Calgary author Chris Turner has written a book based on evidence that the federal government is allegedly muzzling its scientists.
Ten days ago, I asked Environment Canada whether any of its scientists would be available for interviews about their research.
The department hasn’t yet answered this question along with others.
The questions arose following the publication of a new study concluding that deposits of toxic mercury were forming a bull’s eye around oilsands operations in Alberta.
Some Canadian government scientists allege that they are being muzzled
Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper made a strong case for parents to accept scientific evidence about the effectiveness of vaccines.
“We do have scientists and medical professionals who do great work and verify this and I just think its a tragedy when people start to go off on their own theories and not listen to the scientific evidence,” he told the CBC in an exclusive interview.
“Don’t indulge your theories, think of your children and listen to the experts.”
Within his own government, scientists and professionals who do research and gather evidence, are urging the prime minister to take a second look at his own theories.
The words “climate change” are sometimes hard to find in the Harper government’s published material.
OTTAWA-Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government is describing fresh allegations of muzzling as “absolutely ridiculous.”
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Canadian Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq rejected criticism from opposition New Democratic Party MP Megan Leslie who said the government “will stop at nothing to hide the consequences of climate change.”
Weather forecasters at Environment Canada aren’t supposed to discuss climate change in public, says a Canadian government spokesman.
Environment Canada made the comments in response to emailed questions about its communications policy.
published by Postmedia News on Jan. 21, 2012
OTTAWA – Some of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s newly-appointed senators are emerging as global-warming skeptics in the wake of aggressive government positions to abandon the Kyoto Protocol, slam environmentalists and downplay potential damage caused by Canadian oil and gas exploration.
“I felt like it is kind of an insult to be a denier for a long time,” said Sen. Bert Brown, last month at a parliamentary committee studying energy policies. “It feels pretty good this morning.”
Brown made the comments as the committee heard from four well-known academics who don’t believe humans are playing a major role in warming the planet. The session took place three days after Harper’s government confirmed it would withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol, the world’s only legally-binding agreement that requires countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Mike De Souza 