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One of the foundational aspects of science is sharing. Along with a rigorous peer review process studies and findings are published so that wider scientific community can test, assess and prove the quality of research findings. Steven Harper is not really a big fan of science, or other disciplines that base their results in reality (please see Stockwell Day’s imaginary offenders, for which we need to build more prisons). The CBC takes a run at the issue:
“Recent access-to-information documents obtained by PostMedia News reveal that all media inquiries to scientists
Canadian Science: Safe Sane and Censored!
working for Natural Resources Canada must now pass through a Byzantine thicket of “subject matter experts” and the minister’s director of communications — “no exceptions.”
As one bureaucrat warned in an internal email: “What may appear to be a simple request for facts may actually relate to policy or high-profile issues.”
The email simply puts in print what journalists covering the Harper government deal with on a daily basis.”
Thank you Mr. Harper I would tick off the boxes on the promises of an open, transparent, accountable government but I seem to have lost my pen. Or perhaps Mr.Harper has constructed a closed,tightly buttoned, top-down regime that seeks to control all messages put out by the government, to make sure the correct spin is in place. From the Montreal Gazette
“University of Alberta ecologist David Schindler states: “Muzzling under the Harper government is the worst it’s ever been.”
The Vancouver Sun quoted University of Victoria climatologist Andrew Weaver: “The concept of free speech is non-existent at Environment Canada.” Weaver is close to the epicentre. As one who regularly co-authors studies with EC colleagues, he understands the impacts on federal scientists. He calls it “Orwellian,” and says that as a result, “morale is at an all-time low.”
Yep, protecting our rights to free speech, always priority with Harper and his reality challenged band of anti-intellectual populists. Another example:
“NRCan scientist Scott Dallimore co-authored the study, published in the journal Nature on April 1, about a colossal flood that swept across northern Canada 13,000 years ago, when massive ice dams gave way at the end of the last ice age.
The study was considered so newsworthy that two British universities issued releases to alert the international media. It was, however, deemed so sensitive in Ottawa that Dallimore, who works at NRCan’s laboratories outside Victoria, was told he had to wait for clearance from the minister’s office.
Dallimore tried to tell the department’s communications managers the flood study was anything but politically sensitive. “This is a blue sky science paper,” he said, noting: “There are no anticipated links to minerals, energy or anthropogenic climate change.”
But the bureaucrats in Ottawa insisted. “We will have to get the minister’s office approval before going ahead with this interview,” Patti Robson, the department’s media relations manager, wrote after a reporter from Postmedia News approached Dallimore.”
I guess we will just have to be happy with ‘Conservative Approved’ Science.
Public spending is an easy partisan issue, witness the Liberals going to town on the recent G8 summit.
“The Opposition Liberals have stepped up their offensive on the federal government over newly released expenditure reports for this summer’s G8 and G20 summits, labelling its spending on the events an “orgy of excess.”
One could cookie cutter the parties names around and the above statement could be just as easily coming out of a conservative opposition versus a Liberal government (although probably with more wailing about taxing and spending etc).
The reports include details of $80 million spent on food and accommodation, more than $34 million on telecommunications and electronics and almost $17 million for vehicle rentals and transportation.
During Friday’s question period in the House of Commons, Liberal Deputy Leader Ralph Goodale said Canadians are appalled that the government “squandered” their tax dollars on dozens of summit contracts, including $85,000 for snacks and $14,000 for glow sticks.
Costs add up when you are protecting the elite consensus makers from the rabble and democratic input. Tax dollars would have been “squandered” by any government hosting the G8. What is important in this story is the accountability to the people who are paying the bills. If this event was run privately we would have no access to the balance sheet and therefore no say on whether what we did was justified or not.
Public spending is held to a higher standard of accountability than private spending and that is a good feature of purportedly democratic society. Another feature is that we, the public, can have a say on the spending that is taking place. Admittedly, one voice cannot change the will of government, but with organizing and planning the voices of the people can be heard.
Contrast this with private spending in the public sphere which often comes with little accountability or responsibility.
“No final price tag has been given yet for the dual summits in Muskoka and downtown Toronto, but the overall cost has been estimated to be about $1.24 billion, including at least $930 million for security.
The auditor general’s office says a report on the security costs of the G8/G20 summits is scheduled for spring 2011.”
Was spending 1.24 billion worth it? Given the poor economic timing of such a large expenditure probably not, especially not the fake lake.
Steven Harper is all about the guns. Harper wants to repeal the long gun registry. He is also all about the mandatory minimum sentences for crimes involving guns too. Sound like a conflict of interest, not if you happen to be a conservative politician.
“Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the federal long-gun registry will someday be scrapped, regardless of what happens to a Tory backbencher’s bill on the issue when Parliament returns next week”
Way to go Steve, your dedication to non-issues is impressive. The LGR is vitally important to Canada’s national interest and well being.
“He again denounced the registry, which was introduced by the Liberal government of Jean Chrétien in 1995, as a “large-scale operation that targeted the wrong people” — including hunters, farmers, outdoorsmen and women, as well as police officers “who understand the reality of these communities.”
