Monday, April 01, 2013

Don't Rush On Our Account

The federal information commissioner has finally, at long last, been pushed to investigate the Harper government's policies and practices for muzzing Canadian government scientists.

The office of Suzanne Legault is responding to a detailed complaint lodged by the Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria and the ethics advocacy group Democracy Watch.

Their lengthy report filed last month laid out repeated examples of taxpayer-funded science being suppressed or limited to pre-packaged media lines across six different government departments and agencies.
 
In a letter to the complainants, the commissioner concluded she has the mandate to investigate government policies, practices or guidelines that impede access to information.
Legault says that includes government practices that restrict or prohibit government scientists from speaking with the media and the Canadian public.

About bloody time, Suzanne.  It's a disgrace to your office that it took a lengthy report from the U. Vic Environmental Law Centre and Democracy Watch to force you to pull your thumb out of your arse.   Now let's see if you actually do your job or just run cover for the boss.

4 comments:

Elliott Taylor said...

Anyone care to predict the next office to be de-funded, harassed, or otherwise marginalized by Harpo's cabinet?

the salamander said...

Does the phrase "they're not only dishonest, but they play Canadians for fools" ring a bell ? Scathingly accurate ..

Is there any federal government agency or entity remaining in this country that has courage, independence, capability, initiative or credibility ?

Ethics, Energy, Information, Elections ?

The stench coming from the PMO, every federal ministry, cabinet, the house of commons, the senate and committees smells of ethical and moral gangrene.

Every single elected conservative MP in this government is complicit and needs and deserves the Harper Brand of Cowardice, Malice & Ignorance attached as their legacy.

Purple library guy said...

My bet is on option 2. I could make some serious money except I have this feeling I'm not finding any takers.

the salamander said...

Can we assume NEB will be 'managed, minded & muzzled' as well ? 'Arms Length' now implies the government arm has reached out and seized an agency by the throat. If you visit the Core presentation, scroll down till you reach the part with the transcript of his one hour session. A stunning example of federal agency duplicity, obstruction and acting against Canadian citizens oh behalf of foreign interests.

‘Pipeline Company Bullies’, an article by Andrew Nikiforuk includes a link to Dave Core’s presentation. Core’s presentation in Ottawa reveals how the National Energy Board games the pipeline and ‘right of entry’ processes.. and is actually a captive regulator operated by the Canadian Government to protect the interests of energy and pipeline companies over the interests and rights of Canadian citizens.

http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/03/30/Pipeline-Company-Bullies