‘The Death of Evidence’ in Canada: Scientists’ Own Words, Data distorted for ‘propaganda’ and other complaints against the Harper government

‘The Death of Evidence’ in Canada: Scientists’ Own Words, Data distorted for ‘propaganda’ and other complaints against the Harper government by Katie Gibbs, Adam Houben, Jeff Hutchings, Arne Mooers, Vance L. Trudeau and Diane Orihel, July 16, 2012, TheTyee.ca
“The federal government has weakened national fisheries and environmental legislation, trivialized the relevance of scientific advice, and eliminated government scientific research of fundamental importance to the health of Canadian society. Why has the government taken these actions? The minister of Fisheries and Oceans provides a clue. In June he wrote that the existing Fisheries Act offered ‘few tools to authorise pollution’ but that the new legislation (Bill C-38) would ‘establish new tools to authorise deposits of deleterious substances.’ In other words, changes to the Fisheries Act will make it easier to authorise the pollution of Canada’s waters. … Freedom of expression is no longer a right enjoyed by Canadian government scientists. These individuals paid by taxpayers to undertake research in support of society are not permitted to speak to Canadians unless they have ministerial permission to do so. When you inhibit the communication of science, you inhibit science. When you inhibit science, you inhibit the acquisition of knowledge. Government control over the ability of society to acquire knowledge has alarming precedents. An iron curtain is being drawn by government between science and society. Closed curtains, especially those made of iron, make for very dark rooms.”