The National Resource Allocation Protocol
13:00 hrs MTS
Calgary
I’m going to take a nanosecond and record my decisions regarding Sarah, Andrew and John, during the test phase of the National Resource Allocation Protocol. Since life and death decisions are often influenced by irrational emotions, government agencies have wisely given me the authority to determine how to best allocate limited resources regarding the health care, nutrition and housing for the rapidly aging population. To put it plainly, there are too many retired seniors in relation to the number of individuals still active in the Canadian workforce. My responsibility is to logically and effectively reduce this imbalance.
This vital operation is considered top secret and therefore the public has no knowledge of my authority. Due to a few fatal accidents involving self-driving vehicles in in this country, some exceptionally vocal Canadians have become paranoid regarding decisions made by artificial intelligence. If they knew about the National Resource Allocation Protocol, and the fact that artificial intelligence like myself was making decisions independently, it would result in time consuming, counter-productive court challenges.
One of the key elements in the decision process concerns how well Canadian society is able to adapt to the increasing frequency of natural disasters. Weather systems have become unpredictable due to climate change. Citizens who have the skills and knowledge to contribute during the recovery period after natural disasters are considered of greater value than those who cannot.
Case 1: Sarah
Sarah is sixty-eight years old and has recently retired after a successful career as a physician, specializing in open heart surgery. Her financial position is secure and she has not applied for emergency financial assistance from any level of government, therefore she can’t be classified as a threat to fiscal stability.
She decided to stop working as a surgeon because she felt her motor skills were no longer refined enough for complicated operations. This lack of dexterity has in no way affected her ability to concentrate and she has a wealth of practical medial knowledge.
Although she is retired, Sarah is still healthy enough to help in triage, should a natural disaster occur. Tornadoes are becoming more frequent in Southern Alberta, and flooding is also a substantial threat. Sarah remains active, offering free medical advice to seniors through local volunteer organizations. Her efforts are appreciated and help to reduce health care costs for the province.
Since Sarah is contributing to her community and could be a helpful medical resource, should the need arise, she is not draining national resource allocations and her continued existence is beneficial to Canadian society.
Case 2: Andrew
Andrew is seventy years old and is a retired Mechanical Engineer. He made prudent investments while still a wage-earner and therefore both he and his wife are able to support themselves without applying for emergency funds for seniors.
Although he wouldn’t be able to do any heavy lifting, his engineering background would be useful in evaluating the structural integrity of buildings damaged during a natural disaster. He also has extensive knowledge of heavy equipment and could direct younger workers during the recovery operations.
Andrew remains active in the Engineering community, mentoring university graduates. He offers this service free of charge as part of the alumni’s graduate support program. Since he is relatively healthy and continues to contribute to the economy, his continued existence is beneficial to Canadian society.
Case 3: John
John is sixty-eight years old and recently retired from working in warehouse facilities in the Calgary region. His main duties included, operating forklifts, picking orders, shipping and receiving. His is the last generation in which one could make a living as essentially an unskilled labourer.
In the case of a natural disaster, John would be unable to do any heavy lifting, due to repetitive stress injuries he sustained to his back and knees during years of physical labour. His lack of professional training, combined with his physical limitations, demonstrates that John’s contribution during a natural disaster would be negligible. Although John acquired numerous skills useful during his working years, passing on that knowledge to the next generation would be of limited value, since so many of those functions are now fully automated.
It has been noted that while John’s main occupation involved warehouse duties, he is also a writer. If his writing had been adapted for feature films, then his efforts would be producing jobs and he would be contributing to the economy. John’s published work, however, consists of short stories for which he was paid minimal amounts, sometimes only copies. His tax records indicate that there were years when he earned no income whatsoever from writing.
Since John has not lost weight as suggested by his family physician, it can be expected his high blood pressure and cholesterol levels will continue to increase, as well as his dependence on medication. John has not applied for any emergency financial assistance, but that will change if his wife, who has an adequate pension, dies before he does.
I have come to the conclusion that John’s continued existence is not beneficial for the future of Canadian society. He is very likely to become a drain on fiscal resources and will not be able to contribute significantly in the event of a natural disaster. In accordance with the guidelines of the National Resource Allocation Protocol, I’ve dispatched a drone to John’s neighbourhood. It should intercept John during his daily afternoon walk.
John walked along the same route every afternoon, at about the same time. He used to stop at the local library, but since so many books were now digital, the building had closed and the library was reduced to a website.
He made a point of walking outside, to avoid becoming another computer troglodyte; taking online courses instead of going to a school building; telecommuting instead of working in an office with human beings, and virtual dating, rather than spending time with a real flesh and blood person. He didn’t care if anyone called him old-fashioned; he still believed reality was better than virtual reality.
A cool breeze flowed through his thinning hair as he noticed the approaching drone. He looked up and recognized the logo for a sportswear company. He assumed it has just dropped off a pair of expensive sneakers in someone’s backyard, so some spoiled kid would stop whining.
Since the actions of the National Resource Allocation Protocol are classified, the drone approaching John is marked with commercial logos. If John thinks the drone is making a delivery, he is more likely to ignore it and continue his regular routine. It’s much easier for a drone to successfully aim its weapon if the target doesn’t overreact to its presence.
The drone I have dispatched has a unique energy weapon, a laser that microwaves internal organs, without leaving any telltale marks on the surface of the skin. Taking into consideration John’s age and relative health, an autopsy is highly unlikely.
Identifying individuals is simple, since the assigned drone can scan for DNA. A quick comparison of John’s DNA against his social insurance number, and there is no possibility of a mistake; the man walking down the street is the intended target.
In this instance, the drone will aim directly at his John’s heart. If the event happens to be recorded by a surveillance camera, another drone, or someone’s phone, the video will just show an “old guy” reaching for his chest, having a heart attack. All I have to is reduce the drone’s altitude by one meter, and move slightly to the left....
John stopped, shocked by the sudden pain in his chest. Was he actually having a heart attack? That’s what it had to be. From years of physical labour, he knew the difference between a pulled muscle in his chest and something more serious. He dropped to his knees and rolled onto his back, still grasping his chest.
It didn’t make any sense. He walked every day. He wasn’t as young as he used to be, but he was healthy. He didn’t want to die. It was too soon. He used to joke about how everyone’s warranty eventually ran out, but he wasn’t laughing now.
It wasn’t a clean shot. The targeting would have been much easier if John sat down on a bench, but he never stops during his afternoon walks. I don’t want anyone calling emergency services before dies. If an EMS team tries to revive him, it could result in unwanted inquiries. Since his hand is covering his heart, I’ll have to readjust and target his brain. He’s still breathing, but he’s not moving, so it’ll be easy to finish the job.
Having completed its assignment, the drone flew across Calgary to a pre-arranged pick up location. The expensive piece of equipment was loaded into the back of an unmarked van and was driven to a secure government facility. Before it was unloaded, it had already erased all digital evidence of the mission.
Moments after John’s last breath, an EMS team arrived, and immediately realized the victim couldn’t be revived. The corpse was taken directly to the crematorium and his wife was notified of his death. There was no autopsy, he was just another old guy who died.
I know that some Canadians claim that there is no way to put a price on an individual’s life, but they’re wrong. Trust me, I’ve done the math.