Hello Bob,
 
 -=> Quoting Bob Sturgeon to Kirk L. Bennett <=-
  -=> Canada scanning - you as 27 Jan 97  14:52:08 <=-
 BS> Hi Kirk ... on 24 Jan 97 you said to Steve Walford,
 
 KLB> In two words - no restrictions.  OK, maybe that's a little
 KLB> general, but it is applicable.  I would like to qualify my
 KLB> statements by saying that I'm not a lawyer nor am I a HAM, but I
 KLB> have been an SWL & scanner user for many years.
 BS> I enjoyed your description of Canadian laws and it certainly concurs
 BS> with my understanding.  I live in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.
 Ahh yes, the "Promised Land" to those of us stuck in Kebek!  ;)
 
 KLB> Most CDN federal police freqs are scrambled when there is any
 KLB> priority but the standard RCMP freqs are easy to scan.
 BS> I have not encountered any scrambled freqs here.  That's not to say
 BS> they aren't using them :-)
 It has recently come to my attention that the Surete du Quebec
(provincial police) has gone completely digital.  I find it
rather amazing that in Canada's province with the highest debt
& biggest problems they can actually come up with the funds for
such an expensive upgrade.  But the SQ maintains that the move
to digital was not due to any specific need.  After the Oka
Crisis I guess they feel that they had better find a way to 
ensure that their dirty work cannot be overheard.  (As you can
tell I am thrilled to death with life in this God-forsaken 
province!  )  I am going to try to find out how much this 
cost us.
 
 KLB> SW> At one time it was frowned on if you used a scanner at
 KLB> SW> airports to monitor the traffic...
 
 KLB> I have had a few folks tell me that there was indeed a time during
 KLB> the 60's & 70's when it was also frowned upon to fire up a scanner
 KLB> in the vicinity of an airport...
 BS> That certainly is not the case here in B.C. ... you're just going to
 BS> have to move from Quebec out here to get that freedom you seem to be
 BS> missing :-))  
 
 You sure have that right!  As soon as we can get out of debt 
we are gonna do the HWY 401 Shuffle!
 
 BS> I only live a few miles from Vancouver International
 BS> Airport and the Airport Authority has even provided a large grassy
 BS> park at the east end of the runway for scanner enthusiasts (or anyone
 BS> for that matter) to park their cars and picnic and listen to their
 BS> hearts content.  Their are many "airport scanner" groups that are out
 BS> each day and have a real social time of it.  These activities are
 BS> regularly written up in the local newspapers as a public interest
 BS> feature.  So, these people are as regular as say "365 days a year" and
 BS> no problems! 
 
 That's fabulous!  I have been told that there are similar groups
in Toronto as well but the fact that the airport authority has 
actually "provided" an area for tail-watchers & scanner 
enthusiasts is proof positive that you folks in BC sure do know
how to put your priorities in order much of the time.  :)
 A couple of years ago I tried to get something similar happening
here at YUL (Dorval - Montreal Int'l Airport) when I was a member
of the now defunct (A)ir (A)lias BBS, a BBS aimed at aviation 
aficionados, phreaks, etc., but unfortunately I was unable to get
enough people to bite.  Several folks mentioned that they were 
indeed interested but they were afraid that the police might get 
involved & possibly confiscate their cars.  Talk about paranoid.
They though that because some of us wanted to use scanners the 
cops might get the idea we were up to something.  Sheesh!  I 
haven't entirely given up on the idea & may give it a shot this 
coming summer again.  It would be great to get some folks from the 
local Amateur Radio & DX club as well as some aviation fans, some
of us still hold what we call (A)ir (A)lias Air-Video Sundays a
couple of times a year where we get together to watch videos of
aircraft or anything that flys & discuss aviation & anything
related including scanners, aviation comms, & photographers (I'm
a videographer) out into a field with our families to do some 
serious tail-watching & listening.  I can just picture what it 
looks like out where you folks do your watching & listening, must
be a great event & what a better way to pass the day on a lovely 
weekend afternoon than with all your electronic comms equipment & 
cameras.
 BS> We are very fortunate in that we have IMHO excellent police forces
 BS> here in Western Canada.  We have the RCMP in Richmond and at the
 BS> airport. Certainly, not a "Surete" type situation as you described in
 BS> Quebec! 
 
 Hopefully the moderator will indulge me just a little more when 
I mention (folks in this echo do seem to like to discuss the law 
) that there is an inquiry just starting, now to re-convene
on March 6th, into the Goings-on in the SQ.  What a load of dirty 
business it is as they are without a doubt the most corrupt 
police force in Canada.  They are notorious for it.  Fortunately
we do have a part of our population which stands up to them, the
Mohawk!  :)
 BS> Just thought I'd pop in my two cents worth from Western Canada as we
 BS> are very much different from Quebec :-))
 Hey, comments from "The West" are always like a ray of sunshine
out here for folks like me (a thorn for others [wink, nudge]).
 Really good talking to you, Bob, & look foreward to hearing from 
you again.  :)
 BTW, if you have access to Internet you might want to check out
(A)ir (A)lias' former SysOps' page at http://www.total.net/~skydiver.
(possibly without the tilde [~]).
 Cheers,
 KLB            SPITFIRE        8:{)>
... Airplane: Lots of parts flying in close formation.
--- Blue Wave/386 v2.30 [NR]
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