'Predatory Capitalism' and the 'Invisible Environment'

Deputation to the Uxbridge Town Council: 'Delegation – Oct. 23, 2023'

I had planned to follow up with ‘Neoliberalism’ Part II here, but events sometimes overtake us. This is all related however (see minute 5 below), and I think you will find my October 23rd presentation of interest. I’ve linked various points, and added a few graphics. There’s a full ten minutes of text below (or you could just watch the video of course, linked at the bottom of the page). The title of my presentation was actually ‘Resisting the installation of AI surveillance technology in Uxbridge,’ but I prefer to highlight the idea of ‘predatory capitalism’ here. I’ve not mentioned all of the tech companies I discovered on my deep dive into this surveillance technology rabbit hole, as many of them I only discovered a day before my presentation (Sunday Oct, 22nd). This is how many of us spend our time these days, as we try to keep on top of things. The ‘Invisible Environment’ isn’t nearly so invisible, it turns out; more than you would ever imagine is hidden in plain view.

Thank you for your interest. . . and stay tuned, as the conversation begins here.

W. David Ward Regional artist and resident of Ward 1 Oct 23rd 2023


It's wonderful to have this opportunity to address the Council directly.
My presentation in town back in April (and many of you were there) was specifically about 15minute SMART-cities and Digital ID . . . . "Whatever that is?" Was one local columnist's enlightened contribution to this conversation.

There was great interest in this subject when we canvassed over 1000 homes in Uxbridge earlier in the year. Sadly, the paper in question ignored my request to write a piece explaining some of this to their readership. . . My artist friends and I continue to keep an eye on things though.

In the documents delivered before this meeting I included links to the website and Substack of Dr. Leslyn Lewis, which provide an overview, along with action points.

"We still have a democracy," Dr. Lewis states, "and we need to stay involved and push back . . . because if we don't, we are going to continue to see Governments operating below the radar of Canadians, and outside of Parliament."

Leslyn is labelled a 'Conspiracy Theorist' by the main street media, just as the subject of my last community gathering here was called 'Conspiracy theory' by our local paper.
......... 1 min

Numerous documents have been published on these subjects (by The Bank of Canada, The Bank for International Settlements, the United Nations, the WEF, etc.) And many of us believe that much of the infrastructure we are seeing now is directly related – the first elements of a digital control grid, beginning with surveillance technology.

I choose my words carefully when I say things like 'control grid.' 'Video surveillance' 'Command and Control' 'Data Collection and Analysis' are words taken directly from the websites of companies such as 'Visual Defense' who are supplying this technology to our towns. This language - the language of Surveillance Capitalism and technocracy - has become disturbingly commonplace over the past few years.

This drive to gather data is essential for technocracy to function, so it follows there has to be total transparency now when it comes to data collection; and we (the people being surveilled) must be more vigilant than ever.
......... 2 mins

When speaking of the 15 Minute City concept earlier, I was assured that travel would never be restricted for residents of Uxbridge.

It was reassuring to hear this, but increasingly, it seems that what's happening in our towns is passed down from above, from the Region, Province, Federal Government and various unelected and unaccountable extra-national organizations.

As you know, for well over a year now, we've had teams going door to door in towns across this region (and neighbouring Regions as well) talking to people about these issues. The three things people react most strongly against are:

1. Surveillance
2. Potential mobility restrictions
3. Increased taxes (Carbon taxes especially).

I'm certain all of us here can find common-ground, because all of these things will of concern to you as well (Council members).
Bill 23 for instance, the 'Build More Houses Faster' Act, that passes extra developer costs to Municipalities, might be even more of a concern for Councillors who have to explain increasing property taxes to their constituents.
......... 3 mins

The idea of restricting mobility seemed a far-fetched 'conspiracy theory,' even to me, but then I saw the Region's ICLEI representative's presentation to this council Dec 9th, 2019
(ICLEI is the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, as you will recall).

In the Region's power point deputation that day was a plan to reduce carbon emissions from transportation to almost zero by 2050, with a reduction of around 20% in 6 years time.

In order to ascertain what emissions are being generated from personal transportation, it would follow that our movements will have to be monitored in some way – and then, presumably, curtailed.

Clearly there is a push for electric vehicles, in an attempt to meet carbon emission goals. Page 92 of the Durham Community Energy Plan shows a projection in which conventional vehicles are completely phased out in Durham Region by 2028.

Not everyone will be transitioning though, for good reason.

....... 4 mins

Clearly, I am questioning the carbon narrative here too, and I present the reasons for this in the documents you've received already. A deputation given by John Dunn recently in Peterborough is included here, with his permission (21:40 mins).

More and more people, today, are questioning this narrative.

We are so accustomed now to being told 'trust the science;' but the science presented (if it is presented at all) is dubious at best, and when papers countering the prevailing narrative are brought forward, they are generally dismissed. When people say things like 'the science is settled,' or (famously) from the UN, 'we own the science,' this is absolutely not science.

The Neoliberal economics upon which our current system is based (and to which almost all political parties have subscribed – hence the term 'Uniparty') was devised by the famous Chicago School economist, Fredrick Hayek, who also coined the term 'Scientism' and defined it as: "slavish imitation of the method and language of Science."

