Canada Not On Your Frequency - Government Activity

Industry Standard, The, April 2, 2001 by Kevin Roderick

Imagine a hushed theater with all eyes and ears tuned to the actor baring her soul on stage. Then, from up near the front, the annoying trill and piercing whisper: "Hello? I can't talk now." Infuriating, especially for live performers who hear it night after night.

Thespians in Canada, however, may soon get relief. The government is proposing to let theaters, restaurants and other public establishments block cell phone signals. Nothing in, nothing out. Jamming devices are banned in Canada and the United States. Doctors worry jamming will interfere in emergencies. Parents also like to hear from the baby sitter if a child swallows some floor cleaner. Still, the government has opened 90 days of public comment on the legalization of small jammers for commercial use. Public response has been muted, although the Montreal Gazette editorialized in favor of a low-tech solution: "Manners, not jamming."