The BC Care Cards were introduced in 1989. The care card in short, is basically the same as a health card in Ontario. All British Columbia residents are required to sign up for their Medical Services Plan (MSP) and receive the card.
The government of British Columbia is now introducing a replacement for the care card. Called the new BC services card. Residents will have the option to merge their (former) care card with their drivers licenses, long with any other provincial government “service” cards.
The service card will have a photo along with your signature. But also incorporate a microchip. With plans for people to be able to tap the card on a reader (just like you can do with credit cards).
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association has concerns, that the cards could be to be part of government push to integrate databases containing citizens personal information.
“This government has got to come clean on the card before we are all forced to use it,” “British Columbians have been provided almost no real information about it.” – Policy director Micheal Vonn
B.C.’s Information and Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham has also raised concerns (despite approving the introduction of the cards).
“Phase 2 will be a significantly larger step, that brings with it considerable risks to personal privacy, in that there is the potential for data linkages to connect an individual’s discrete activities across multiple platforms,”
Centralization of information, power, and control. Sounds to be on par with all levels of government in this nation right now. My only question is, how long until they begin to start calling them “smart” cards?
Resist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!