Check It Out: No such thing as too many questions

By Joan Janzen

Little Johnny asked, “Daddy, are caterpillars good to eat?” His dad replied, “I told you not to talk about stuff like that at the dinner table.”

“But Dad, I just asked because I saw one on your lettuce, but now it’s gone!” Johnny responded.

Much like little Johnny, I, too, feel the need to ask questions; however, questions are not always welcomed. In fact, you could be censored for asking questions in our country. Jordan Peterson, a Canadian clinical psychologist, noted narcissists will denigrate you like mad if you dare to offer a counter proposition. Today we’re seeing governments displaying this behaviour.

Stephen LeDrew, a Canadian lawyer and broadcaster, displayed CNN’s report on the federal government changing the rules to allow travellers a one-time ArriveCAN exemption at land border crossings. This caused LeDrew to speculate if the app was being enforced to protect people’s health.

A motorist from Washington state shared his experience crossing the land border into Canada. He and his wife were advised they would be denied entry if they didn’t use the ArriveCAN app, so they downloaded it, even though they didn’t want to. As soon as they arrived in Vancouver, they both deleted it.

An hour later, they got a phone call from someone identifying themselves as a Public Health officer, asking if they had deleted the app and why. The travellers responded, saying they had deleted it because no one said it was a requirement to keep it. The Public Health officer then demanded to know where the couple was staying for the night. When the couple refused to provide the information, they were advised that unless they reinstalled the app immediately and identified their hotel and room number, they would be denied future entry into Canada at all border points indefinitely.

Am I the only one who is asking if it is unacceptable to be tracked and then receive a threatening phone call after deleting a phone app? This traveller’s experience is not an isolated incident; there are numerous similar reports. Another traveller described the phone call he received as “downright menacing.”

MP Martin Shields said, “This app is a tracking device; that is what it can do. People from other countries are saying, ‘I’m not putting that app on my phone to travel to a foreign country to be tracked’.” So why should Canadians be forced to comply?

LeDrew asks, “Is this about public health, or is it because the government wants to know where you are? Be very careful, Canadians; our freedoms are under attack.”

After witnessing all the scenarios involving ArriveCAN, should Canadians question the motives behind the government’s introduction of a national digital identity program? A report regarding revamping of the Government of Canada’s digital infrastructure states, “this is the next step to making services more convenient.” You may recall, ArriveCAN was also produced “to make services more convenient.”

But will this “convenience” be mandatory? Should a “convenience” be mandatory? Would our government penalize Canadians who refused to utilize this ‘convenience’?

Several months ago, the CEO of the Canadian Bankers Assoc. listed the benefits and conveniences of a digital ID: no need for countless passwords or to carry government issued licenses and plastic cards. “We’ll have the power and security to store every Canadian’s electronic identity and attributes,” he advised.

Do you find it reassuring that they’ll “have the power”? What are the implications of combining your digital ID with your banking information, health information, carbon footprint, credit cards, record of purchases made, donations to charities, what you post online and your phone contacts?

China’s example provides some answers, where they have used a digital ID since 2009. In the process, the government has also blacklisted citizens for disseminating controversial beliefs, for having too many children, holding religious gatherings, and more. Yes, those are extreme measures from an authoritarian political system, a system which you may recall our Prime Minister saying he admired.

The slogan on the government webpage to market the benefits of Digital ID is “One ID to rule them all.” Do you find the slogan reassuring?

Have you ever known our government to penalize citizens who disagreed with their ideology? Do you trust the government to take your personal well-being, safety and freedoms into account?

You might think I’m asking way too many questions. But, like little Johnny, I’m just asking - before you unknowingly swallow something that leaves a bad taste in your mouth.