The BC Liberal Agriculture Critic says its preposterous that the NDP could have even thought about using satellites to spy on farmers in the province.

Speaking on the NL Morning News, Ian Paton says the way the government handled the issue so far is par for the course.

“There is such outrage in the province about secondary homes, about value added businesses on their farms,” he said. “It seems to be ‘ready, fire, aim’ with this NDP government, so once again something has been botched and it’s ‘oh well, we’ll take it down and consult some more.'”

Paton says farmers using satellites to check on flooding or forest fires or to improve irrigation is nothing new in the province. But he says government spying on people using satellites is getting too far out of hand.

“This type of socialist ideology is just getting far and beyond with trying to take control of people’s lives and private landowners, and that’s why they’ve back off once again and pulled it off and said, ‘well, we’re not doing this.'” Paton added.

“But I have a very good idea that this is already been done. They’ve already made a deal with the company.”

Agriculture Minister Lana Popham confirmed the ministry will ‘pull back’ on the use of satellite imaging on the Agricultural Land Commission to hear more from people who have concerns.

The goal, Popham’s department says, was ‘to inform ALC compliance and enforcement activities in the ALR.’