Scientists Muzzled

cybercoma · January 23, 2012

There is growing concern about the muzzling of scientists. They are being controlled by their government, unable to discuss their findings to the media or public at large without first seeking clearance through the government offices that shape the message. This censorship and propaganda isn't happening in some dicatorship. It's happening right here in Canada.

Kristina Miller, a Department of Fisheries and Oceans scientist who has done groundbreaking work on emerging salmon diseases on the West Coast, was one of those who was denied permission to talk to the media, even though her research had just been published in the prestigious international journal, Science.
The government’s stifling of Dr. Miller was so extreme that she was even told by DFO officials not to attend workshops at which experts were discussing salmon issues, out of fear media might attend and hear what she had to say.

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/mark-hume/writers-want-ottawa-to-let-scientists-speak-for-themselves/article2310975/

eyeball · January 23, 2012

Oh well who trusts what scientists have to say anyway? Like everyone else they're all a bunch of partisan hacks, notwithstanding right-wing economists of course.

January 23, 2012

The nazis won.

Michael Hardner · January 23, 2012

eyeball - This should be of special interest to you, no ?

eyeball · January 23, 2012

eyeball - This should be of special interest to you, no ?

It's way too late Michael, the fleet of ship that destroyed our fisheries sailed years ago.

Nobody paid attention then either.

Shady · January 23, 2012

So she says she's silenced, even though her research has been published publicly for everyone to read? :blink:

Shady · January 23, 2012

This censorship

Yes, the censorship that published her research for anyone and everyone to read. :rolleyes:

Michael Hardner · January 23, 2012

Yes, the censorship that published her research for anyone and everyone to read.

It's an interesting point.

I remember this came up in Climategate as well - the fact that the emails "revealed" positions that the clients had discussed at scientific forums but some still considered them to not be public until mass media publicized them.

In fact, by the definition of 'public' one would probably consider scientific discussion to be more of a public forum than mass broadcasting.

waldo · January 23, 2012

There is growing concern about the muzzling of scientists. They are being controlled by their government, unable to discuss their findings to the media or public at large without first seeking clearance through the government offices that shape the message. This censorship and propaganda isn't happening in some dicatorship. It's happening right here in Canada.

yes, in Canada... Harper Conservatives Canada!

Harper Conservative funding cuts are a part of the strategy... but it gets more overtly devious through Conservative efforts to control the message, to prevent government scientists from commenting on AGW climate change.

Harper Conservatives muzzle climate change scientists
:

A dramatic reduction in Canadian media coverage of climate change science issues is the result of the Harper government introducing new rules in 2007 to control interviews by Environment Canada scientists with journalists, says a newly released federal document.
The document suggests the new communications policy has practically eliminated senior federal scientists from media coverage of climate-change science issues, leaving them frustrated that the government was trying to "muzzle" them.

There is a widespread perception among Canadian media that our scientists have been 'muzzled' by the media relations policy," said the Environment Canada document. "Media coverage of this perception, which originated with a Canwest story in February 2008, is continuing, with at least 47 articles in Canadian newspapers to date

It's definitely a scandal," said Graham Saul, executive director of Climate Action Network Canada. He added that the government was "muzzling scientists; they're putting climate deniers in key oversight positions over research, and they're reducing funding in key areas. . . . It's almost as though they're making a conscious attempt to bury the truth.

Boges · January 23, 2012

The nazis won.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fN_DHh9hZYc/TcDGYuY5zyI/AAAAAAAAK9M/5SjcsMrLSss/s1600/face-palm-demotivational-poster-1233926135.jpg

The_Squid · January 23, 2012

So she says she's silenced, even though her research has been published publicly for everyone to read?

When they do not allow the researcher to travel to conferences for fear that someone might be listening.... that's akin to censoring.

The only reason the research itself is not censored is becasue it goes through peer-review before publication. If it went through a Harper Gov't review before being published, I would hate to think what kind of science that would lead to...

waldo · January 23, 2012

So she says she's silenced, even though her research has been published publicly for everyone to read?

Yes, the censorship that published her research for anyone and everyone to read.

yes, per the many, many CC/GW type citations you've offered in the past, not everyone can or is willing to presume on your favoured British tabloid journalists interpreting scientific papers!

the sorry state of mainstream news science reporting reflects on the significant incremental downsizing and cutbacks satisfying the almighty financial bottom line... is there a decent science reporter out there? (ok, a couple still remain, here and there). Just imagine, Shady expects a non-scientific 'journalist' to attempt to read, understand, interpret and report based on... available scientific papers. Because, you just know, it's so inconvenient and troublesome for media to actually talk to a government scientist to attempt to realize a 'layman understanding' that can be properly and accurately conveyed to the general public.

but don't worry, Harper Conservatives are on mission to reduce actual pure research... instead favouring science undertaking that aligns with applied/commercial science... only where projects & initiatives have business-related objectives.

