Canadian Government Muzzling Scientists

Meshach writes "Scientists in Canada researching why salmon stocks are depleting face being muzzled by the Canadian Conservative government. Quoting: 'Science told Miller to "please feel free to speak with journalists." It advised reporters to contact Diane Lake, a media officer with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Vancouver, "to set up interviews with Dr. Miller." The documents show major media outlets were soon lining up to speak with Miller, but the Privy Council Office said no to the interviews. The Privy Council Office also nixed a Fisheries Department news release about Miller's study, saying the release "was not very good, focused on salmon dying and not on the new science aspect," according to documents obtained by Postmedia News under the Access to Information Act. Miller is still not allowed to speak publicly about her discovery, and the Privy Council Office and Fisheries Department defend the way she has been silenced.'"

Comments

Notice: "Department of Fisheries ..."

[MacTO]

This is a department of the federal government. It is emphatically not an independent university research scientist nor even an independent (from the governent) research scientist. Since they are an employee of the government they are expected to comply with their employers demands. In this case, it mean that you won't get to say much unless you are echoing government policy. In that respect, it's not much different from a tobacco company telling their scientists not to talk about the health effects of smoking.