smart meter examined after the fire or not? If so, by whom? If not, why not?
If you would please provide information which I have been requesting for months it would facilitate this Q & A session significantly. When a meter fails, and by this I mean when it overheats and melts, and perhaps burns:
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1) Is the meter inspected to determine the cause?
2) If so by whom? BC Hydro, ITRON, or another company?
3) Or are the meters disposed of without further investigation because they are under warranty?
I do not believe it is not the responsibility of a fire chief to answer these questions, and neither is this type of information addressed by the report provided to the Provincial Fire Commissioner.
I would appreciate being given complete answers to these questions and not a repetition of the letter by “Faye”.
Sincerely,
Sharon Noble
From: Smart Meters [mailto:SmartMeters@bchydro.com]
Sent: February 13, 2015 9:52 AM
To: ‘dsnoble@shaw.ca’
Subject: BC Hydro Smart Metering Program
Dear Ms. Noble,
BC Hydro acknowledges your February 8, 2015 email regarding a September 2013 fire in Vernon, B.C.
BC Hydro has reviewed the Global News report and, as previously communicated, BC Hydro did not recover a meter from this property following this incident and send it to a laboratory for testing.
BC Hydro has no further information about this incident.
In event of a fire BC Hydro cooperates with the authorities responsible for fire investigations as necessary, but is not responsible for leading these investigations. Please contact the Vernon Fire department with any further enquiries regarding this matter.
Sincerely,
Fay
From: Dennis and Sharon Noble [mailto:dsnoble@shaw.ca]
Sent: 2015, February 08 12:59 PM
To: Reimer, Greg; Macdonald, Scott; McDonald, Jessica
Cc: John Horgan. Leader NDP; ‘Dix, Adrian’; ‘Holman.MLA, Gary’; ‘Shin, Jane Jae Kyung’; maurine.karagianis.mla@leg.bc.ca; bill.bennett.mla@leg.bc.ca; ‘Commission Secretary BCUC:EX’; fire@vernon.ca
Subject: BC Hydro Smart Metering Program — laboratory reports.
Mr. Reimer, Mr. MacDonald, Ms. McDonald,
BC Hydro has said that failed meters were being removed from homes and sent to their laboratory for further inspection to determine if they were responsible for any damages or fires.
Over several months I have been asking for the name of the laboratory to which BC Hydro has sent these failed smart meters for inspection. PowerTech, BC Hydro’s facility, has responded that they have never inspected a failed smart meter.
Below the response is not as direct but the implication is that there are no laboratory reports. Rather it sounds as if BC Hydro returns these problem meters directly to ITRON.
According to the news from the scene at the time, Hydro took the meter to its lab for further investigation. http://globalnews.ca/video/825052/smart-meter-sparks-fire/ In the attached response to my FOI request for the lab report associated with this specific fire that occurred on Aug. 14, 2013, BC Hydro stated that it had asked no laboratory to conduct analysis or tests regarding the meters involved.
What happened with this specific smart meter?
Did BC Hydro ask for it to be examined? If it was inspected, where is the report for which I have been asking?
If the smart meter was not examined, why wasn’t it? Isn’t this part of the due diligence required by this public agency?
Sharon Noble
From: Smart Meters [mailto:SmartMeters@bchydro.com]
Sent: January 27, 2015 2:09 PM
To: ‘dsnoble@shaw.ca’
Subject: BC Hydro Smart Metering Program
Dear Ms. Noble,
BC Hydro acknowledges your December 18, 2014 regarding laboratories used by BC Hydro to investigate failed meters.
BC Hydro’s smart meters are currently under warranty. On the rare occasion that a meter fails, BC Hydro sends the meter back to the manufacturer, Itron, and they are replaced free-of-charge. BC Hydro’s smart meters are under warranty for 66 months from the date they leave the Itron factory.
Fires in British Columbia are investigated by the appropriate authorities and BC Hydro fully cooperates with these investigations as required. To date, no fire in B.C. has been attributed to BC Hydro’s new meters.
In the event of a fire, if an electricity meter is not located near the area affected by the fire, BC Hydro may remove the meter for future use. In the event that a fire occurs in proximity to an electricity meter, the area would be secured by the fire inspector and BC Hydro would cooperate with their investigation fully.
Sincerely,
Fay
From: Dennis and Sharon Noble [mailto:dsnoble@shaw.ca]
Sent: 2014, December 18 10:05 PM
To: Reimer, Greg; Smart Meters; McDonald, Jessica
Cc: adrian.dix.mla@leg.bc.ca; John Horgan. Leader NDP; ‘Holman.MLA, Gary’; ‘Shin.MLA, Jane Jae Kyung’; ‘Karagianis.MLA, Maurine’; Bill Bennett
Subject: RE: Laboratory used by BC Hydro to investigate failed meters
Dear Mr. Reimer, Ms. McDonald,
Since Nov. 4 I’ve been attempting to obtain the contact information for the laboratory that inspects failed ITRON smart meters that BC Hydro removes from homes. Certainly this is information that should be readily available to you, and to which I have the right.
If you do not have this information, would you please tell me who would?
