Michael Riordon

the view from where I live

Category Archives: Justice


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The future of science in Canada: your input is requested

The federal government is asking Canadians to share our thoughts on how to shape the future of science policy in this country. Death of Evidence

Photo: pencanada.ca

Frankly, given the current regime’s dismal record on public science, I doubt they want to know what we think unless it agrees with their corporate agenda, but why not at least give it a try?  After all, it’s still a free country.  In which, by the way, silence is taken for consent.

The stakes are enormous, really a matter of life and death.  Think of the tar-sands, climate chaos, fracking, GMOs….

Evidence for Democracy offers thoughtful recommendations on how to restore public-interest science and evidence-based policy development in Canada.  They request our input:

This is a chance to add your voice to the new science and technology strategy.

The existing strategy only focuses on science and innovation related to business. It completely ignores all the other science that is necessary for the long-term well-being and prosperity of Canadians.  Federal government science capacity is crucial for the support of evidence-informed public policy.

The current strategy is also entirely silent about federal support for basic research.  Amazingly, supporting basic research is not identified as a priority for Canadian science.  Yet such research lies at the heart of all innovation.  No basic research, no innovation: it’s that simple.

We’ve written a draft response, and created a tool on our website for you to submit a response in seconds.

Comments must be submitted by February 7th!  Please add your voice today, and pass this message on.


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Canadian government spies on tar sands opponents

Shocking, but not surprising:

tar sandsPhoto: vtdigger.org

Through Access to Information searches, investigative journalist Matthew Millar reveals in the Vancouver Observer that the National Energy Board, a federal agency, coordinates a secret ongoing surveillance campaign against Alberta tar-sands opponents.  The NEB collaborates with CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service), the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which has its own national security apparatus), as well as private corporations implicated in the Alberta tar-sands and proposed  pipelines.

This makes sense only as an (ideo)logical extension of the Harper regime’s faithful service to the oil and gas industry, combined with the paranoia of a repressive regime, as in:

Anger erupts over Harper’s ‘enemy’ list.  The National Post, July 17, 2013.

Government labels environmentalists “terrorist threat” in new report.  The Vancouver Observer, Feb 10, 2012.

Stay tuned…

What’s Next? when science, nature and power collide.  Coming in 2014 from Between the Lines, Canada.


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Good news: Suicide Seeds Are Dead… in Brazil… for the moment…

In a great bit of news for World Food Day, a key Brazilian congressional committee today withdrew the consideration of legislation that would have allowed the sale and use of Terminator Technology, also known as suicide seeds.

Terminator seedsThe Constitutional Commission of the Brazilian House of Representatives was slated to consider Bill PL 268/2007 this morning, but decided instead to withdraw it from the agenda – taking into account the social concerns raised by the national and international mobilization in opposition to the bill.  Further, the President of the Commission pledged that as long as he is at the helm, he will not allow the bill back on the agenda.

“This should be taken as a victory for Food Sovereignty and Farmers’ Rights around the world. Social movements, farmers’ organizations and CSOs both in Brazil and internationally have made it crystal clear that Terminator has no place in our food, fields or future,” said Silvia Ribeiro, Latin American Director for ETC Group. “This is great news for World Food Day.”

The ETC Group (Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration) does essential work with international grassroots allies like Via Campesina, to resist mad science and corporate control of food production around the world.

The full story is here.

This story and others  will be pursued in Bacon’s Garden: travels in nature, science and power, forthcoming from Between the Lines in spring 2014.


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Free Dr Tarek Loubani & John Greyson: Open letter to Daryl Kramp, Member of Parliament

As residents of Prince Edward-Hastings riding, we call on you to exercise your influence and responsibility in the following matter of urgent concern to all of us.

As of October 3, Canadian citizens Dr Tarek Loubani and John Greyson have already been imprisoned for 48 days by the military government in Egypt.  Recently their imprisonment was extended once again, for an additional 45 days.  They have not been charged with any offence.

In contravention of international law, the Egyptian military regime claims the right to hold them without charge for as long as two years.

We are encouraged to hear that Prime Minister Harper told Canadian media on September 29, “In the absence of charges, Dr. Loubani and Mr. Greyson should be released immediately.”  This is a step in the right direction, but given the degree of injustice and life-threatening circumstances it’s not enough.  The Prime Minister should be speaking directly to his counterpart in Egypt, demanding that these two Canadian citizens be released immediately and allowed to return safely to Canada.

Dr Tarek Loubani is an emergency room physician in London, Ontario; John Greyson is an award-winning film and video maker.  Both of them teach at universities in Toronto and London.  Each is highly respected in his field.

On the night of their detention, Dr Loubani was doing what his professional oath as an MD requires of him, providing emergency medical care to people who’d been attacked by soldiers in a public protest.  John Greyson was doing what he intended to do on this trip, documenting Dr Loubani’s work.

Amnesty International has called for their immediate release.  More than 145,000 people have signed an international petition demanding their immediate release.  Their release has also been demanded by the Ontario & Canadian Medical Associations, the United Church of Canada, the Presidents of York, Ryerson, Queen’s and Wilfred Laurier Universities, and many other organizations and individuals.

We call on the Prime Minister of Canada to make the same demand, immediately and directly to the appropriate Egyptian authorities.


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Just say no.

This “synthetic biology” scheme is patently nuts.  In fact it’s criminally insane.ETC synthetic biology image

Once released, these Frankenseeds, a very dangerous gimmick, can never be recalled.  Governments claim to be helpless in blocking it.

Can we stop it?  Maybe not, but surely it’s worth a try.

The organization behind the petition to block the funding, ETC (Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration), is deeply responsible and worthy of trust.

Please read their plea, and decide for yourself.  You can add your name and voice, here.