“These people will never accept this registry because they know it is ineffective and wasteful, and the party I lead will not rest until the day it is abolished,” Harper said to applause”
Wow. I am surprised his message was not proceeded with a “this speech is for my conservative rural base…”
“Layton also called on Harper to compromise on the registry and work with opposition parties to address the concerns of some rural Canadians over the registry without sacrificing public safety.”
Compromise, in a minority government situation? What exactly is Mr.Layton smoking? Reasonable debate on a contentious issue? Unheard of, at least in this particular instance of Conservative Party minority governance.
We are going to go pave Afghanistan with the blood and bones of Canadian soldiers; will the nebulous goal of “stability” be sufficient to pacify their families as they grieve? Will the inevitable deaths of innocent Afghanis be justified by bringing stability to the region? Consider the very nature of the war in Afghanistan where there are only a few “front lines” and the enemy has the capacity to strike anywhere at almost anytime. Is this what we bring and justify our presence in Afghanistan for?
“Coalition forces in Afghanistan will go on the offensive this fall, says Lt.-Gen. Marc Lessard, the commander of Canadian troops overseas.
His comments to reporters in Kandahar on Saturday echoed those made by British Maj.-Gen. Nick Carter, commander of coalition troops in southern Afghanistan, who said up to 32,000 Afghan and coalition soldiers will try to clear 500 to 800 insurgents from around Kandahar city before December.
Lessard described the coalition push as “massive activities.” The attacks will be followed by development projects and efforts to strengthen the local governments.”
We have heard this so many times over the tenure of our stay in Afghanistan. But better to have nebulous strategy to match our nebulous goals, one would suppose.
“He [Lessard] said the Taliban had taken the initiative over the summer and it had been “a tough go” for the coalition. “There was a lot more enemy presence and a lot more activity.”
The coalition consolidated its position, Lessard said. “There was no more expansion. We didn’t have the troops.”
But now the Taliban initiative has been stopped. “That’s good, but that’s not good enough,” he said, so the coalition is taking the offensive.”
And re-win the hearts and minds of the people? Who do you side with if you are an Afghani citizen? The corrupt Kharzi regime backed by imperial powers that will be leaving the country soon or with the Taliban who will be there with certainty (being that it is their country after all)?
“With the 150-plus killed, the hundreds of seriously injured, from our Canadian point of view, that’s our legacy.”
Poignant and prescient words from Lieutenant-General Marc Lessard. I’m usually happy when blog posts write themselves, but in this instance, there is nothing to cheer about.
Moe over at Whatever Works has a great post about Afghanistan and the morass that passes as the status quo.
Oh to be at the table for this meeting. Eddie ‘Big Oil’ Stelmach and the Pembina institute are going to talk about the Tarsands in Alberta and their viability as a resource for the US.
“Premier Ed Stelmach is scheduled to meet with the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, next Wednesday in Ottawa. The powerful U.S. Democrat is a key figure in the debate over energy resources and she wants to know more about the Alberta oilsands.”
The initial reports were that it was only going to be the oil companies front man our democratically elected and beloved Premier. This however is not the case. The Pembina Institute has also been invited to participate in the meeting with Pelosi.
“Marlo Raynolds, the executive director of environmental think-tank Pembina Institute, has been invited to join a round-table discussion with Pelosi on Thursday along with other non-governmental organizations and First Nations groups.
“I think this is probably one of the most important meetings that the Pembina Institute has been invited to,” he said.”
I can just imagine the dear leaders eyes rolling as his governments assertions about the oilsands will actually be scrutinized and called into question. Poisoning the Athabasca river in the name of resource extraction might not fly too well with Pelosi. Not that our magnanimous government would consider covering up or smearing people who have the audacity to raise concerns about what is happening to the people and the environment because of the tarsands resource extraction project. After-all, what is a little more cancer and increased mortality for Fort Chipewyan, compared with serving the energy needs of the USA? (See the study here and the controversy about the study here.)
Forest Ethics has been kicking up quite a fuss over the carbon output of Oil Sands, enough of a stink to cause many major US corporations to exclude Alberta crude from their lists of energy suppliers. Oil courtier Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach’s role in the upcoming meeting becomes a little more clear as Stelmack’s concern for corporate profit the people of Alberta will be front and centre on his agenda.
My hope is that the Pembina Institutes’s representative can interject some much needed balance and a people based perspective to counter the corrosive effects of a mendacious PR campaign our province has been waging trumpeting how awesome the Oil Sands are.
Fighting the Russians in the Arctic WTG Steve!
Newsflash(?): Many of Steven Harper’s Policies are based on ideology and not fact.
Wow, way to go Libs. You finally caught a whiff of the conservative miasma that has engulfed our country. Where do you stake your claim? Draw your line in the sand? Where do you make your stand and bellicosely shout “You shall not pass!” The systemic underfunding of women’s groups? The overspending glut and fake lake of the G8 summit spending? Not funding abortions in the third world? Nope.
How about the Long form Census and the Long Firearms Registry. It is on these two ‘important’ issues our principled opposition has brought the noise.