Thank you,
Sharon Noble
From: Dennis and Sharon Noble [mailto:dsnoble@shaw.ca]
Sent: December 9, 2014 12:56 PM
To: ‘greg.reimer@bchydro.com‘; ‘Smart Meters’; ‘jessica.mcdonald@bchydro.com‘
Subject: Laboratory used by BC Hydro
Dear Mr. Reimer, Ms. McDonald,
In several instances smart meters have been removed from the scene of a fire prior to a fire inspector having been able to inspect it, often saying the meter is being taken to BC Hydro’s lab for inspection.
Could you please provide me with the contact information for this laboratory?
Thank you.
Sharon Noble
From: Dennis and Sharon Noble [mailto:dsnoble@shaw.ca]
Sent: December 1, 2014 7:45 PM
To: ‘Smart Meters’
Subject: RE: BC Hydro Smart Metering Program
Dear Fay,
Thank you for responding to my request. Could you please tell me then what laboratory does test smart meters? In several incidents BC Hydro has removed failed smart meters, telling inspectors that they were being sent to their laboratory to determine the reason for the failure.
All the best –
Sharon
Sharon
“I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” — Albert Einstein
From: Subject: update 2015-03-05 Firefighters in Quebec complain that Hydro Quebec is taking meters from fire scenes!! Just like BC Hydro.
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2015 23:28:46 -0800
1) In Quebec firefighters are complaining that Hydro Quebec is removing $$meters from the fire scene before the fire inspector is able to do his job – just as in BC. If these people are hiding evidence that these are causing fires, isn’t this a criminal offence? It is against the law for any evidence to be tampered with or removed by anyone – even Hydro. Where are the BC firemen? Why haven’t we heard from them? Are these people who are fighting to save our homes being silenced?
2) Having trouble sleeping? Maybe this article will explain why.
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/02/how-smartphones-are-ruining-our-sleep/385792/
3) A major concern is or should be the fact that utility companies are very vulnerable to cyberattack. The insurance companies refuse to insure against them. Systems will be destroyed, we will be without power indefinitely, and then we will have to pay to completely rebuilt the infrastructure. Much of this could be avoided with more secure wired distribution of electricity or with smaller, local off-the-grid power.
And personal privacy:
http://www.eco-business.com/opinion/smart-meter-friend-or-foe/
4) A major report by Deutsche Bank says solar is winning the war!! And as technology improves, prices will go down with better, more efficient solar panels and storage batteries (which Tesla is developing right now.) making it accessible to more people.
5) A nominee for the Canadian Press “Teddy Waste Award” was “Ontario’s Ministry of Energy got the nod for the provincial Teddy for spending $1 billion to install 4.8 million so-called smart meters in homes in a program that has been beset with troubles.”
And Campbell-Clark/Coleman/Bennett are spending at least $1 billion on 1.8 million $$meters!! By comparison Ontario is getting a real deal.
Letters:
From: “john.duncan@parl.gc.ca” < john.duncan@parl.gc.ca>
To: XX
Sent: Wednesday, March 4, 2015 12:12 PM
Subject: RE: Bill C-648, The Warning Labels for Radio Apparatus Act
This Bill from Terence Young is of interest. MP Young has written a book which you may find interesting, “Death by Prescription” which is very good and he was instrumental in the recent Drug Safety legislation which he championed and which is now law.
I will follow the progress of C-648 with interest but it is not my practice to declare intent on position before a Private Bill has even been debated.
Sincerely,
Hon. John Duncan, PC, MP
Vancouver Island North
From: XX
Sent: February 25, 2015 9:02 PM
To: Albas, Dan – M.P.; Atamanenko, Alex – M.P.; Cannan, Ron – M.P.; Crowder, Jean – M.P.; Cullen, Nathan – M.P.; Davies, Don – M.P.; Donnelly, Fin – M.P.; Duncan, John – M.P.; Fast, Ed – M.P.; Findlay, Kerry-Lynne – M.P.; Fry, Hedy – M.P.; Garrison, Randall – M.P.; Grewal, Nina – M.P.; Harris, Richard M. – M.P.; Hiebert, Russ – M.P.; Julian, Peter – M.P.; Kamp, Randy – M.P.; Lunney, James – M.P.; Mayes, Colin – M.P.; McLeod, Cathy – M.P.; Moore, James – M.P.; Murray, Joyce – M.P.; Rankin, Murray – M.P.; Sandhu, Jasbir – M.P.; Saxton, Andrew – M.P.; Sims, Jinny – M.P.; Stewart, Kennedy – M.P.; Strahl, Mark – M.P.; Warawa, Mark – M.P.; Weston, John – M.P.; Wilks, David – M.P.; Wong, Alice – M.P.; Young, Wai – M.P.; Zimmer, Bob – M.P.; dsnoble@shaw.ca
Subject: Bill C-648, The Warning Labels for Radio Apparatus Act
To all MPs from BC:
I am writing to urge your strong and united support for Bill C-648, The Warning Labels for Radio Apparatus Act. As you know, this private member’s bill put forward by MP Terence Young proposes that all cell phones carry warning labels advising users of their potential negative health effects. In light of the fact that the World Health Organization classified radiofrequency emissions as a possible human carcinogen almost four years ago, and that the emissions are especially dangerous for children, pregnant women and fetuses, it is unconscionable that the government of Canada has not made these warnings mandatory already.
