An Agriculture Canada researcher says the Conservative government policy of muzzling federal scientists was embarrassing because taxpayer-funded science should be public.
The new Liberal government has signaled it is changing course and says it will permit federal scientists to speak openly with Canadians. Prime minister Justin Trudeau made the policy more official in a Nov. 13 letter to science minister Kirsty Duncan.
The mandate letter, posted on Trudeau’s webpage, said the minister should create a chief science officer and encourage dialogue with Canadians.
“To ensure that government science is fully available to the public, that scientists are able to speak freely about their work and that scientific analyses are considered when the government makes decisions,” Trudeau wrote.
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Steve Hindle, vice-president with the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, said the message is clear: scientists are now free to speak to media and all Canadians.
“That’s pretty strong to me,” Hindle said.
“The fact that he (Trudeau) has made it public means we have something… to hold them to account.”
Federal scientists complained and held demonstrations during the 10 years of the previous Conservative government to protest restrictions on what they could say publicly.
Scientists frequently had to get permission from federal communication employees or ministerial staff before they could speak with the media.
The policy garnered international attention, particularly the muzzling of Canadian scientists who study the Arctic and climate change.
In 2012, the prominent journal Nature wrote an editorial condemning the silencing of publicly funded science.
Krzysztof Szczyglowski, an Agriculture Canada research scientist in London, Ont., said the policy was difficult to swallow because government scientists have a responsibility to serve Canadians.
“At the end of the day, what we are doing is for the good of the public. And the public should know what we are doing,” he said.
“I felt it was an embarrassing position…. Since we are paid by the taxpayers we should be able to communicate with the public without any restrictions, on matters of science.”
Trudeau’s policy of open communication also extends to his new ministers. In a mandate letter to agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay, Trudeau said the minister has a responsibility to speak with the media.
“All journalists in Canada and abroad are professionals who, by asking necessary questions, contribute in an important way to the democratic process,” the letter said.
“Your professionalism and engagement with them is essential.”
robert.arnason@producer.com