The evidence selected to back this 'political' carbon narrative, for example, is cherry-picked and manipulated. The taxpayers of Uxbridge would welcome an open examination of the Region's science, I imagine, before they are subject to more costly and intrusive 'technological' initiatives.
....... 5 mins

Meanwhile, the AI surveillance infrastructure is being installed. . . We should also discuss the next generation of cell phone technology (installed at breakneck speed while the world was conveniently locked down).

The surveillance here in Uxbridge (I would suggest), began with the QR code parking (a massively intrusive and discriminatory information gathering system), in concert with those numerous unsightly no parking signs that line significant sections of our previously scenic roadways. [Impromptu] "I am an artist, after all"

These, and the mysterious (Ecopia AI ?) 'Area' signs that have recently popped up everywhere, should be an open discussion for another day, along with the (now known) health implications of ever increasing EMF and RF radiation.

The Speed cameras we see as we enter and leave town, could just as easily be purposed to monitor license plates and gather information on the travel patterns of all local residents, even detect emissions, all in line with the ICLEI targets.
........ 6 mins

Anyone could be excused for thinking this sounds like 'Conspiracy theory,' but I met Jim last Wednesday when I drove into town, as he serviced the speed camera across from the arena.....(Jim's not his real name of course, I don't want to get him into trouble)... I stopped to chat.

He said he worked for a private company and not the township. His truck was unmarked but the company, it turns out, is called Redflex. Redflex is based in Melbourne, Australia, but it was recently acquired by Verra Mobility in Mesa, Arizona (I'm guessing that's short for 'We will verify your mobility').
....... 7 mins

Verra Mobility is a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ exchange (Ticker symbol 'VRRM') Market close Friday: just under $20. Anyone who purchased shares in this company in 2019 has doubled their money. But this is 'Surveillance capitalism,' or more precisely, it is 'predatory capitalism.' The unfortunate residents of Uxbridge (and communities everywhere) have been sold out, by Redflex, to the highest bidder.

I've heard people have received tickets for as little as 1 km over the limit. Even a minor transgression now, can be commoditized, bundled into investment products, and traded on the open market. Welcome to Technocracy, where everyday people become Cash Cows for the globalists and their courtier insiders.

I haven't nearly enough time here, and there's so much more to share from this 'invisible environment.'

........ 8 mins

Returning to the CityROVER pothole detection program mentioned in the August 17th Uxbridge Times Journal. A quick look at the company that developed this technology, VISUAL DEFENSE, shows many examples of AI applications and upgrades. Visual defense is also a Military Contractor, and if its AI can recognize faces in airports, or a dog on the street, it can read our license plates (the technology exists, in SMART street lights too, to detect various emissions and, even more disconcerting, to listen).

In the 'Zero Trust' society that this technology is ushering in, blacklists are normalized (as you can see in the 'Command and Control' section of this site). Potholes, I suggest, are a ruse; I see this as an excuse to introduce a digital control grid, and we here stand firmly in opposition to the acquisition and use of this kind of technology.

........ 9 mins

VISUAL DEFENSE already receives taxpayer-funded grants from Sustainable Development Canada (QUESTION): Are our Regions and Municipalities then forced to implement this technology? . . . Or is this simply a profit sharing arrangement?

Decisions are being driven forward under the auspices of ESG, DEI, SDG, Net-Zero, and even 'Vision-Zero' ... in partnership with 'Ecopia-tech (AI)' as it builds Metaverse 'Digital Twin' towns to link with our Digital ID. UNELECTED and UNACCOUNTABLE organizations are driving the initiatives that we will be taxed and fined to support.

We cannot unelect these people, so we call upon our elected representatives to stem this tide of - predatory - 'global' public-private partnerships; otherwise, by 2030, we will have constructed the walls of a 'Geo-fenced' digital-prison at our own expense, and likely will 'own nothing,' as the WEF promised.

We are in the 'New fiscal age' and the technocrats can dream up unlimited ways to extract money from us, but this is taxation without representation - the stuff of revolutions.
"Taxation without representation is tyranny," was the rallying cry of the American Colonists.

We, the people of Uxbridge, invite all Council and staff to discuss these matters openly. The conversation must begin here.

Thank you for your time....

. . . And here too, of course. As mentioned at the top of the page, I’ve included a selection of links in this article, many of them from the supporting documents package. I look forward to continuing this conversation, but for now (if you’ve skipped down from above) you can view the presentation, beginning at 7:50: Delegation

A few other miscellaneous link from material submitted to Council:

On electric vehicles: ‘The energy transition delusion: inescapable mineral realities.’

Congressman Tom McClintock on electric car's impact on the environment

On wind turbines: 6 of 10 turbines out of commission at P.E.I. wind farm, government says (cbc.ca)

Countering the Climate Change 'science' - Peterborough June 26th 2023. John Dunn's deputation begins at 21.40 minutes

Reverse the “Declarations of Climate Emergency” Maggie Braun (Peterborough)

University of Cambridge: CO2 is "not" the climate control knob - What net zero would really mean... "A few hard truths about realism of meeting Net Zero."

ICLEI Climate Change Update - Manager of Sustainability: