Seasoned bureaucrats, top advisers and members of his own party are not immune from censorship. Harper's need to control communications, messaging and any views deviating from his party line has no bounds. NEW STORY THIS MONTH
Budget effectively shuts down the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy
Ottawa (30 March 2012) - Started by the Mulronely government, the Harper government seems to have no quams about gutting the NRTEE.
Minister says Public Safety handles meeting requests to ensure fairness
Ottawa (20 January 2012) - Public Safety Minister Vic Toews is denying allegations that his department is trying to "muzzle" RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson.
Muzzled Scientists = 80% reduction in media coverage of climate change
Ottawa (26 October 2011) - If you follow the news in Canada, you may mistakenly be under the impression that climate change is not as pressing an issue as it was five years ago. Unfortunately, it is. However, since 2007, Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been using a variety of control tactics to carefully craft and restrict the things that the media learns about his government. One of those tactics includes muzzling government scientists by preventing them from speaking to the media about the research that they are doing and their findings. The result: there has been an 80% reduction in media coverage of climate change issues since 2007.
StatsCan head quits over census dispute
Ottawa (21 July 2010) - The country's top statistician, Munir Sheikh has resigned in frustration. The Conservative minority government, despite widespread opposition from statisticians across Canada, has axed the mandatory long-form census.
Statistics Canada head quits over census row
Ottawa (22 July 2010) - The head of Statistics Canada has quit, saying a voluntary census can't replace a mandatory one. Munir Sheikh, the country's top statistician, said a voluntary survey isn't a substitute for a mandatory census.
Crude Harper executive firings hits taxpayers hard
Ottawa (13 July 2010) - In a sweeping ruling, the Public Service Labour Relations Board (PSLRB) says former public works adviser Douglas Tipple's layoff in 2006 was nothing more than a "disguised" firing for political purposes. The PSLRB orders $1.4M settlement for the executive subjected to a 'sham' dismissal by federal Conservatives.
"This is a decision that is 100% in favour of the grievor and 100% against the government. This is a stinging indictment of the government," Stephen Victor, a lawyer representing Tipple, told the newspaper.
Climate-change scientists feel 'muzzled' by Ottawa
Ottawa (15 March 2010) - A dramatic reduction in Canadian media coverage of climate change science issues is the result of the Harper government introducing new rules in 2007 to control interviews by Environment Canada scientists with journalists, says a newly released federal document.
The analysis reviewed the impact of a new federal communications policy at Environment Canada, which required senior federal scientists to seek permission from the government prior to giving interviews.
Tories' antics weakening role of Parliament
Ottawa (27 March, 2010) - The increasingly disgraceful shenanigans on Parliament Hill have caused Canadians to turn off politics in record numbers. This is a dangerous trend.
How Harper is circumventing democracy in Canada
Ottawa (11 Jan., 2010) - Toronto Globe and Mail columnist Lawrence Martin takes a sobering look at the crude political manner in which democratic institutions and practices are being subverted in Canada by Stephen Harper.
Leaked DFAIT Memo Documents Struggle Between Conservative Political Staff and Foreign Service
Ottawa (29 July 2009) - Fearful that political staffers are severely diluting Canada's foreign policy through alterations to policy language, senior Foreign Affairs officials have begun pushing back against their political masters.
President’s Commentary: Stephen Harper is diminishing Canada's international reputation
Ottawa (27 Nov., 2009) - NUPGE president James Clancy says Harper is changing Canada so radically that we could lose more than our good name – already badly damaged on the world stage. "We just might lose Canada altogether," he writes.
Casey at the bat: three swings and out
Halifax (10 June 2007) - Harper Conservatives can't say they weren't warned in vote against Budget by well-like Nova Scotia MP.
