Panel discusses threats to health and privacy at Saturday meeting in Eganville
Eganville — The former president of Microsoft Canada has a dire warning for the residents of Renfrew County.
“If a politician tells you 5G wireless is not coming, don’t believe them and don’t fall for it because I can tell you nobody can predict future technology and it is not a question of if it is coming, but it is a question of when.”
Frank Clegg’s warning was just one of many revelations highlighted Saturday at the Eagles Nest during a two-hour community meeting that brought together leading Canadian experts as they discussed their concerns over the race to embrace 5G wireless technology.
The meeting, organized by Renfrew County Residents for Safe Technology, attracted about 130 residents from all over the Valley as they heard several scientific and medical studies related to 5G technology, and the increasing volume of evidence highlighting the potential health threats.
In order for a 5G network to be installed, it requires transmitters placed approximately 300 meters apart, often on telephone poles or existing towers and buildings. A common concern raised by those opposed to 5G is the close proximity of these units to residences, and the potential for invasion of privacy and a higher risk of exposure to radiation.
The three panelists — Sheena Symington, Director of the Electrosensitive Society; Dr. Anthony Miller, a retired University of Toronto Professor specializing in Epidemiology Cancer, and Mr. Clegg, former president of Microsoft Canada and CEO and founder of Canadians for Safe Technology, each spent 30 minutes highlighting current research into the effects of increased exposure to microwave radiation from wireless devices. Each warned the lack of research and concern by both private technology companies and all levels of government has not calculated the long-term health risks associated with constant exposure to radiation.
Electro-Hyper Sensitivity Makes You Feel Old
Renfrew native Sheena Symington specializes in treating people suffering from over exposure to radiation caused by wireless devices, many of them found in any typical home. She said the rush to embrace 5G technology is driven by the trillions of dollars to be made and ordinary citizens are suffering from long-term effects of technology.
“We are all surrounded and inundated with radiation every day through our wireless devices, but there is such a race to be the first to install 5G networks that we are not looking at the biological effects on humans,” she said. “Just as a small percentage of people are allergic to peanuts or bee pollen and most don’t notice. But for those afflicted, it can be devastating.
“The same holds true for those suffering from Electro-Hyper Sensitivity (EHS). It can be absolutely devastating. For some of us, it makes us feel old. We have conducted blind tests and the subject has no idea when or if they are exposed to wireless devices. When they are not exposed for long periods of time, they report feeling energized and not feeling like an old person.”
During her presentation she showed slides of sperm exposed to a simple router found in any home. Within six hours, the sperm was almost lifeless and another slide showed how red blood should have a similar composition to red wine and in cases of people diagnosed with EHS it has the composition similar to ketchup.
She said more and more schools are removing excessive wireless technology from classrooms because there has been documented evidence of rising cancer diagnosis in children. She said the implementation of 5G can have frivolous effects.
“Right now in China, school children wear headbands that can identify when they are not focused,” she said. “Yet these same headbands contain the very radiation which is causing their brains to be distracted. There are companies racing to put 5G microchips in diapers so parents know when it is time to change their babies and they are putting 5G chips in soothers to measure a baby’s temperature. Think about that. They are putting a radioactive chip in a baby’s mouth.”
We Are Willfully Putting Our Children In Danger
Dr. Miller spent more than 60 years as a leading researcher in the field of cancer and said society is going down the identical path of willful ignorance similar to the path of tobacco and asbestos warnings.
“Just like there was documented evidence of the dangers of tobacco and asbestos, those who knew better carried on purposely ignoring the health risks and we are doing the exact same thing with wireless technology,” he said. “We should be worried and we should be concerned. We should be worried not only for us, but for our children. We are willfully exposing them to high radiation every day and even though a child’s body is an incredible healing machine, their brains and organs are developing. They might not be diagnosed today, but I can assure you that we will see a spike when they become adults.”
He provided international medical studies portraying an increase of Acoustic Neuromas (cancer around the ear connected to the brain) and salivary gland tumours as a result of holding cell phones against the jaw and ear.
“These studies were conducted with only 2G and 3G technology and it is only safe to assume there will be an increase with 5G. One in five tumours of the cheek occurs in children under the age of 20 years and it is entirely preventable.”
He showed slides of women with breast cancer caused by cell phones. The first reported case was a 34-year marathon runner with no family history of cancer and the cancer massed specifically in an area on her breast where she placed her phone inside her bra. Since then, there has been a steady rise of these cases.
“Typical breast cancer does not mass in this area and you can almost see the outline of the phone,” he said. “To add to that, we are seeing a rise in cancer around the anus in young men. Where do boys place their phones…in their back pockets. I always tell people to keep all devices off your body by at least 15 cm. and when possible, use fibre in your homes. You don’t have to be wireless in your home and you can protect the health of your family.”
Local Councils Can Say No
After he left his role at Microsoft Canada, Frank Clegg founded the non-profit Canadians For Safe Technology in 2012. It has a mandate to educate and assist those concerned with radiation and wireless technology in Canada.
“One thing I can tell you is Canada’s Safety Code 6 is not adhered to and it does not meet the challenges of 5G technology,” he said. “These are minimum standards and even though there is mounting evidence of radiation from 5G leading to health issues, Health Canada refuses to even look at the issue. Meanwhile, several countries have passed legislation banning cell phones from classrooms. In France, they are now required to market devices using headphones so you are not putting a phone next to your head. New Hampshire has established a commission to study the effects of 5G before any network is installed. At least they are looking at the issue, but they are not rushing to pass judgement and that is a big step.”
He said citizens can lobby their municipal governments to resist the installation of 5G networks. He said high tech companies are ruthless in terms of getting a foothold in a community and because their timelines are built on business cases dependent upon a fixed return on their investment, they move in quickly and local councils often only see the immediate financial incentive.
“Lobby your council and persuade them to slow it down because these companies cannot afford delays,” he said. “Can a small council beat a billion dollar corporation…probably not. But your council can drag it out and tell the companies they have so many issues to deal with it could take six months to allow the installation of towers or whatever they want. Your council can say to them do you want it done in six months or a few weeks. That allows your council to sit down with them and find a way to make it work that suits everyone.”
The workshop concluded with a 30-minute question period and when the meeting concluded, Ms. Symington held up a device that measures the level of radiation and said any home can be made safer by switching to fibre. She said her organization assists in reducing radiation levels in homes.
“We still have our computer and other devices, but we run on fibre and at least I have made our home safe for our family,” she said.
Ms. Symington said citizens need to stand up to wireless corporations and governments rushing to install 5G networks.
“It is like standing up to a bully and it is like being assaulted,” she said. “Our bodies and personal health are being assaulted and you have the right to stand up and confront them. Some of our critics say we are fear-mongering. We are not fear-mongering. We are educating and we are taking control against those endangering our health.”
Renfrew County Warden and Bonnechere Valley Mayor Jennifer Murphy was among those in attendance and when Mr. Clegg made his opening remarks about not believing politicians, more than a few eyes glanced in her direction. She was recently quoted as saying in her opinion, 5G was not coming to Renfrew County.
“Right now, I do not see 5G in Renfrew County, but at the same time I can’t predict the future of what is going to happen,” she said at a recent BV council meeting. “Anything is possible, but right now the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) Project has $213 million across the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus catchment area and the separated cities. We do not have the money nor the will to do 5G. Our mandate it to ensure that people can dial 911 in every area of Eastern Ontario.
“I don’t even have cell serviced at my home. So right now 5G in Renfrew County is not a viable option as we don’t even have proper 3G coverage and 5G would be far more expensive than the allocated monies from the feds, the province and partners combined.”