The federal government is asking Canadians to share our thoughts on how to shape the future of science policy in this country.
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:
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.
Canada’s Science Library Closures Mirror Bush’s Playbook. Details here. More detail in The Tyee’s follow-up story, here.
This is the next step in an escalating right-wing war on honest science and public knowledge, both of which the authorities fear and despise.
Their target, says Canadian paleolimnologist John Smol, is “pesky data” that challenges the government’s corporate agenda. They’ve already gutted a long hit list of vital research programs in Canada, including the world famous Experimental Lakes Area research facility.
John Smol: “The ELA has been a jewel in Canada’s crown – go to any water conference in the world, you just have to say ELA and everyone knows what you’re talking about. And it costs nothing to maintain. $2 million, what’s that, a penny per Canadian, so we don’t get toxic algae blooms, acid rain? It’s like claiming to save medical costs by not letting people have tests and checkups, the long-term data you need to maintain health. The ELA is exactly the kind of thing responsible government should be doing. So why are they closing the ELA? Because it provided pesky data, that’s why.”
(Follow this story in Pesky Data: unspun science for dangerous times. Coming in 2014 from Between the Lines.)
Scientists and other citizens who value public knowledge are resisting the destruction. At a public protest in Ottawa, thousands of scientists carried banners declaring: No Science, No Evidence; No Truth, No Democracy. The stakes are that high.
I have no illusions about the real impact of petitions. But at least the current leaders need to know that some of us are opposed. Here is an opportunity to say so.
Evidence for Democracy is a Canadian organization of scientists and citizens “who care passionately about the role that evidence needs to play in decision-making.” Recently they sent out this urgent appeal:
Irreplaceable scientific information is disappearing due to the recent closure of seven libraries run by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and a number of Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada libraries.
Scientists are saying that many of the books, reports and data at these libraries have already been discarded or destroyed without being properly digitized.
This priceless information is essential for the protection and security of Canada’s waterways. In particular, historical data and information provides the only baseline by which changes in the state of Canada’s aquatic ecosystems and fisheries resources can be evaluated. Without such trend data, assessing the impacts of policy and management decisions is impossible.
Please send a message to the federal party leaders and your member of parliament calling on them to stop closing our science libraries, and to ensure that the remaining information from the closed libraries is made available in a timely fashion.
In 2012, you may have joined a national campaign to block their highly invasive online spying legislation, Bill C-30. The government claimed it would “help police combat child pornography.” But many critics, including the federal privacy commissioner, noticed the sweeping legislation would force internet service providers to maintain systems allowing police to intercept and track online communications without a warrant, effectively wiping out fundamental rights to privacy and freedom of speech. The intent was clear: Increased powers for a surveillance-obsessed regime.
OpenMedia.ca led a national campaign to kill the Bill. In February 2013, the federal Minister of Justice announced that the government “would not proceed” with Bill C-30. “We’ve listened to the concerns of Canadians who have been very clear on this.” Nor, he added, would the government pursue any other measures for “the warrantless mandatory disclosure of basic subscriber information or the requirement for telecommunications service providers to build intercept capability within their systems.”
Turns out they lied.
Now known as Bill C-13, the undead spy bill is back. Now they claim it’s to fight cyberbullying. A good thing to fight. But it’s a cover. Bill C-13 consists of just 2.5 pages aimed at cyberbullying, and 65 pages aimed at making it easier for the government to spy on the online activities of all Canadians. These provisions are lifted straight from Bill C-30. Micheal Vonn, BC Civil Liberties Association: “This is not a bill about cyberbullying. It’s a bill essentially to reintroduce most of the components of Bill C-30, despite the government’s assurances that they would not do so.”
It’s not too late to join the resistance. Here’s how.
(Follow this story in What next? Doing science in dangerous times. Coming in 2014 from Between the Lines.)
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:
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.
Michael Riordon 