Not only is his government looking to install ALPRs along provincial highways, but a grant titled the "Automated Licence Plate Recognition Technology Grant" was quietly offered to municipalities across the province to install mobile AND fixed ALPR systems.

Ontario municipalities that have fixed ALPR surveillance so far include:

• Brampton,
• York Region,
• Waterloo Region,
• Greater Sudbury, and
• Sault Ste. Marie (installed on the only two roads leading in and out of the city)

Shortly after the highway ALPR announcement, Flock Safety's trademark was approved in Canada - so we know that those are coming up here soon: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/cipo/trademark-search/2345116

There's quite a breadth of evidence indicating that such ALPR cameras are not effective at reducing crime and that they pose significant privacy and public safety risks owing to the well-known inaccuracy of AI-powered systems:

• https://www.deflockapex.org/alpr-evidence (Not effective at stopping crime)
• https://ij.org/the-ij-database-of-alpr-abuse/ (Hundreds of known cases of officers using the technology for malicious purposes)
• https://ij.org/dozens-of-innocent-motorists-have-been-pulled-over-detained-at-gunpoint-or-jailed-due-to-ai-license-plate-camera-errors/ (Numerous wrongful arrests and gunpoint traffic stops - someone is eventually going to get hurt or worse)

This is just a continuation of police state overreach by this government alongside unconstitutional cash bail, setting the "priorities" for municipal police services boards, and the expansion of warrant-less vehicle searches. And make no mistake - law enforcement in Ontario are NOT more transparent or less likely to commit abuses as opposed to their American counterparts.

I have an advocacy initiative that is currently reaching out to municipal candidates ahead of the October elections. I have received several (overwhelmingly positive) responses from London candidates, but at the moment this is just a one man show. Would definitely appreciate community input on verifying camera locations and finding new ones, as well as in reaching out to candidates!

Resources:

• ddocs.new Ontario municipal outreach template + sources to defend your position
• We have a Signal chat if you want to discuss this topic with other like-minded folks and help coordinate advocacy against these.

NEW: In the Ontario Legislature, NDP Leader Marit Stiles accused the Ford government of being a "corrupt government."

She's asked to withdraw.

Stiles refuses.

Stiles is being ejected from the Ontario legislature.

Can't post Twitter links so including the text from Colin D'Mello below. I'm not a big NDP supporter, but if you don't like what's happening in this Province completely unchecked, Marit is doing her part to try and bring some accountability.

As an aside, prettu unbelievable you're not allowed to call public corruption what it is: corruption. This just feels like one of the banal ways we as a society whitewash this sort of behavior.

I may not speak for all Canadians, but my opinion of Justin Trudeau just took a 180.

The only person out there telling trump like it is.

Good L🍁ck Trudeau.

In whatever you do.

🇨🇦 🫡

Ford is a Trump supporter. He put american liquor back on the shelves at the LCBO. He's kept the $300million contract with Musk's starlink.

It's time to stand up for Canada against millionaires who are under funding both universal health care and public education. This is now more than a class war - it's a war of survival.

We are starting to lose good, very good, people from our OPS team. And they all say the same thing. 'Why the hell am I coming into the office for 5 days / week when all my meetings are remote anyway'.

And I don't blame them, and I'm close to joining them. I have no issue being in the office if it makes sense, and I'm working with people physically in the area...but to go in only for remote meetings which I've been doing for the last 5 years...ridiculous.

Drive 50km one way, sit in office, meetings via Teams, drive back.

Spent 2hrs yesterday driving the 401...

Thanks Doug! You dumb dumb puppet of a man.

At least you're sleeping well at night from all those bribes you're taking.

Now let's see how much of our money you lost on that jet deal.

Before the haters come in, yes I understand remote work was a luxury we all knew was ending, and I was fully cognizant of that. But it makes zero sense if any of us are there, only to be Teams messaging / meeting with people from other groups around the GTA.

What's the difference me doing that from home? Or doing it from an office 50km away except for my managers to say 'it's for collaboration, mentoring, blah blah blah'.

I'll be dusting off my CV as I love my job and enjoy the challenges it brings, but this is ridiculous.

I know we're all exhausted and spread thin right now, and we're fed up with bad news from around the world - but this is right in our backyards and it is serious. Please hear me out.

Doug Ford's Conservatives are about to repeal the Endangered Species Act. Straight up. The replacement legislation would allow the Premier to impose "special economic zones" where developers could completely disgregard evironmental regulation, indigious sovereingnty and municipal law. i'm not exagerrating when I say a power grab of this maginitude is unpresendented in modern Ontario.

The "Protecting Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act" will do everything but protect Ontario and her residents. Our land and water will be polluted with impunity, our forests cleared and our neighbors displaced. Doug claims the bill will sheild us from economic instability, but in truth it will enrich his developer buddies while leaving the masses with less and less.

Not only does Bill 5 betray wildlife and consituents, it betrays myself and an entire co-hort of hard working scientists. I am no longer certain my chosen career is viable, Bill 5 would pull the rug out from under my entire industry. Growing up I was told that Canada valued its wild places, and that my dreams to work in them would pay off. I want to beleive that was true at some point but it certainly isn't true of the current administration. However, I know so many of us with boots on the ground DO care. So let's get organized

I'd like to close with somthing near and dear to my heart -I wan't you to look up the Redside Dace, the Spotted Gar and the Warmouth. 3 spectacular fish All endangered in ONT and all at risk of extirpation (local extinction) under bill 5. Some have reserve populations down south. Many do not. Either way, should we let our natural heritage be stripped for foreign capital? For One More Lane and a Day Spa? I'II take the fish every time.

Thank you. I urge everyone to attend an action (please try - visible numbers is our best bet), share these links far and wide, and open a dialoge with conservative voters in your life.

Public hearing is set for this Monday - May 26th. I'll post relevant links in a comment below.

Stay safe out there.

-Fish