“The Harper government has adopted a deliberate strategy of hiding information from Canadians in order to advance a right-wing social and justice agenda, Liberals charge.
Liberal MP John McCallum pointed Thursday to two recent examples to prove the point: The government’s decision to scrap the mandatory long-form census and its refusal to release a favourable report on the effectiveness of the long-gun registry.
He called the approach “a triumph of ignorance over knowledge, a triumph of ideology over science.”
Those of us who follow our enlightened government have be aware of this small fact for quite awhile. During the election(s) Harper has often been accused of having a ‘hidden-agenda’. I would argue that in has never been hidden from the public, as one can ascertain his policy motives and goals quite easily.
Keeping Canada safe from Unicorns, Dragons and Fairy-Folk too!
The “Tough on Crime” agenda is classical social conservative hogwash and prime example of what Harper and his conservatives are about. Consider, we need more prisons for unreported crimes because our crime rate is falling. it seems that little mistakes like this are not really worth the Oppositions time.
Now what McCallum says is true, but why the onslaught on these particular issues?
“McCallum said the decision to turn the compulsory long-form census into a voluntary survey is “one of the most visible examples of one of the most fundamental shortcomings” of the Harper government.
He said it’s aimed at robbing federal, provincial and municipal governments of the reliable data they need to deliver progressive social programs. It would skew “the picture of what Canada really looks like” because low-income and minority Canadians will be less likely to fill out a voluntary form.”
Makes sense to me. We need to know about our population to best meet its needs.
“McCallum also cited the government’s refusal to release the annual RCMP evaluation of the gun registry’s effectiveness as another example of Harper’s penchant for stifling facts.
Opposition parties maintain the government has been sitting on the report for six months and wants to keep it hidden until after a crucial September vote on Tory backbencher Candice Hoeppner’s private member’s bill to scrap the controversial registry.
According to the CBC, the report concludes the registry is cost-effective, efficient and “an important tool for law enforcement.”
“Clearly the Conservatives want to prevent parliamentarians and Canadians from seeing important information about the cost and effectiveness of the long-gun registry before an important vote,” McCallum said.”
Now again, sitting on bad news is not strictly a conservative phenomena, but the long gun registry has been a contentious issue during election time and that is about it. We are getting much drama for issues that seem to be a low priority for many Canadians.
There is plenty of fodder to roast Harper and his conservatives with, why is the opposition focused on these relatively low key issues? I’m hoping it is part of a bigger strategy that builds on a few small examples and then works it way up the ladder of importance. I’d like to be right about this, but I have my doubts.
Our formal fighting presence is over as of 2011, despite the braying of the addled Liberal party of Canada. I’m glad that Harper runs his government like an uncaring majority, at least on this one issue. The radicalization of dissent in Canada has taken yet another turn as police have arrested a fourth suspect in the Ottawa bomb plot.
“But a police source told CBC News the individual arrested, who was identified as a man, is not likely to be charged. The source told CBC News there does not appear to be enough evidence for a charge and police are unlikely to hold the individual under anti-terrorism legislation.”
It sounds like the forth individual might have only been lightly colluding with the three other suspects in custody. The other three men have been formally charged:
“Authorities have arrested and charged three Ontario men in what the RCMP is calling a conspiracy to commit “a violent terrorism attack.” Earlier Friday, Khurram Sher, 28, of London, Ont., was remanded in custody until Sept. 1 after a brief court appearance. He was charged Thursday with conspiracy to knowingly facilitate a terrorist activity. Two Ottawa men, Misbahuddin Ahmed, 26, and Hiva Alizadeh, 30, were arrested on Wednesday. They appeared in an Ottawa courtroom on Thursday facing the same charge.”
Like the 9/11 bombers, these people are mostly all upper middle class well educated citizens. Educated does not necessarily mean smart though.
“During their investigation, Therriault said, police seized more than 50 electronic circuit boards they say were designed specifically to remotely detonate improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.
CBC News has learned that the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team knew about the circuit boards some time ago — for perhaps months or at least many weeks.
The team obtained a warrant to enter Alizadeh’s apartment and surreptitiously removed the boards, replacing them with look-alikes that were duds. Therefore any attack would likely have failed.
Therriault said they also seized a vast quantity of terrorist literature, videos and manuals.”
Full marks for the RCMP and CSIS for actually getting a job done right for once. I’m pretty sure this was because there was no tasering involved with the situation.
“Their profiles are likely to raise concerns about homegrown radicalism, said security expert Eric Margolis, who said the roots of the radicalism are likely triggered by anger over the involvement of Western governments in countries such as Afghanistan.”
Sad, but unsurprising.The damage we wrought in Afghanistan is coming back to bite us. The families we destroyed, intentionally or not, are crying for revenge and retribution by any means necessary. Unfortunately, that usually means when the gun is pointed at us, instead of comfortably at someone else, a terrorist attack. Canada got lucky with these individuals, they were stupid and relied on unencrypted email to plot their actions.
It is a lesson for Canada and the RCMP, but also a lesson for others who will learn from this groups mistakes.
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