Exactly. I mentioned previously that I didn't like what was being slowly tested in this country, because in some ways, the population is too passive, just like in the UK.

If anyone quotes back for Andy to read, this isn't about me (or anyone) being right nor wrong. This is opinion pure and simple. What I think is wrong are the actions of government in many cases. For the main points of this thread, those actions and implements that take away our privacy and freedoms.

In Canada the only automatic number plate identification system rolled out in a fully functional and production-level state is that used on the 407 highway. I believe it was invented originally in Portugal (though perhaps that was only the transponder portion of their system), but I could be mistaken. It's definitely from Europe.

As far as plate ID being introduced onto police cruisers, I don't really have a problem with that. Officers already routinely type plate numbers into their computers while driving around or stopped at traffic lights (I currently know a couple of police on two forces as personal friends and have known a handful of others in the past). What I don't want to see is a camera on every street corner with this implemented so that car (any car) can be easily tracked. Facial recognition in a single office is also a lot different than putting that tech into street cameras, again which can be used to track movement, even real-time.

For Cris, please find me some discussion or article or anything that makes an argument for the UK *not* being a nanny state, *not* having more CCTV that any other nation. I don't want to see Canada as the UK part 2, thanks, regardless of how well accustomed to the cameras you (or anyone else) have become or how little they're minded. I see that as a problem. Apathy is already a huge problem in Canada. We can't even elect a bloody majority government nor get a decent number of people to the polls. Most people don't give a rat's ass. A large number that do, only care enough to make an occasional grumble in conversation, but won't step up to do anything about it, like vote, make a call or write a letter.

We're being taxed more and more each day, even as most people are being placated by a percentage drop in our federal GST. This country has no long term memory either. We're still spending millions of tax dollars dealing with a crooked past PM (Brian Mulroney), both in investigating his acceptance of illegal cash bribes, obviously not reporting them as income and now his legal costs.

Don't get me wrong, citizens of plenty of places have cause to be upset. Just look at how much money the US pisses away each year on military spending.

Anyway I know from a previous discussion regarding Google Streetview that Andy is all for cameras and doesn't think they're a privacy violation, so I understand why he has a problem with my opinions to the contrary. I've only added a new post because most people seem to be able to talk about this without a problem. And without pointing anyone out or making personal insults.

Now (Cris or anyone else) feel free to make observations about Canada, its government and people. I'll probably agree with most of your points anyway.

EDIT: Incidentally, this is what paranoid delusional looks like.