This just came in from the rally today in Victoria, sent by organizer Ken Wu.
For Immediate Release
Sept.14, 2012
Scientists Rally in Victoria against the Harper Conservatives’ Assault
on Science, Environmental Monitoring, and Information Dissemination
About 200 scientists, many of them wearing white lab coats, and
concerned citizens rallied at noon today in downtown Victoria by the
federal government building at Yates and Government Streets against
the Harper Conservatives’ assault on scientific research,
environmental monitoring, information dissemination, and informed
decision-making in Canada. Speakers included University of Victoria
climate scientist Dr. Andrew Weaver, Green Party of Canada leader and
MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands Elizabeth May, NDP MLA for South Saanich
Lana Popham, Center for Child honouring singer and song-writer Raffi,
and Majority for A Sustainable Society (MASS) executive director Ken
Wu.
“Democracy depends on informed opinion. Informed opinion relies on
understanding all the evidence, not just that which supports a
political objective or ideology. Science provides much of the best
evidence, without regard to political agendas or ideology,” stated Dr.
Andrew Weaver. “The only scientific evidence the Harper Conservatives
want the public to know about is that which supports their political
objectives and ideology. That’s not science, that’s propaganda.”
“An advanced, modern democratic society needs decisions to be based on
the best information available. Harper’s agenda seems to be focused on
eliminating any institutions that bring forward information that might
contradict or constrain his agenda for unfettered fossil fuel and
resource extraction in Canada,” stated MP Elizabeth May. “Instead of
making decisions based on the best available information, their goal
is to eliminate the best available information so they can implement
pre-made decisions based on their ideology.”
The Harper Conservatives have embarked on a systematic program to
impede and divert the flow of scientific information to Canadians
through two major strategies.
The first strategy involves the gutting of scientific research
institutions and programs that uncover scientific evidence. Examples
of this include:
– The end of funding to the Canadian Foundation of Climate and
Atmospheric Science
– The elimination of the Adaptation research group within Environment Canada
– Cuts to ozone monitoring
– Closure of the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory
(PEARL) in Eureka
– End of federal funding for the world renowned Experimental Lakes
Area near Kenora, Ontario
– The elimination of the marine contaminants program within the DFO
– The loss of scientists in Natural Resources Canada to study ice
cores data (and the hope to find a university with a large fridge
willing to take the 80,000 year ice core record Canada’s government no
longer wants)
– The end of monitoring smoke stack emissions
– Cut backs in the Canada Oil and Gas research group in Halifax
– Other major funding cuts research programs at Environment Canada,
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Library and Archives Canada, the National
Research Council Canada, Statistics Canada, and the Natural Sciences
and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
– Decisions to close major natural and social science research
institutions such as the world-renowned Experimental Lakes Area, the
National Council of Welfare and the First Nations Statistical
Institute.
– Cutting the mandatory long-form national census.
Harper’s second strategy is to impede the bringing forward of
scientific evidence into the public debate. Examples:
– Shutting down the National Round Table on Environment and Economy
(NRTEE), an arm’s length advisory body providing independent advice on
environmental protection and economic development, because the
government didn’t like its advice.
– Not renewing the National Science Advisor in 2008.
– Dozens of instances of censoring of, impeded access to, and coercion
of government scientists, a practice which Minister of Environment
Peter Kent has justified as merely in keeping with “established
practice”.
Rally organizer Ken Wu expects that the political momentum against the
Harper’s cuts to scientific programs and institutions will continue to
grow in the future.
