Canadian Scientist Suspended for Protest Song

[Nova Andromeda]

Canadian Scientist Suspended for Protest Song

NPR Link
Youtube Link

Scientist Who Wrote Protest Song About Canada's PM Is Put On Leave
August 28, 2015 8:44 PM ET
Bill Chappell

Both the song and its video fit many people's idea of Canada: clever and smiling. But the man who wrote lyrics telling Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, "It's time for you to go," has been put on leave from his job as a federal scientist at Canada's environmental agency.

Tony Turner wrote and performed the song "Harperman," leading a (barefooted) choir known as the Crowd of Well Wishers through lyrics that ask questions such as "Who squashes all dissent?" and "Who muzzles all the scientists?"

A physical scientist and folksinger who lives in Ottawa, Turner is still being paid while the government looks into whether his folky tune, "Harperman," represents a breach of the ethics code, according to his union, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada. He was placed on leave this week.

The union's president, Debi Daviau, tells the CBC that Environment Canada is alleging that Turner "violated the departmental code of values and ethics in that the writing and performing of this song somehow impeded his ability to impartially study migratory birds."

The song has been on YouTube since June, but it's rising to new prominence as Canada's elections loom in October. It now has more than 60,000 views. Turner and his allies are organizing a sing-along of "Harperman," to be held next month.
Tony Turner, a physical scientist and folksinger who lives in Ottawa, is on paid leave while Canada's environmental agency determines whether he broke the agency's ethics code.

Tony Turner, a physical scientist and folksinger who lives in Ottawa, is on paid leave while Canada's environmental agency determines whether he broke the agency's ethics code.
YouTube

Since news of Turner's suspension from work spread, the hashtag #Harperman has been trending on Twitter in Canada. In one tweet, the title was placed over an image of Harper as the Joker. In another, the choir was compared to the dissident Russian band Pussyriot.

Turner leads the song on acoustic guitar, backed by a spirited choir whose members include several ladies in colorful straw hats. In the song's credits, Turner is identified only as an "Ottawa folksinger."

At one point, a man asks, "Who's a two-bit controlling freak?" – a line that was echoed in the Canadian press this week, when a senator who was expelled from Harper's Conservative party caucus called the prime minister a "control freak."

Sen. Patrick Brazeau wrote an essay about his experience, which was quoted by The Hamilton Spectator:

"When you contradict, shame or make the PM look bad regardless of its significance, watch out because some of his soldiers are coming after you."

Brazeau, we'll note, is on trial for assault and sexual assault; he was kicked out of the Conservative caucus after his arrest on those charges in 2013.

As for Turner, the CBC notes that after working for the government for nearly 20 years, he had been planning to retire this fall.

You Canadians really elected this 2 bit thug? There are some things about the USA you should not emulate.

Also, all you folks who do the social media things should post this. I WISH we had a group this cool to sing about US republicans.

[Imperial Overlord]

Yes, we did elect him and it's looking like this year we will finally get rid of this asshole.

[Sgt_Artyom]

What, so we can replace him with Tredeau or Muclair? Harpers an ass to be sure but Tredeau's a foppish, rich daddy's boy whose back and forth on issues and I personally think the NDP whilst not entirely bad at a provincial level have no place running the country at the federal level.

[Jub]

What, so we can replace him with Tredeau or Muclair? Harpers an ass to be sure but Tredeau's a foppish, rich daddy's boy whose back and forth on issues and I personally think the NDP whilst not entirely bad at a provincial level have no place running the country at the federal level.

I don't see how either of those could do a worse job than Harper and his conservatives have done thus far. Can you name a single good policy passed on a national scale under Harper?

[biostem]

Well, the guy is being paid during the investigation, so there's that. I'm not 100% up on Canadian law, but could the scientist counter-sue for damages, should he be found not-guilty? I mean, wouldn't the government have to demonstrate that the demonstration song somehow impeded his work?

[Lagmonster]

This would be an excellent time to point out that I'm in EXACTLY the same boat as this guy, only I have apparently got more brains, because I understand the point of perceived impartiality.

