Tucknott slams smart meters in speech to rally at BC Legislature

Tucknott slams smart meters in speech to rally at BC Legislature

September 19, 2011

For immediate release, Victoria, BC

Colwood Councillor and candidate for Mayor, Brian Tucknott, slammed BC Hydro over the imposition of smart meters. Speaking at a rally at the BC Legislature on Sunday, Tucknott stated, “In June, I introduced a motion to council recommending a letter be sent to the Provincial Government requesting a moratorium on the mandatory installation of wireless smart meters until their effects become better known and alternative solutions investigated. Colwood became the first of 16 municipalities to request a moratorium.”

Tucknott identified five areas of concern: Health, Safety, Security, Privacy, and Cost.

Worldwide, more people are becoming sensitive to electro-magnetic radiation from devices such as wireless smart meters and The World Health Organisation recently classified such radiation as a likely Class 2b carcinogen.

Many sufferers from electro-magnetic sensitivity are disabled by it and more are receiving disability benefits.

“Don’t look to Health Canada for protection, for it labours under an outdated ‘Safety Code 6’ laughable by world standards and of which our Federal Government should be ashamed,” said Tucknott.

“There are increasing reports of smart meters igniting,” noted Tucknott. “Not only are they a fire risk, they can also release mercury giving rise to another problem: hazmat contamination!”

After ‘smart meter’ installation, household appliances have been known to catch fire, or to self destruct with destruction not being limited to older appliances.

“There is also a privacy issue with ‘smart meters’ which will begin to record your personal use, time and duration of use, of everything electrical within your home. Security may be compromised as a result,” said Tucknott. “There may be a record of when you activate a security system and possibly which sensors are deactivated at any particular time. You will not benefit from any of this information, as you will not have access to it, but someone will!”

Finally, everywhere these ‘smart meters’ have been installed there have been complaints of increased charges for electrical power use.

“Please do not be fooled by the disingenuous claims of BC Hydro, and demand the Provincial Government put an end to this massive experiment using us as its guinea pigs in its $1 billion boondoggle,” concluded Tucknott.

For further information contact Brian Tucknott at (250) 474-8180 or email him at tucknott4mayor@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @tucknott4mayor