Scientist protest song....its a hit!

[Topaz]

One scientist decided to write a song about Harper and the party and joining him are many seniors and I think its really cool, groovy, since I haven\t heard one since the 1960, so listen and enjoy and maybe sing it on election day. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/harperman-tony-turner-scientist-investigation-1.3207390 link here

Edited August 28, 2015 by Topaz

[Topaz]

Sorry guy the link didn't work but it should here. It's really a good song.

[ReeferMadness]

Tony Turner has been suspended from his job for this.

“None of our materials say he’s a public servant. He’s performing as an artist. Besides freedom of speech, there’s an issue of artistic expression here,” Mr. Hall said.

This seems like a very questionable move by the Government of Canada. This man should have the right to express his political views in his own time. I see this as a freedom of speech issue.

Just another example of the Conservative government muzzling people.

Edited August 29, 2015 by ReeferMadness

[On Guard for Thee]

Tony Turner has been suspended from his job for this.

This seems like a very questionable move by the Government of Canada. This man should have the right to express his political views in his own time. I see this as a freedom of speech issue.

I haven't yet bothered to dig into the terms that encompass government employment,but I do know that people like this guy work for us and not for Harper.

[ReeferMadness]

I haven't yet bothered to dig into the terms that encompass government employment,but I do know that people like this guy work for us and not for Harper.

If he used his job as a platform to promote his song; or if his ability to perform his job was somehow compromised by this song, I could see the action. But this guy studies migratory birds.

He's due to retire shortly so clearly the action is not aimed at him. It's intended to put a chill in the civil service and prevent others from engaging in political activity.

Because you can bet your last dollar that the vast majority of the civil service would like nothing more than to see the back of Harper leaving for good.

I hope it goes to court. There is no way this can stand.

Edited August 29, 2015 by ReeferMadness

[On Guard for Thee]

If he used his job as a platform to promote his song; or if his ability to perform his job was somehow compromised by this song, I could see the action. But this guy studies migratory birds.

He's due to retire shortly so clearly the action is not aimed at him. It's intended to put a chill in the civil service and prevent others from engaging in political activity.

Because you can bet your last dollar that the vast majority of the civil service would like nothing more than to see the back of Harper leaving for good.

I hope it goes to court. There is no way this can stand.

I suspect the union will support court action. I'm sure though that if Harper remains in power, he will find a way to lay off yet another scientist. (or another couple thousand)

[Argus]

Tony Turner has been suspended from his job for this.

This seems like a very questionable move by the Government of Canada. This man should have the right to express his political views in his own time. I see this as a freedom of speech issue.

Just another example of the Conservative government muzzling people.

Government employees are supposed to be neutral and unbiased. We all know they're not. But they are told as a condition of employment that they must not engage in public political acts, most especially when during an election. I used to be one and we would get that warning every time there was an election. It has nothing to do with the government in power. It's a rule of the job and enforced by the individual departments. He should, by rights, be fired, and I expect and hope he will be. Public servants are supposed to be neutral, and if you're so much of a zealot you can't keep your politics from going public, find another place to work.

[Argus]

If he used his job as a platform to promote his song; or if his ability to perform his job was somehow compromised by this song, I could see the action. But this guy studies migratory birds.

He's due to retire shortly so clearly the action is not aimed at him. It's intended to put a chill in the civil service and prevent others from engaging in political activity.

Because you can bet your last dollar that the vast majority of the civil service would like nothing more than to see the back of Harper leaving for good.

I hope it goes to court. There is no way this can stand.

Guess again. There have already been court cases and the supreme court has reaffirmed that public servants may not engage in political activity.

[ReeferMadness]

Government employees are supposed to be neutral and unbiased. We all know they're not. But they are told as a condition of employment that they must not engage in public political acts, most especially when during an election. I used to be one and we would get that warning every time there was an election.

You're wrong. As usual. Government employees don't give up their rights to engage in political activity.

Employees' right to engage in political activities at the federal, provincial, territorial or municipal level is recognized in the PSEA. The Act states, “an employee may engage in any political activity so long as it does not impair, or is not perceived as impairing, the employee's ability to perform his or her duties in a politically impartial manner.”

I look forward to the Government of Canada explaining to a judge how this song impairs Tony Turner's ability to study birds.

And you're welcome to hold whatever ridiculous views you like. But it would be nice if you did some research before sharing them here.

[Argus]

You're wrong. As usual. Government employees don't give up their rights to engage in political activity.

They have the right to engage in the sorts of political activity ordinary people engage in, ie, supporting a candidate, attending events, even volunteering. But it's not an absolute. The more public and visible your activity is the more the public service frowns upon it. If you read further down that cite it says so. I know that you self-righteous lefties think that anything you do or say should be fine, given everyone but you is just trash, but that's not the way the public service sees it. If this guy is near retirement, fine. If not his career is over. The public service does not like people who embarrass it in public, and his bosses at environment Canada will get him back one way or the other.

[ReeferMadness]

They have the right to engage in the sorts of political activity ordinary people engage in, ie, supporting a candidate, attending events, even volunteering. But it's not an absolute. The more public and visible your activity is the more the public service frowns upon it.

