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Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.

"What do we want? Evidence-based decision-making!" chanted protesters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
"I believe that the muzzling of science represents a government that is willfully blind."
Protesting scientists could be found in their lab coats in 18 cities across the country, as part of a series of "Stand Up for Science" rallies organized by the Ottawa-based science advocacy group Evidence for Democracy.
Since the conservative government took power in 2006, federal funding for research has deteriorated, as has science-based policy making and public accessibility to scientific research and findings, the group charges. The government has notably reduced public science projects in public health and the environment.
"The great strength of science is its openness to scrutiny, to examination and self-correction," David Suzuki, environmental author, told a crowd of more than 200 in Vancouver. Suzuki said scientific research is needed for public and scientific awareness around issues such as the Northern Gateway pipeline, GMOs, and other environmental and public health concerns -- sectors of research that are being gutted by the current administration.
"Science, not politics or corporations, provides by far the best assessment of the way the world works, and the information that we need to decide how we must act," Suzuki said.
"I believe that the muzzling of science represents a government that is willfully blind."
Canada's National Research Council's decreased research publication by 80 per cent between 2006 and 2012, According to Ottawa Citizen.
"Stephen Harper's shutting down of scientists -- of firing them, or of muzzling the ones he hasn't fired -- is for us an approach that goes completely against the nature of a Parliament where things have to be debated openly," said New Democrat Leader Tom Mulcair.
"They want us to put aside what we're doing and shift our efforts towards industry and to force us to do that they shift their money towards earmarked projects," Bela Joos, a University of Ottawa physics professor, told the Ottawa Citizen.
"The facts do not change just because the Harper government has chosen ignorance over evidence and ideology over honesty," added Jeremy Kerr, a biology professor at the University of Ottawa.

_______________________
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Jacob Chamberlain is a former staff writer for Common Dreams. He is the author of Migrant Justice in the Age of Removal. His website is www.jacobpchamberlain.com.

"What do we want? Evidence-based decision-making!" chanted protesters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
"I believe that the muzzling of science represents a government that is willfully blind."
Protesting scientists could be found in their lab coats in 18 cities across the country, as part of a series of "Stand Up for Science" rallies organized by the Ottawa-based science advocacy group Evidence for Democracy.
Since the conservative government took power in 2006, federal funding for research has deteriorated, as has science-based policy making and public accessibility to scientific research and findings, the group charges. The government has notably reduced public science projects in public health and the environment.
"The great strength of science is its openness to scrutiny, to examination and self-correction," David Suzuki, environmental author, told a crowd of more than 200 in Vancouver. Suzuki said scientific research is needed for public and scientific awareness around issues such as the Northern Gateway pipeline, GMOs, and other environmental and public health concerns -- sectors of research that are being gutted by the current administration.
"Science, not politics or corporations, provides by far the best assessment of the way the world works, and the information that we need to decide how we must act," Suzuki said.
"I believe that the muzzling of science represents a government that is willfully blind."
Canada's National Research Council's decreased research publication by 80 per cent between 2006 and 2012, According to Ottawa Citizen.
"Stephen Harper's shutting down of scientists -- of firing them, or of muzzling the ones he hasn't fired -- is for us an approach that goes completely against the nature of a Parliament where things have to be debated openly," said New Democrat Leader Tom Mulcair.
"They want us to put aside what we're doing and shift our efforts towards industry and to force us to do that they shift their money towards earmarked projects," Bela Joos, a University of Ottawa physics professor, told the Ottawa Citizen.
"The facts do not change just because the Harper government has chosen ignorance over evidence and ideology over honesty," added Jeremy Kerr, a biology professor at the University of Ottawa.

_______________________
Jacob Chamberlain is a former staff writer for Common Dreams. He is the author of Migrant Justice in the Age of Removal. His website is www.jacobpchamberlain.com.

"What do we want? Evidence-based decision-making!" chanted protesters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
"I believe that the muzzling of science represents a government that is willfully blind."
Protesting scientists could be found in their lab coats in 18 cities across the country, as part of a series of "Stand Up for Science" rallies organized by the Ottawa-based science advocacy group Evidence for Democracy.
Since the conservative government took power in 2006, federal funding for research has deteriorated, as has science-based policy making and public accessibility to scientific research and findings, the group charges. The government has notably reduced public science projects in public health and the environment.
"The great strength of science is its openness to scrutiny, to examination and self-correction," David Suzuki, environmental author, told a crowd of more than 200 in Vancouver. Suzuki said scientific research is needed for public and scientific awareness around issues such as the Northern Gateway pipeline, GMOs, and other environmental and public health concerns -- sectors of research that are being gutted by the current administration.
"Science, not politics or corporations, provides by far the best assessment of the way the world works, and the information that we need to decide how we must act," Suzuki said.
"I believe that the muzzling of science represents a government that is willfully blind."
Canada's National Research Council's decreased research publication by 80 per cent between 2006 and 2012, According to Ottawa Citizen.
"Stephen Harper's shutting down of scientists -- of firing them, or of muzzling the ones he hasn't fired -- is for us an approach that goes completely against the nature of a Parliament where things have to be debated openly," said New Democrat Leader Tom Mulcair.
"They want us to put aside what we're doing and shift our efforts towards industry and to force us to do that they shift their money towards earmarked projects," Bela Joos, a University of Ottawa physics professor, told the Ottawa Citizen.
"The facts do not change just because the Harper government has chosen ignorance over evidence and ideology over honesty," added Jeremy Kerr, a biology professor at the University of Ottawa.

_______________________