XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, man.politics   
   XPost: sk.politics   
   From: Panca@nyet.ca   
      
   And just another way in which Harper & Co found the money to 'balance the   
   budget' on the backs of cut Canadian services.   
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   english@rcinet.ca - Tuesday 21 October, 2014   
      
   World scientists ask Canada to stop restrictions   
      
   Over 800 scientists from 32 countries have written to Canada’s prime minister   
   asking that he ‘remove excessive and burdensome restrictions and barriers to   
   scientific communication and collaboration faced by Canadian government   
   scientists.”   
      
   ‘A rapid decline in freedoms and funding’   
      
   The letter to Stephen Harper cites recent reports that highlight “a rapid   
   decline in freedoms and funding extended to Canadian government scientists,   
   which make it more difficult for them to continue research, communicate   
   scientific information and expertise, and collaborate internationally.”   
      
   Canadian scientists have been often been unable to attend international   
   conferences because the government has been unwilling to fund them, says   
   Michael Halpern, manager of strategy of innovation for the Union of Concerned   
   Scientists.  “All of us benefit when scientists, and government scientists in   
   particular, are free to tell us about their results and collaborate with the   
   global community of scientists and ultimately speak truth to power,” he says.   
      
      
   Government imposes ‘restrictive agreements’ say scientists   
      
   Scientists should be free to publish their research regardless, says Halpern,   
   and not be constrained by confidentiality agreements. “We’ve seen the   
   Harper   
   government institute newer, more restrictive agreements that a lot of   
   scientists in the U.S. and around the world are unwilling to sign because it   
   compromises their ability to publish research regardless of the results.”   
      
   The letter was signed by scientists from institutions like Harvard Medical   
   School in the U.S. and the Max Planck Institute in Germany. It was published in   
   several newspaper and on line ads paid for by the union which represents   
   Canada’s scientists.   
      
      
   ‘Science in Canada is declining’   
      
   “We see scientists from all over the place who are really concerned that   
   science in Canada is declining and something needs to be done to get it back on   
   track,” said Halpern.   
   null The Canadian government says it has made “record investments in science,   
   technology and innovation” and that “scientists have, and are readily   
   available   
   to share their research with Canadians.”   
      
      
   Government touts ‘record investments’ in science   
      
   The Canadian government responded to the letter in a statement to the public   
   broadcaster, CBC. It says the Harper government has made “record investments   
   in   
   science, technology and innovation.” It also said Canada is No. 1 among G7   
   countries for its support of research and development at its colleges,   
   universities “and other research institutes.” However, the statement did   
   not   
   mention research conducted by federal government departments.   
      
   According to the union, $2.6 billion in cuts have been budgeted for the 10 top   
   science-based federal government ministries and departments between 2013 and   
   2016.   
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   ‘Scientists are readily available,’ replies government   
      
   With regard to the freedom of federal scientists to communicate, the statement   
   said, “While ministers are the primary spokespersons for government   
   departments; scientists have, and are readily available to share their research   
   with Canadians.”   
      
   Reporters requesting interviews with scientists routinely wait so long for a   
   decision that their deadlines are missed, their requests are denied or the   
   response is provided in an email directly from a minister’s office.   
      
      
   Foreign jurists too have complained   
      
   This is the second time an international group of professionals has criticised   
   and written directly to Canada’s prime minister. In June ,an international   
   panel of jurists asked Harper to apologize for impugning the integrity of the   
   head of the Supreme Court of Canada.   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)