You wouldn't, by any chance, have traveled to British Columbia last year, would you?

That would be the southwestern-most province of Canada.  More specifically, I am wondering if you could have been a boarding passenger at the Kelowna, B.C. airport in 2008?

"Why do you ask?" you may be wondering.

It seems that the Canadian Air Transportation Security Authority tested a new scanning machine at the Kelowna airport.  No, not the kind you put your carry-on's through on your way to the gate.  The kind you walk through.  This scanner can see through passenger's clothing, performing a virtual strip-search on anyone who wants to board a plane.

Yikes!

You never travel to British Columbia you say?  How about Toronto, Montreal, or wherever else the Canadian government decides to install the seven additional scanners they have already provided funding for? 

During the "test", passengers were asked whether they would rather submit to the scanner or a conventional pat-down.  They were given a brochure which conveniently didn't mention the fact that there was a security guy in a nearby room monitoring their nude images.  The brochure misleads by saying "help us test out new safe screening technology to determine it's ability to detect items concealed on the body." 

As far as I know, this is only happening north of the border.

But just in case, the next time you are asked to "step into a scanner and raise your arms," you may want to volunteer for a pat-down.