Privy Council Muzzles Canadian Scientist
by PIPSC
Ottawa, July 28, 2011 – The Professional
Institute of the Public Service of Canada believes that the Privy
Council bureaucrats should not “muzzle” Canada’s top federal scientists.
Ms. Kristi Miller was forbidden from discussing her recent
salmon-genetics research with the media. As an employee of the federal
government, Ms. Miller’s research is funded by Canadian taxpayers and
has direct impact on the west coast fishing industry and is relevant to
changes in the salmon stocks in the Fraser River in British Columbia.
Denying media access to this information under the guise of the Cohen
Commission is simply a convenient excuse.
“Government control of information must end and the
undermining of Canada's public scientists must stop. Whatever happened
to the Harper government’s commitment to transparency?” says Gary
Corbett, President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service
of Canada.
“This government, by suppressing access to this information,
is depriving the Canadian and international scientific communities of
significant discoveries. Canadians have a right to the results of
research supported by Canadian tax dollars. The findings and benefits
of scientific and medical research should be available to all Canadians
to enable engaged public policy awareness, debate and development.
Canadian scientists must be allowed to publish their research in world
renowned journals so that society can advance through their findings and
the peer review process”
This reported incident is yet another alarming example of the
Harper government’s continued disregard for evidence-based research and
it is another case of the government's “command and control” approach.
Media and public access to federal scientists has become politicized,
resulting in an inability to effectively communicate important
scientific news to Canadians through mainstream media.
“Canadians should be concerned about this latest example of
the Harper government’s continued affront to public scientists, whose
vocation is to investigate and report findings for the Public Good,”
says Gary Corbett.
In the past year, media have reported that key federal
science based departments and agencies including Natural Resources
Canada and Environment Canada, have implemented new communications
policies that have resulted in an incapacity to communicate sound
independent scientific information in a timely fashion. Canadians
consistently rely on accurate scientific information to make informed
decisions about everyday life, such as the products they buy, the food
they eat, the medicines they administer, even their travel plans.
PIPSC is the union representing federal scientists whose work
impacts the daily lives of Canadians. Among the 60,000 members are
23,000 professionals who deliver, among other knowledge products,
scientific research, testing and advice for sound policy-making.
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For immediate release
For further information: Chantal Lecours
(613) 228-6310 extension 2229
or (613) 864-4368 (cell)
