A relentless wave of federal control measures is eroding sa国际传媒鈥檚 proud history and culture. The list includes the CBC, our independent national broadcaster, now in danger of becoming a state-controlled tool from Bill C-60, the omnibus bill before Parliament. This historian is warning citizens to be alarmed and voice their opposition.
These measures, from late last year to this month, show how a majority government, elected with a little more than one-third of the votes, is exerting a stifling control.
1. Federal scientists are required to obtain political permission to publish or speak on what is published. The threatened loss of the freshwater experimentation site, the only one in the world, would prevent experiments and scientific discussions at a crucial time for dealing with climate change.
2. The National Research Council is told to work only on science for commercial purposes or applications. But science does not operate that way; basic or 鈥減ure鈥� science comes first and then applications evolve. Commercialization of basic research is shortsighted and ignores the long-term, general good.
3. All RCMP officials require government permission to speak to MPs or senators. How will politicians know about the needs for law enforcement if these officials cannot speak?
4. Library and Archives sa国际传媒 has cut materials and services to users and not replaced retirees. Highly trained librarians and archivists are muzzled; the new conduct code calls their speaking, teaching and publishing 鈥渉ighly risky.鈥� High-up permission is required and staff are encouraged to tell on fellow workers. (Normally, civil servants ask their own bosses, so as not to embarrass the employers with personal projects.)
5. The Canadian Museum of Civilization鈥檚 name has been changed to the Canadian Museum of History limits its mandate, a loss, since 鈥渃ivilization鈥� implies interest in the world in which we live. Incidentally, we already have a museum of Canadian history 鈥� the McCord Museum in Montreal.
6. A major shift to military and political history from the social history developed over the past 30听years could happen. 鈥淪ocial鈥� here refers to cultural and societal influences and stories of people and places. True history has multiple aspects. Recently, Parliament鈥檚 standing committee on Canadian heritage announced a review of our history. Recently, military and political historian Jack Granatstein argued for only having his two aspects. (An earlier federal attempt to rewrite school history texts trespassed into provincial education and caused uproar.)
Granatstein explained his view with examples of war anniversaries. The $28听million for War of 1812 re-enactments last year was 鈥渢rifling compared to the whole budget.鈥� (Then why not let the Library and Archives sa国际传媒 have some financing crumbs?) Clearly, the next anniversaries (e.g., the First World War in 2014) are likely to have extravagant re-enactments (with little lasting worth). Resulting dangers are distractions from dealing with sa国际传媒鈥檚 current challenges and a rising militaristic view.
This policy, translated into archives and museums, adds more limits to the newly named Museum of Canadian History. With a large new Museum of War inspired by Granatstein, its former head, why do we need this policy?
7. The current omnibus bill takes away the independence of all Crown corporations and threatens democracy. Crown corporations are public companies doing specialized work 鈥渁t arm鈥檚 length鈥� from the government (e.g., sa国际传媒 Post, CBC and publicly owned railways, such as Via Rail). Government intervention affects employees and reduces services, especially for the CBC. For almost 80听years, our national broadcaster, has bound our sprawling country together.
The change to a government-controlled tool will lead inevitably to secrecy and cover-up, when researching journalists and commentators fear for their jobs. The government wants to control salaries, negotiations and working conditions, a strong start toward control of staff and content. Most countries in the western world have independent broadcasting as an aid for democracy.
Without reliable news, answers to 鈥淲ho鈥檚 next?鈥� or 鈥淲hat鈥檚 happening?鈥� might be hidden. Also, since librarians鈥� and archivists鈥� information is 鈥渉ighly risky,鈥� censorship of programs on culture, arts, science and history would follow.
Limits to debate came immediately and the bill now goes to the finance committee, which can make changes, this week for the parliamentary vote on May 28. It is essential to have the committee remove the takeover of Crown corporations.
With muzzled professionals, gutted Library, Archives and science, limited historical aspects and a state-controlled CBC, where could citizens find accurate information? Further, we could lose forever precious documents, artifacts, species, culture and our unique world view.
We need to stop the takeovers in the omnibus bill and continue to reclaim our past, present and future.
听
Mary Doody Jones is a Victoria historian.
