Speakers at a major science meeting being held in Canada said communication of vital research on health and environment issues is being suppressed. […]

Prof Thomas Pedersen, a senior scientist at the University of Victoria, said he believed there was a political motive in some cases.

"The Prime Minister (Stephen Harper) is keen to keep control of the message, I think to ensure that the government won't be embarrassed by scientific findings of its scientists that run counter to sound environmental stewardship," he said.

As Public Safety Minister Vic Toews demands an investigation into how the story of his alleged infidelities, love child and subsequent divorce ended up on Twitter, I am demanding a different investigation entirely [...]

The Harper government [...] is paying a very American price for turning hard right on individual freedoms in the guise of investigating child pornography. It is using astonishingly totalitarian police tools.

In an open letter initiated by the various organizations representing science journalists and science communicators, the authors call on Stephen Harper to follow the U.S. lead in letting scientists speak. Despite the majority government's promise to follow principles of accountability and transparency, scientists are being prevented from speaking to journalists about their research without having the "consent" of media relations officers first. After years of unsuccessful attempts at resolving this issue, these organizations are launching a campaign to push for more access to federally funded scientists.