Shady · January 23, 2012

Writers want Ottawa to let scientists ‘speak for themselves’
G&M

If they wish to speak for themselves, than they should work for themselves. But they're paid for, and working for the government under certain restrictions agreed to as per their employment. I'm sure that there are defense employees who would love to "speak for themselves" on some of the military technology they're researching as well.

your favoured British tabloid journalists interpreting scientific papers

Sorry waldo, but we're not referring to British tabloids.

her research had just been published in the prestigious international journal, Science
G&M

Sorry, but that's hardly muzzling. :rolleyes:

This is all much ado about nothing.

eyeball · January 23, 2012

This is all much ado about nothing.

This pretty much sums up what people hear from around the country when their region tries to get some attention drawn to their local issues, like collapsing fisheries.

This is why growing numbers of disillusioned Canadians don't vote or seem to give a shit about their country by the way, I mean who can fault them when their country doesn't give a shit about them?

waldo · January 23, 2012

If they wish to speak for themselves, than they should work for themselves. But they're paid for, and working for the government under certain restrictions agreed to as per their employment. I'm sure that there are defense employees who would love to "speak for themselves" on some of the military technology they're researching as well.

let me dumb it down for ya... this has nothing to do with possible concerns over non-disclosure. This is simply a reactionary controlling measure by Harper Conservatives... I expressed my earlier concerns on this from a CC/AGW perspective - where Harper Conservatives have initiated actions aimed specifically to muzzle government scientists, most particularly Environment Canada scientists, from speaking about their climate change related science research and publications.

Sorry waldo, but we're not referring to British tabloids.

yes, yes we are... the parallel is there, when your expressed references have been, over and over and over again, to channel the science related lies, distortions and fabrications of British tabloid journalists... of course, given the sorry state of mainstream journalism, a significant amount of information conveyed to the Canadian public has simply been news bureau/agencies verbatim distribution of this tabloid crapola... notwithstanding the nonsense perpetuated by the denialsphere on up into the mainstream. Where applicable, a counter to some of that crap science you revel in, is to have media in a position to consult with real scientists - go figure! What a concept!

sharkman · January 23, 2012

Christian scientists have faced this kind of treatment for decades and the scientific community didn't care then so their hyper-sensitivity now seems political more than anything else.

cybercoma · January 23, 2012

When they do not allow the researcher to travel to conferences for fear that someone might be listening.... that's akin to censoring.

The only reason the research itself is not censored is becasue it goes through peer-review before publication. If it went through a Harper Gov't review before being published, I would hate to think what kind of science that would lead to...

Probably the kind that wouldn't pass peer-review to be published in journals.

cybercoma · January 23, 2012

If they wish to speak for themselves, than they should work for themselves. But they're paid for, and working for the government under certain restrictions agreed to as per their employment. I'm sure that there are defense employees who would love to "speak for themselves" on some of the military technology they're researching as well.

Sorry waldo, but we're not referring to British tabloids.

Sorry, but that's hardly muzzling.

This is all much ado about nothing.

Why are you against scientists talking about their research, Shady?

cybercoma · January 23, 2012

Christian scientists have faced this kind of treatment for decades and the scientific community didn't care then so their hyper-sensitivity now seems political more than anything else.

Can you elaborate? You're reifying the "scientific community", so I'm having a hard time understanding your argument.

dre · January 23, 2012

I imagine this is standard practice. The government wants to control the message and I can see why.

But we definately need to have rigid rules around what the government can keep from us. That information is our property and we own it.

cybercoma · January 23, 2012

I don't disagree when it comes to paper pushers and other bureaucrats. Hell, if it's the kind of policy a party wants to have, I'm even on the fence about it being implemented for MPs--although I think it's a sign of weakness, contrary to the voting public apparently.

However, scientists are something different. People with PhDs do research and are supposed to be contributing to "new" knowledge. There's something unsettling about the government controlling what new knowledge scientists can talk about and what they can't. A scientist ought to be able to discuss and present their research with impunity for the sake of intellectual advancement and academic discourse.

Edited January 23, 2012 by cybercoma

sharkman · January 23, 2012

Can you elaborate? You're reifying the "scientific community", so I'm having a hard time understanding your argument.

Well, read it a few more times...

waldo · January 23, 2012

Christian scientists have faced this kind of treatment for decades and the scientific community didn't care then so their hyper-sensitivity now seems political more than anything else.

state/government level sanctioned, directed and enforced?... analogous to this threads discussion? Do tell, do tell...

The_Squid · January 23, 2012

Christian scientists have faced this kind of treatment for decades and the scientific community didn't care then so their hyper-sensitivity now seems political more than anything else.

What does this even mean?

Christian scientists? Usually scientist don't go around wearing their religion on their sleeves. They do science Mon - Fri. And they go to church on Sundays.

waldo · January 23, 2012

What does this even mean?
Christian scientists? Usually scientist don't go around wearing their religion on their sleeves. They do science Mon - Fri. And they go to church on Sundays.

it's par for the course... you see this sharkman nonsense played out regularly throughout denier spiced CC/GW threads - apparently, there is right-wing science, then there is left-wing science! Who knew! Who knew!