Muzzled Canadian Scientists Can Now Speak Freely With Public (thestar.com)

Layzej writes: Over the last 10 years, policies were put in place to prevent Canadian scientists from freely discussing taxpayer-funded science with the public. "media relations contacts" were enlisted to monitor and record interactions with the press. Interviews and often the questions to be asked were vetted ahead of time, and responses given by scientists frequently monitored or prohibited. Nature, one of the world's top science journals, called the policy a "Byzantine approach to the press, prioritizing message control and showing little understanding of the importance of the free flow of scientific knowledge."

The new government in Canada is lifting these restrictions. Scientists at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans were told Thursday they can now speak to the media. In a statement on Friday afternoon, Navdeep Bains, Canada's new minister of innovation, science and economic development said "Our government values science and will treat scientists with respect. This is why government scientists and experts will be able to speak freely about their work to the media and the public."

Comments

Deja vu

[Ol Olsoc]

Remember those old cold war films where a KGB agent who accompanied seemingly everyone to make certain they toed the line?

Here in the frozen Tundra was a real life example.

Scientists must really be on to something if they aren't allowed to talk about it.

Oh... Canada.

Re: Deja vu

[SuiteSisterMary]

See, here's the thing. Canada had the FLQ crisis, and yes, Trudeau called out the military.

But you know what he did when the crisis was over? He sent the military back to base. No USAPATRIOT act, no Homeland Security, no Transportation Safety Authority, no profiling of Quebecois, no 'terrorist threat level' colour coded chart, nothing. The problem got sorted out, and we, as a country, moved on.

Scientists and media both happy

[Anonymous Coward]

Not only were scientists muzzled, the media wasn't allowed to question the government either. Any kind of press was carefully preplanned, scripted and designed with the best interests of the Conservative party in mind.

I strongly disagree with the Conservative Party of Canada. Don't forget, these aren't the "Progressive Conservatives" that won votes on policy, these are the hard right Reformers who campaign on fear and divisiveness.

Re:Scientists and media both happy

[Anonymous Coward]

That sounds suspiciously like the beginnings of a totalitarian regime. Probably why the liberals got a 'surprise' win ... I think Conservatives assume all other people are as stupid as they are. I'm in the US, but once I realized how conservatives here reject solid scientific conclusions based on hard evidence of many things, even when the logic is undeniable (to a rational person) ... I realized how irrational they really are. I'll never vote for another one as long as I live. This covers a myriad of topics, but I use Creationism as my litmus test. Anyone that believes the earth was literally created in 6 days a few thousand years ago is not mentally equipped to be making policies or laws that will affect me.

As a Canadian I must say....

[substance2003]

... it was long overdue. I'm not a fan of the Liberals but this is a good 1st step in the right direction.
Thank you must also be given to the voters who finally were able to rally and kick out the Conservatives.
Too often we do not feel our votes make a difference but it did make one here.
Now the only question to us is, how far will these changes go? We'll see over time.