What’s new? Well, documents from Environment Canada show that their climate-change scientists need to request permission form the government before participating in an interview. What is this now? I thought that censorship of science was illegal in a democracy. Well, leave it up to Harper to do something like this.
The analysis reviewed the impact of a new federal communications policy at Environment Canada, which required senior federal scientists to seek permission from the government prior to giving interviews.
In many cases, the policy also required them to get approval from supervisors of written responses to the questions submitted by journalists before any interview, said the document, obtained in an investigation into the government's views and policies on global-warming science that was conducted by Climate Action Network Canada, a coalition of environmental groups.
Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2682162
What next..sounds like the USSR beore it fell!!!!
ReplyDeleteHarper did like Stalin.
So information that Environment Canada collects regarding climate change in Canada, particularly the Arctic, will be filtered through the Cons. The recent budget also undermines the authority of the Environmental Assessment Agency, eliminates funding to the Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Science, and cuts $43 for MNR environmental protection. It appears Harper intends to keep Canadians in the dark about climate change in their own country, and make sure the oil and gas industry won't have to bother with all those pesky environmental regulations. Full steam ahead with the Tar Sands!
ReplyDeleteTime for the Opposition parties to put aside their differences and give Canadians a real alternative!
LMA
It may appear that the government is muzzling their scientists. However, I think it is within the right of any organization/ccompany to request that their employees request permission to perform interviews because they are representing their organization/company. The employees are not representing themselves; given the government is their employer, the government is acting within its right.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Montreal Gazette 15th March,
ReplyDeleteEnvironment Canada says in a leaked document:
"Media coverage of climate science, our most high profile issue, has been reduced by over 80%...Our scientists are very frustrated with the new process. They feel the intent of the process is to prevent them from speaking to the media"
This is more than just the appearance that scientists are being muzzled, it the view of the scientists themselves. Good enough for me.
LMA