It goes like this: The public has to have confidence in its public service. It would be bad to think that public employees refuse to do what their elected bosses tell them to, even if they do not like said elected bosses, because they were elected by the majority of the people paying the bills.

Let's be clear: The concern among Canadian public sector scientists about censoring scientific speech is legitimate, but the part which prohibits public servants from openly defying their bosses and still keep their jobs is entirely reasonable.

[Sgt_Artyom]

Honestly Jub, I can't. They suck but I still perceive them to be the lesser evil amongst the three. I just think Muclair's NDP party is too soft to govern at the Federal level whilst Justin is too new. The East
might vote in the liberals but good luck with the West (Been 30 something going on 40 years and the Trudeau name is still venomously refeered too out here because the NEP. Seems we're not over it yet).

I do think the Con's need to pull their heads out their asses though and actually carry through on some of their campaign promises for a change (Or any party who wins). My greatest concern is the state of our
Armed Forces (Working on joining the CAF) which are underfunded to a saddening level and which have had promise after promise made to them during campaigns only to be broken (Irregardless of the party that made the promise or was in a position to change things)

[Imperial Overlord]

The death of the long form census and the bullshit the Conservatives pulled with the elections act alone mandate kicking the Tories out of power. That every other part of their program is full of lies and fail is the icing on the cake. Why would you look for the Tories to change their behavior when they've been autocratically run by the same man for the last ten years with the same obsession for secrecy and control? I can't believe any veteran of the Canadian Forces would vote for this assholes after they promised to support veterans and then fucked them long and hard on health benefits.

[Sgt_Artyom]

I'm not a veteran and secondly the Liberals don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to our Armed Forces (Having nearly destoryed them through their pointless unification process in the 60's-70's) and I don't like the NDP's desire to turn the CAF into a glorified disaster response/UN force.

Should we just rely on the Americans to do everything for us? As I've said before, they all suck but I think the Con's are the least shitty and that's just my opinion (I'm not too hot on any of the three main parties winning too be honest but what alternative do we have?)

[aerius]

What's a military worth when the entire country goes to shit and isn't worth living in or defending?

[Welf]

Plus, the better your military the more likely your politicians are to start pointless wars.

[The Romulan Republic]

That, I'd say, is foolish reasoning.

Warmongers will try to start wars to some extent weather they can handle them or not. And leaving your country defenceless in the hopes of discouraging political stupidity and corruption is dangerous. Voters are supposed to be the check on that shit, not deliberately crippling ones' own military (which can only be done if the same politicians you're afraid are warmongers are willing to do it).

Of course, Canada is in an interesting position in terms of what military it needs- it has nothing to fear aside from small scale terrorism and nuclear war as long as the US and the rest of NATO has its back, and anything it could contribute would be insignificant next to the US military. And if the US didn't have our back, we'd have a very serious problem that we could not address by military force, because we'd be sandwiched between two unfriendly superpowers that utterly outclass any military we could realistically build.

So a strong military is somewhat optional for Canada, just not for the reason you gave.

[Solauren]

As an employee of the Canadian Government, you sign paperwork saying you will not be involved in politics, without notifying your job, and making proper arrangements.
(I don't remember the exact details or wording of the contract).

It has been this way since the various government agencies and ministries became Unionized. My grandmother used to work for Census Canada (starting back in the late 1960s or early 1970s), and had to sign one of those contracts. She was allowed to work with a political party 'behind the scence', but was not allowed to be visibly seen as campaigning for or against a political element. The reasoning is so that it doesn't appear the official government stance is reflected in their employees behavior.

There are similar rules in place for other stuff related to your job. i.e Working for the CRA, I can't tell someone that owes the Crown taxes to go to a specific accountant/accounting firm, specific financial institution, or bankruptcy trustee.

You also have to sign these at if you are working for the Province of Ontario. I've been told that it is the same as the other provinces.

He works for the Canadian Government. He signed a contract, he appears to have broke the contract. The questions is, how severely.