I sounded the warning more than six years ago, when I was still reporting and when the federal Conservatives only led a MINORITY government: Prime Minister Stephen Harper was silencing civil servants.
The first I noticed occurred with federal fisheries officials, who had always been quite helpful and available to explain to Canadians (media reporters are only the messengers) what was really going on in areas of public concern regarding their work. Then Harper’s goons (ministerial bosses) all but shut them down … requiring them to get permission from Ottawa to even give an interview and telling them what to say …or not to say …or refer questions to higher brass in the capital …often not available “that day”.
I other words, control or kill the story.
For the Tory government, that was no doubt often worth the effort … many media outlets, in the age of doing more with less, lacked the resources to pursue the story as they should have and would do the story “the government’s way” or drop it and move onto something else.
And under Harper’s majority, things have gotten even worse: control of the “message” or denial of open free access to officials is now routine.
The public has paid the price … denied full and timely information … while the centralist CONSERVATIVE government has grabbed greater control than ever before over our right to know.
So much for the Tory supposed ideological belief if in small government, with very limited control over our freedoms, our lives and our access to information.
Where are the conservative voices that so often railed in the past about Big Government, Liberal and NDP Big Brother mentalities? Why so silent when a Conservative government turns its back so easily and so widely on the public’s right to know?
Fortunately, there are those in the blogosphere and the media who will NOT let this issue die.
One of the most sharpest thorns in the government’s side is journalist Michael Harris of the website www.ipolitics.ca .
In February, Harris wrote two terrific pieces: Feb 7 “New Policy Gives Government Power to Muzzle DFO Scientists” , Feb. 12 “DFO and Science: a Fish Story “ and Feb 14: We’re living in a Golden Age of Falsehood” that detailed why he describes Harper as “the Lance Armstrong of politics …minus the urine test”.
Terrific work! All three deserve careful reading.
And among his examples, how the Federal Fisheries Minister was telling the House of Commons one thing about controls on publishing material …while his own scientists were secretly telling the opposite was true .. “one of them even posted documents on the Internet showing precisely how the rues of changed.”
I found it interesting that the loudest sustained voices against Harper’s muzzling mania is coming from the blogosphere.
To his credit, CKNW’s Bill Good had Harris on his show last Friday (Feb. 15) at 9:30 a.m. and you can access it in the station’s Radio Vault…Click here.
Fascinating… and frightening information!
The MSM should be doing much more to keep this issue front and centre wherever and whenever Harper…or any of his Ministers … appear, speak or take questions.
And so should REAL conservatives … who so often warn against government muzzling of information …when others are in power.
Harv Oberfeld
(Reminder: You can get FIRST ALERT notification of all new postings on the blog by signing up to follow me on Twitter: @harveyoberfeld.ca. No spam! )
22 responses so far ↓
1 Larry Bennett // Feb 17, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Controllers – They are Legion Harv. Believe it or not, there are some blogmasters who like to control the message too. Though it is more noticeable in the small local papers like the Now and the NewsLeader who receive lots of advertising from municipal and provincial parties.
2 e.a.f. // Feb 17, 2013 at 1:20 pm
stevie slime is just trying to bring our system into line with that of china’s, russia’s, syria’s,the rest of those “enlightened” countries. there is little evidence, harper believes in a free and open democracy
3 SC // Feb 17, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Harv, I think you might be quite interested in listening to CKNW’s Jon McComb in which “Why does PM Stephen Harper fear science?” was the subject of his editorial, which can be found in the Audio Vault (February 14 @ the 4PM hour, starts approx 16:30).
(Response: Thanks. I like Jon’s comments. Would sure rather hear him in the morning than Till and than Michael Campbell! h.o)
4 Julie // Feb 17, 2013 at 2:44 pm
That’s why we appreciate bloggers such as you Harv.
Speaking for myself. I wouldn’t have a clue how to ferret out that information. You do good work for us. I am grateful you do.
(Response: Thanks. And I really enjoy …and appreciate … opportunity of spreading the word about things I like, dislike …or just find interesting. And to have many, many others read it too … AND COMMENT BACK … is awesome fun! h.o.)
5 13 // Feb 17, 2013 at 3:36 pm
Harvey, you would have a hard time finding someone to argue that Harpers level of control is good. My interest in this post is your willingness to give Bill Good credit for anything. I know you keep it real and are quite capable of critical comment as well as positive comment. Many that post on this blog do not have that ability. They will call NW a corporate sell out and Good the chief spokesman. As far as Till in the am I also agree. Jon or even Mike Smyth are better. Till seems awkward and his attempts at humour are forced and contrived.
