Pro-Canada Website Calls Census Boycott
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World's #1 arms dealer to get $85 million for “complete snapshot of Canada”
Canada, April 28, 2004–http://www.vivelecanada.ca Vive le Canada.ca, a popular web-based organization that fights for Canadian sovereignty and democracy, has called a boycott of this month's Canadian census test. A consortium of companies led by giant U.S. defence contractor Lockheed-Martin has won a contract to help conduct census testing, and if testing goes well, Lockheed Martin will also handle part of the main census contract in 2006. Test census questionnaires have been mailed out since April 27 and the official census test day is May 11.
Statistics Canada had only vague responses after Vive's massive initial national email campaign, and Canada-wide media coverage, raised Canadians' concerns about the contract last fall. The boycott is Vive's next step. Vive le Canada.ca is asking Canadians to tell Statistics Canada and the Canadian government to “count them out” of the next census by writing “Vive le Canada,” “Count Me Out” or “No Blood for Stats” on the test questionnaires in red ink, marker, or crayon. The site also offers printable posters and email form supporting a new motion submitted to the House of Commons by Dick Proctor, an NDP MP, asking the federal government to “receonsider” the contract.
“Statistics Canada initially told us Lockheed-Martin would have no access to Canadians' private information,” says Susan Thompson, founder and site editor. “But Greg Peterson, StatCan's Communications Manager, later said they've changed the contract so that Lockheed-Martin won't have access to our information. It makes me wonder if they were being honest in the first place.”
“I've also been told by other StatCan employees that they can't necessarily make the same claim of the testing.”
For proof that census information may not be safe with Lockheed Martin, Thompson points to an article in the Washington Times which said that 5 million records from the 1990 U.S. census were used by NASA as part of a study to test terrorist screening, without the knowledge of U.S. citizens and despite assurances from the U.S. census bureau that the data was safe. See “Study used census information for terror profile”, by Audrey Hudson, January 19, 2004, and “Inquiry sought into airline's data transfer to NASA”, by Audrey Hudson, January 21, 2004.
Thompson also points to a Jan 21 Washington Times article saying that 5 million records from the 1990 U.S. census were used by NASA as part of a study to test terrorist screening, without the knowledge of U.S. citizens and despite assurances from the U.S. census bureau that the data was safe. “Surely,” Thompson says, “Lockheed Martin, a close Bush supporter, with complex ties to the US defence and security agencies, and which makes landmines, nuclear weapons, and Star Wars missile-defence parts, can't be trusted any more than NASA.”
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040118-114335-2930r.htm
Additionally, in early April Wired reported that Lockheed Martin was one of four government contractors that received confidential passenger records from American Airlines. American Airlines had initially claimed that no information was turned over to Lockheed and the other companies. Lockheed Martin and the other three contractors were hired to test computer algorithms as part of the
CAPPS II terrorist screening program– a role technically similar to what LockMart will be doing on the Canadian Census.
http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,63025-2,00.html?tw=wn_story_page_next
And finally, Thompson notes that should any of the census information end up in the hands of the defence contractor, it's also possible that under the PATRIOT Act U.S. intelligence agencies could request confidential information from Lockheed-Martin without ever disclosing that fact to the public. Since Patriot Act felonies are much more serious than Canada's Statistics Act privacy rules, and considering LM's loyalties to multi-billion dollar US-government clients and wartime patriotism, it's not hard to imagine how LM would resolve a conflict of interests. LockMart's slogan is “We never forget who we're working for,” referring to America and specifically the U.S. military.
But Thompson emphasizes that privacy is only one of the reasons her organization has launched a boycott.
“We talked to a number of people and had an online poll, and people are still upset that this portion of the census was privatized in the first place, especially since Canada bills itself as a leader in dealing with information,” Thompson explains.
“It's also an issue that Lockheed Martin manufactures weapons, and is set to manufacture key parts of the U.S.-led missile defence system. A lot of Canadians don't want to see their tax dollars being given to a company that makes weapons of mass destruction.” “So Statcan claims to have changed the contract to protect privacy, well that's interesting, because the concerns of angry Canadians are having an impact. But we won't be satisfied until Lockheed Martin has nothing to do with the census.”
Background information on the census contract and Vive le Canada.ca's boycott is available at http://census.vivelecanada.ca .
Vive le Canada.ca went online in January of 2003 to provide Canadians with information and actions related to protecting and improving Canadian sovereignty and democracy. The site, which is presented in a blog format, offers original columns, suggestions for action, polls, news updates, and links to related sites, and received national attention last fall for allowing visitors to send an email opposing giving Lockheed Martin the main contract for the next Canadian census. It has over 570 members and receives about 4600 hits a day and growing. The site is currently in the process of incorporating as a non-profit organization.
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For more information about Vive le Canada visit http://www.vivelecanada.ca
To schedule an interview please email Susan Thompson at susan.thompson@vivelecanada.ca or call (780) 624-5229.
Vive le Canada.ca went online in January of 2003 to provide Canadians with information and actions related to protecting and improving Canadian sovereignty and democracy. The site, which is presented in a blog format, offers original columns, suggestions for action, polls, news updates, and links to related sites, and received national attention last fall for allowing visitors to send an email opposing giving Lockheed Martin the main contract for the next Canadian census. It has over 570 members and receives about 4600 hits a day and growing. The site is currently in the process of incorporating as a non-profit organization.
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For more information about Vive le Canada visit http://www.vivelecanada.ca
To schedule an interview please email Susan Thompson at susan.thompson@vivelecanada.ca or call (780) 624-5229.
@ April 29, 2004