I am fully aware that the telecommunications industry is very large, very powerful, and a major contributor to political campaigns. Their argument against mandatory labelling is that they already include warnings about safer use of their products in their packaging or on their websites – where they know very well that no one will read them. This bill would merely make their warnings visible to the public that uses their product daily without informed consent to their real and growing danger. Cell phones are here to stay, and I am not advocating their ban or demonization, but in all common sense, decency and in the interest of public health, they should be required to carry prominent warnings about their dangers and about safer ways of using them. This is what Bill C-648 would do.
We are at the same place now with radiofrequency emissions as we were 50 years ago with tobacco. Then, as now, powerful interests fought the imposition of warning labels with every tool they had. This battle can also be won – if legislators like you make a stand.
Do you support Bill C-648? If not, why not?
Sharon
“I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” — Albert Einstein
From: Subject: Update 2015-03-04 Is there a media blackout on $$meters?
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2015 23:38:21 -0800
1) A member wrote a letter to his local newspaper, The Powell River Peak, about $meters.The editor refused to publish it, telling the author that other letters would be considered for publishing “if they were on another topic”. Is there a broad media conspiracy to keep any information from getting to the general public about what is happening re. $$meters and BC Hydro? It sure looks that way. The letter is below. I hope you will share it widely – apparently that is the only option available to us.
2) Katie Singer has written book called “The Electronic Silent Spring: Facing the Dangers and Creating Safe Limits.” She has shared a section of Chapter 9 with the timeline of warnings/events 1993-2013, and it is attached. Lots of good info to use in letters, presentations, etc.
Letters:
THE CAT’S OUT OF THE BAG!
Lloyds of London, who in the past has insured almost anything, will not give coverage for claims caused by exposure to non-ionizing radiation. This is a fairly wide waiver. WIFI, cell phones, smart meters all emit non ionizing radiation as well as thermal radiation. CAVEAT! How will this waiver affect our insurance policies?
Evidence now shows illegalities and collusion between California Public Utilities Commission now retired President Michael Peevey and Brian Cherry former vice president of Pacific Gas and Energy. They are now both up before the U.S. Attorney and the State Attorney.
Mr Peevey knew in 2010 that smart meters were causing health problems, and he kept it quiet in order to keep the installations of smart meters going ahead. At the same time he approved extortionate opt out fees on those retaining analogue meters. He knew if anyone in California knew of the health issues, the smart meter program would come to an end.
But, of course that would never happen here in B.C.would it?
Brian Cherry suggested that PROZAC might be a solution to E.M.F.poisoning.
We would expect that from a quack, but what would a M.D.prescribe?
People in Ontario are paying billions of dollars extra thanks to the flawed smart meter program according to Bonnie Lysyk, the Auditor General. In her analysis, she found that the extra electricity charge known as “global adjustment” has increased 1200 percent between 2006 and 2013. Meanwhile the average electricity market price has dropped 46 percent. The global adjustment appears to have undermined the “time of use” incentive.
As to be expected, Premier Kathleen Wynn and Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli have disagreed with the audit. Mr Chiarelli stated to the effect that Bonnie Lysyk was over her head, ignoring her 10 years experience with Manitoba Hydro.
With at least 59 communities in B.C. having moratoriums and/or opt outs on the smart meter program, and the apparent total disregard of independent medical studies that have been done, it is obvious that the general consensus is ignored by those in power.
In closing, I recommend that you view a 35 minute lecture by Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt M.D. The first two graphs on autism are real eye openers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_wxM6IAF1I
From: <jean.crowder@parl.gc.ca>
Date: March 3, 2015 8:28:20 AM PST
To: X
Subject: RE: Bill C-648 Warning Labels for Radio Apparatus Act
Dear X
Thanks for your email.
In the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session, the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Health released a report titled “An Examination of the Potential Heath Impacts of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation.” The NDP provided a complimentary report on that study, and you can read it here.
This is the third paragraph of that report:
“Given that there are already warnings in cell phone packaging indicating the distance the device should be held from one’s body/head, it is imperative that consumers see these instructions and that they not be lost in fine print. These warnings should be given a prominent place on the phone packaging, or on the devices themselves, and printed in a large, bolded font.”
Sincerely,
Jean Crowder, MP
From: X
Sent: February 28, 2015 5:22 PM
To: Crowder, Jean – M.P.
Subject: Bill C-648 Warning Labels for Radio Apparatus Act
As a constituent in your riding, I am writing to you with my concerns for the health of our community
Dear Ms Crowder,
As your constituent, I am asking you to support Bill 648. “The Warning Labels for Radio Apparatus Act”.
Cell phone companies know there are risks involved in cell phone use, but their warnings are buried deep inside the user manuals. Cell phones must be clearly labelled regarding health warnings just as cigarette packages are.
saintandrewstwinflame 