Transport Canada Eroding our Privacy
It is especially disappointing that on the 63 anniversary of the fight for freedom that was D-Day, the news reports that Transport Canada has decided to erode our privacy rights just as they have in the U.S. I am speaking of the scanning technology at airports which allows a technician to look through people's clothing. I blogged on the technology here.
Some people have stated that they would be willing to give up this amount of privacy for the so called "greater good." I do not see this as the greater good, but instead a world ruled by fear. It is this fear that give the terrorists the power. A Transport Canada official, Jean Barrette, stated that you have to consent to be scanned. He called it the "no search, no fly rule." So, because I am opposed to having someone peep under my clothing, I should not be permitted to fly? I propose we scrap this technology, and if people are too afraid of terrorism they do not need to fly. This technology does not eliminate to possibility that the terrorist will simply come up with another means of spreading terror. This technology only buys us some temporary safety, but in exchange we permanently give up privacy.
According to PlaneCrashInfo, only 6% of crashes since the 1990s have been caused by sabotage, whereas 14% were mechanical failure and 40% were pilot error. Therefore, wouldn't more lives by saved by improving pilot training and mechanical inspections than by eliminating the privacy of passengers? Remember, because our government is democratic, they cannot take away our freedoms unless we let them.
If this makes you as angry as it make me, write to the Minister of Transport at mintc@tc.gc.ca. He is there to do what we say, and needs to be told if what he is doing is crossing the line.
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Since it is the anniversary of D-Day, I would to say how proud I am of what the Canadian soldiers are doing in Afghanistan. While we must not forget that they are fighting a war, they are in fact doing so much more. By spread the message of peace and equality, by helping to bring education to the impoverished nation, and by providing safety and protection for those most affected by terrorists, they are in fact doing more to prevent future acts of terrorism than those scanners ever could. And for that, I say thank you.
Some people have stated that they would be willing to give up this amount of privacy for the so called "greater good." I do not see this as the greater good, but instead a world ruled by fear. It is this fear that give the terrorists the power. A Transport Canada official, Jean Barrette, stated that you have to consent to be scanned. He called it the "no search, no fly rule." So, because I am opposed to having someone peep under my clothing, I should not be permitted to fly? I propose we scrap this technology, and if people are too afraid of terrorism they do not need to fly. This technology does not eliminate to possibility that the terrorist will simply come up with another means of spreading terror. This technology only buys us some temporary safety, but in exchange we permanently give up privacy.
According to PlaneCrashInfo, only 6% of crashes since the 1990s have been caused by sabotage, whereas 14% were mechanical failure and 40% were pilot error. Therefore, wouldn't more lives by saved by improving pilot training and mechanical inspections than by eliminating the privacy of passengers? Remember, because our government is democratic, they cannot take away our freedoms unless we let them.
If this makes you as angry as it make me, write to the Minister of Transport at mintc@tc.gc.ca. He is there to do what we say, and needs to be told if what he is doing is crossing the line.
----
Since it is the anniversary of D-Day, I would to say how proud I am of what the Canadian soldiers are doing in Afghanistan. While we must not forget that they are fighting a war, they are in fact doing so much more. By spread the message of peace and equality, by helping to bring education to the impoverished nation, and by providing safety and protection for those most affected by terrorists, they are in fact doing more to prevent future acts of terrorism than those scanners ever could. And for that, I say thank you.
posted by Artemis at 1:37 PM
3 Comments:
another good post:)
k.
great post
Thanks!
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