EAGLE VALLEY
NEWS
Learning to live with Asperger’s Syndrome Page 6
Fists and feet start flying during seminar Page 8
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Vol. 53 No. 14 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (HST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
Welcome back: Bonnie and Keith Peet explore a re-creation of the former M.J. Finlayson store on display Saturday at the grand opening of the Sicamous & District Museum and Historical Society’s new museum space in the Sicamous civic centre. Bonnie worked at the store under later owner Murray Sim for eight years until it burned down in 1982. Photo by Lachlan Labere
Sicamous council supports moratorium on smart meters By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
Shuswap residents should not feel powerless when it comes to pulling the plug on smart meters. So says District of Sicamous Coun. Don Richardson who, with council, agreed to draft a letter to BC Hydro calling for a moratorium on the controversial wireless devices. “I don’t advocate civil disobedience, but certainly, as Canadians, or British Columbians, we need to test even those that have authority,” says Richardson. “Prove to me. I want to see documentation of the fact there’s no problems with this stuff.” Richardson has his reservations about the province’s push to install smart meters. In
nparticular, he is con“I have a concern le cerned with possible with social manipuhealth issues, the riskk lation. I don’t want y to privacy posed by to do my laundry at 2 ohackers, and the poo’ clock in the mornThey’re selling power to California at se tential for time of use ing, I don’t want to a lower rate than they’re charging billing. have a shower at their citizens in British Columbia. I e“This asset becan’t see any reason why we’d want to two in the morning, olongs to British CoI want to have it at a support it.” t, lumbians… in that, time that fits my lifeCoun. Greg Kyllo g we should be getting style.” n the best deal we can in R i c h a r d s o n ’s ys terms of the rate,” says concerns were mirRichardson. “That’s rored in a presentawhat you’re saying this meter does, but I tion prior to council’s vote for a moratorium haven’t seen that so far. In talking to people, by Lori Onsorge, spokesperson for the North their rates have gone up and they haven’t Okanagan/Shuswap coalition to stop smart changed their lifestyle. meters.
Onsorge provided details from numerous studies and documentation critical of smart meters and the pulse microwave radio frequency they emit when relaying information. She said B.C.’s Health Act compels the city to speak out on anything that could have a negative impact on human health. She asked that council join the 37 other communities that have demanded a moratorium on the installation of smart meters until BC Hydro can prove they are safe. Coun. Fred Busch said it isn’t within the district’s power to tell BC Hydro to stay out, and in the meantime would have to work with the Union of BC Municipalities to make council’s objections known. “Initially, when I first heard about this, See Grassroots on page 2