Based on what has been reported, he did nothing to associate himself with his public service job. And exactly how public and visible is the study of migratory birds? This appears to be a case of some idiot in the government overstepping and stifling legitimate freedom of speech.

I know you and the rest of the Harper echo chamber would prefer to not be reminded of all of Harper's corrupt activities. But freedom of speech still exists.

[-1=e^ipi]

Catchy tune.

This man should have the right to express his political views in his own time. I see this as a freedom of speech issue.

But if a professor in certain universities expresses online that they think the most qualified individual should get the job, that would be a 'microaggression' and they would face 'disciplinary action'.

[cybercoma]

Catchy tune.

But if a professor in certain universities expresses online that they think the most qualified individual should get the job, that would be a 'microaggression' and they would face 'disciplinary action'.

name one.

[Smallc]

Companies fire employees for this kind of thing all of the time. I don't see the big deal.

[On Guard for Thee]

Yeah but is there any more room under Harper's bus?

[-1=e^ipi]

name one.

Berkley. See the microaggression thread.

[cybercoma]

Companies fire employees for this kind of thing all of the time. I don't see the big deal.

Companies fire employees for free political speech? That's interesting. So if someone finds out you're a Conservative, they can fire you on the spot? Or does it have to go further than that? Can employers fire people for donating to political parties now? How about if your boss finds out you have a lawn sign that supports the Conservatives and he's a Liberal? Do you think this guy would have been fired if he wrote a song about how much he supports Harper?

In short, don't play naive.

[cybercoma]

Berkley. See the microaggression thread.

Name one professor who faced disciplinary action for microaggressions.

[Smallc]

Companies fire employees for free political speech?

You can't talk badly about the boss no matter where you are.

So if someone finds out you're a Conservative, they can fire you on the spot?

Well then I could sue them for wrongful dismissal.

[-1=e^ipi]

Name one professor who faced disciplinary action for microaggressions.

Why? I never made such a claim.

But while you are on the topic:

http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college-professor-afraid

"I once saw an adjunct not get his contract renewed after students complained that he exposed them to "offensive" texts written by Edward Said and Mark Twain."

[Topaz]

Remember the songs they had about GW Bush when he was running for President? Anything they sang about Harper was the truth and the music is one, once one hears it, its hard to get the tune out of your head. My spouse kept singing :harperman harperman......very creative music and words.

Edited August 29, 2015 by Topaz

[Evening Star]

Why? I never made such a claim.

That's exactly what you said:

But if a professor in certain universities expresses online that they think the most qualified individual should get the job, that would be a 'microaggression' and they would face 'disciplinary action'.

But while you are on the topic:

http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college-professor-afraid

"I once saw an adjunct not get his contract renewed after students complained that he exposed them to "offensive" texts written by Edward Said and Mark Twain."

I've done plenty of 'adjunct' (usually called "sessional" in Canada) teaching and, yes, your situation is quite precarious and is often unfortunately dependent on student evaluations. However, I do not think that the content of this article supports its title. Much of it relies on vague anecdotes such as the one that you quote. Also, someone who was offended by Edward Said was quite likely a conservative student, rather than a liberal one. In fact, the only formal complaint that this instructor has had filed against him was by a right-wing student who accused him of being a communist, not by a "liberal student". And what happened to that complaint? "It disappeared forever".

A response: http://www.vox.com/2015/6/5/8736591/liberal-professor-identity

[cybercoma]

You can't talk badly about the boss no matter where you are.

First of all, the Prime Minister isn't his boss, as the scientists operate independently. Secondly, there's a big difference when your "boss" is a politician and you have free political expression protected by the charter of rights and freedoms.

Well then I could sue them for wrongful dismissal.

Just as I'm assuming this guy could successfully do if he loses his job and also claim that it's government persecution of his free political speech. That's the exact same part of the Charter by the way that the Conservatives used to argue that they could steal news footage and force networks to broadcast their ads without permission.

But the more important issue here is the optics. This story is being picked up internationally because it's a common bureaucrat who's been suspended for expressing his political opinion in his own personal time without any reference to his job. This looks exactly like political persecution, plain and simple. Like I said before, do you really think he would have been suspended if he wrote a song promoting the Conservatives? I highly doubt it, even though by their reading of the rules that wouldn't be allowed either. Going after this guy is petty and the kind of stuff you would expect from banana republics not one of the most advanced nations in the world. And that's why it's being picked up in the US and the UK. Because it's flat out ridiculous and shows how petty and megalomaniacal Harper is.

[BubberMiley]

The Conservatives will lose this battle, not only because his rights to free political expression are guaranteed under the Charter, but also because they were stupid enough to go after him during the election, thereby making the video go viral and showing the county what measures they will take to stifle any criticism whatsoever.

It's pretty hard to argue you're not an authoritarian bully when you do stuff like this.

[Smallc]

First of all, the Prime Minister isn't his boss, as the scientists operate independently.

Funded by the government. Don't say things about the boss that you wouldn't say to their face.