My interest in NW comes from being in a truck for the past 35 years. Wether I like nw or not there is no viable allternative. When NW becomes unbearable ( Goods View on Wednesday with three women talking over top of one another) I go to 1130 or turn it off
I miss Berner, Faux, Mair, and even the one that told listeners to “get on with it”
(Response: Well, you may have noticed I have given Good/NW pretty heavy criticism on a fair number of occasions…but I don’t get the idea that he must ONLY or ALWAYS be dumped on. In this case, he invited on a really great guest..and the interview was fine too and I have no problem in saying it! h.o.)
6 Alexandra // Feb 17, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Not to be disrespectfull Harvey, but don’t you think the problems here in British Columbia are more pressing?, we have a B.C. government spinning out of control, we British Columbians are all sitting in this dirty diaper of taint, and rudderless leaderless administration
with a government on the cusp of falling in about a week!!!
I am no fan of Harper, and have not and will not vote for his government, but at this pivotal time in British Columbia’s history I think the narrative has to be about our home and province, not an idiot thousands of miles away.
(Response: Most of us can multi-task …or should I say multi-critique. And there’s no reason to give any other government (federal, municipal or regional) or for that matter any other topic a free pass for Feb, March, April …just because BC has an election in May. h.o)
7 Barry // Feb 17, 2013 at 5:36 pm
And now we have Harper trying to muzzle international scientists by forcing them to sign so-called “non-disclosure agreements.”
I’ve done enough science reporting to know that when any outfit wants this sort of control, it’s because they have something to hide or want to control the message.
Remember, Cockroaches thrive in the darkness. Now it looks like we can add Harper’s Conservatives to that list. Climate change? What climate change??
8 Gumby // Feb 17, 2013 at 6:35 pm
Yes, Harper is insane, a denier of facts, of science, and when $hundreds of billions of dollars are required to clean up Alberta who will pay?
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Oilsands+tailings+leaking+into+groundwater+Oliver+told/7977885/story.html
There are 5000 square miles of toxic tailing ponds in Alberta, the dead bird count is astonishing, they die for the mere sin of landing on water.
Harper`s days in power are coming to an end, not soon enough.
9 Gilbert // Feb 17, 2013 at 9:24 pm
Prime Minister isn’t perfect, but he’s a very competent prime minister. There have been few scandals in his government, he’s worked hard to diversify the Canadian economy, sought more free trade agreements, and tackled difficult issues such as crime and immigration. I think it’s important to consider his accomplishments.
(Response: Just curiuos…if he’s so good and so competent, why is he afraid of letting Canadians know what experienced senior officials and scientists have found during their work? Why won’t he let reporters freely ask them questions? h.o)
10 SunWuKong // Feb 17, 2013 at 10:27 pm
@Gumby
“Harper`s days in power are coming to an end, not soon enough.”
I wish I could believe this — but the last federal election killed off most of my optimism/respect for the Canadian electorate.
11 Larry Bennett // Feb 18, 2013 at 8:59 am
Me and Gil’s, buddies – Great minds think alike!
Sometimes Harvey and the boys (and girls) seem to think we (the people) would rather hear their view of what’s happening (and that is okay, it’s their job) but we voted for Stephen, and I’m glad we did~
(Response: Actually it should have NOTHING to do with who any of us voted for at all: we should ALL support freedom of information, the right to ask questions and get honest answers, regardless of which government is in power. The alternative is actually quite dangerous. And it’s the partisan blindness that looks the other way when it’s “their” party in power that get’s our democracy into such credibility trouble. And robs the public of the truth. h.o)
12 Len // Feb 18, 2013 at 10:11 am
Conservatives and principles…..two words that don’t seem to go together,at least not to me
13 Hugh // Feb 18, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Gilbert,
Ha, at first I thought you were being serious.
14 morry // Feb 18, 2013 at 1:13 pm
One of Harper’s greatest flaws. He denies facts and silences those that have opposing views.
He can’t handles challengers who would question his pronouncements. A weak and flawed personality
15 Scotty on Denman // Feb 18, 2013 at 3:31 pm
What does Harper have to do with conservative principles? Sure, he co-opted the name (minus the “Progressive” part, of course) but let’s admit the rump PC faction was unhappy at being betrayed to Harper by its one-time leader Peter MacKay (who secured an important ministry despite his mediocre performance). Many of these now support other parties.
Traditional conservatism accepts social class -stratification as natural but never did exclude any of them from the organic whole of society. Certainly, knowing your place or not getting above your raisin’ rankled those who sought social mobility but at least everyone had a place. With Harper, everybody’s on their own; accident, slip, illness or misfortune and it’s tough titty. This is neo-rightism, not conservatism.
Conservative means prudence, saving fora rainy day. Harper looks like he can’t develop shale and sand fuels fast enough. Which brings us to patriotism.
Used to be conservatives were among the most patriotic groups in society. Harper will truck with China or anybody else before acting prudentially on behalf of his own country, making him less than a patriot.
