A researcher with Agriculture Canada agrees with a recent editorial in the prominent journal Nature, which accuses the Canadian government of muzzling its scientists.
“We (Agriculture Canada) are a publicly funded institution and what we do should be communicated to the public freely, without restrictions,” said the scientist, who noted that department researchers must jump through “hula hoops” if they want to talk to journalists.
“This is not only my experience, this is the experience of other people in the department.”
Scientists contacted for this story spoke on condition of anonymity.
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The researcher’s comments were in response to an editorial in the March 1 issue of Nature, which said federal government scientists, who were once free to speak with reporters, now need permission from a government media relations officer before talking to journalists.
On occasion, government scientists have not been permitted to speak to the media, including David Tarasick, an Environment Canada scientist who wasn’t allowed to talk about his published research on the ozone hole above the Arctic.
While the government rarely prohibits Agriculture Canada scientists from speaking with The Western Producer, some reporters with the paper have waited a week, or longer, to receive approval for an interview. Lengthy delays and the burdensome process of communicating with federal government scientists was highlighted in the Nature editorial.
“Policy directives and e-mails obtained from the government through freedom of information reveal a confused and Byzantine approach to the press, prioritizing message control and showing little understanding of the importance of the free flow of scientific knowledge,” the editorial said.
The Agriculture Canada researcher said that applies to Agriculture Canada researchers.
“There are hurdles … and if a subject is controversial, you won’t be able to jump over that hurdle.”
He said it’s ridiculous that Agriculture Canada scientists need permission to answer questions about their work or to explain research published in public journals.
“Somebody (needs to) translate that for a layperson because that layperson’s taxes goes to support my activities.”
Other Agriculture Canada scientists were less concerned about the federal government’s insistence that scientists notify communication specialists before speaking with journalists.
One scientist said it isn’t an issue at his research centre, while another said she ignores the government policy, partly out of habit because previous governments never restricted Agriculture Canada scientists. However, she does worry she may be disciplined for speaking with the media.
Stephen Strauss, vice-president of the Canadian Science Writers’ Association, said the federal government’s “muzzling” of scientists is unheard of in other developed countries.
“I haven’t heard of the kind of problems we face in Canada anywhere else,” he said, noting U.S. government scientists weren’t entirely free to speak to the media when George W. Bush was president but have been unshackled since president Barack Obama took office.
Ottawa did not respond to Producer queries in time for this issue.