Oh, yes, I get it: Globalism, Free Trade, profitability are all the big paradigms now. But that ain’t conservative. Muzzling science is really about supporting these new paradigms (whether this is intellectually insulting is of no account to the in crowd. Fish farm Association shills regularly complained to the commission on aquaculture that scientific data should be inadmissible because non-scientists such as themselves couldn’t be expected to understand it. The only expertise one would ever need, eh? ) It depends in large part on creating NewSpeak which, in addition to other things, turns the meaning of neo-rightism (the hobbling of public institutions to replace them with privateers) with the word “conservative”.
16 Larry Bennett // Feb 18, 2013 at 5:12 pm
Geez Harvey, on the provincial scene, at least, no one seems to know what Adrian Dix and the socialists have up their sleeves should they win this March. Has the media a responsibility to query them on it, or do the NDP not have a responsibility to tell us what kind of deals they are making with their traditional sponsors? Now I know you’re not big on Trudeau Jr., but isn’t it amazing how many people seem not to give a damn what or whether he has a stand on anything.
(Response: I agree… we NEED a lot more from Dix and the NDP about what SPECIFICALLY they would do if the win the election in May (not March). Dix has repeatedly said we WILL see a complete detailed latform, complete with full costing figures when the election is called. He’d better do that… because UI blieve there are many non-aligned people now willing to vote NDP but who would vote Liberal if the NDP just asked for a blank cheque or offered some vague cliche promises. As for telling us about behind the scenes deals or promises, they probably won’t , just as the Libs didn’t either. h.o)
17 Arguing with fools // Feb 19, 2013 at 6:13 pm
Hey Gumby put down the bong, load up google earth, type in Ft mcmurray, pan north till you get to suncor’s mine, then select the measure tool, click the southern end of the tailings pond and then click on the northern edge. Write that number down and make note of the units. Multiply that number with the number you get from the east-west number. Guess what….. It comes nowhere near 5000 square miles. You may want to educate yourself about basic measurements before you decry others grasps of math and science.
18 SunWuKong // Feb 19, 2013 at 6:27 pm
Whoops — there goes Kits Coast Guard!
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Federal+government+closes+Vancouver+coast+guard+station/7987072/story.html
Good thing we’re so concentrated on the provincial government not to care!
If there’s no groundswell of outrage against, at the very least, the BC members of the CPC, then my cynicism is justified.
19 D. M. Johnston // Feb 20, 2013 at 11:45 am
Why is it, the more right wing a politician, the more fascisti the politician becomes. Fear and loathing has become the credo of most right wing politicians and Herr Harper fits right in this mode.
The truth is feared; freedom is feared and free speech is feared and the Harper Conservatives fear everything.
The sad thing about the Harper government, is that their Orwellian excuse for their actions are contagious and as the boomers age, they are embracing this political view, a political view the boomers fathers fought against.
The war against evil never ends, it is a generational fight, as the ooze of hate and mistrust seeps into every generation.
20 SunWuKong // Feb 20, 2013 at 6:20 pm
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/pipeline-industry-pushed-environmental-changes-made-in-omnibus-bill-documents-show/article8894850/
“The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association met with senior government officials in the fall of 2011, urging them not just to streamline environmental assessments, but also to bring in “new regulations under [the] Navigable Waters Protection Act,” a CEPA slide presentation shows.”
…
“Transport Minister Denis Lebel has argued that the changes were in response to demands from municipalities, who found that the act was tying them up in red tape as they tried to build bridges and culverts, said spokesman Mike Winterburn.”
Just how much outrageous does this government have to be before Canadians wake up? Forgive me for still giving them even odds to win another majority.
21 r // Feb 24, 2013 at 12:38 pm
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/censorship-is-alive-and-well-in-canada-just-ask-government-scientists/article8996700/
22 Unmuzzledscience // Feb 26, 2013 at 9:26 pm
Great post. You’re right, Michael Harris has done some great reporting on how this particular government has failed to deliver on what it said it would do, and on calling them out on some fairly major issues, including the muzzling of government scientists and other federal employees.
Just wanted to let you and you’re readers know that I’m one of those scientists- you can check out my blog here: http://unmuzzledscience.wordpress.com/
I’m doing my best to try and make this a repository for all the direct and indirect ways in which this current government is making it near impossible for it’s scientists to do what they were hired to do- science.
One other thing that this current government was all about when it was trying to get a majority government was “transparency”. Talk about broken promises- how transparent is it when you have to get called out by your budget commissioner for cooking the books on F-35 estimates? Or when you tightly control the access of your scientists for interviews, and now even publication of their papers and funding applications to external funders? It’s all quite dissapointing. Let’s hope enough people are angered by this to make their voice heard and make a difference.
(Response: And it’s not only scientists who have been muzzled… federal bureaucrats in every department are on much tighter leashes under Harper/Tories. The problem is Canadians are too complacent and governments can get away with it here much easier than in the US, for example, where the RULE is everything is public UNLESS specifically excluded: in Canada it’s the opposite and in the two countries, the respective public servants MUST act accordingly. h.o)