Author: Scott Edmonds
Publication: The Canadian Press
Date: Sunday, June 10, 2001

A federal official insists a directive to stop Agriculture Canada scientists from speaking directly to reporters is not a gag order.
Ron Milito, chief of media relations for the department in Ottawa, contends the new directive is aimed at assisting reporters to find the right person to speak on various issues.

``In no way is this a gag order,`` he said.
Milito refused to provide a copy of the directive, saying the only way to obtain it would be to request it through access-to-information legislation -- a process that can take months and may or may not be successful.
The National Farmers Union charged that the government is trying to limit what the public hears on controversial issues such as the genetic manipulation of food.
``This is a government that`s clearly trying to manipulate and restrict what comes out of their own research (and) what makes it into the public record,`` said executive secretary Darrin Qualman.
Scientists have been told to refer calls to a media representative who will determine who should respond.
``What we tried to do for this is make sure that reporters have one number to call,`` said Milito.
``I thought that by doing that, by giving the one number to call we`d make sure that reporters got to the right spokesperson.``
He said scientists were still free to talk to reporters at open-houses or field days at Agriculture Canada research stations.
Qualman said the move is likely linked to the battle the government had with some of its own scientists over the approval process for a controversial bovine growth hormone.
Health Canada has already lost one round in the Federal Court over an attempt to muzzle scientists who raised concern about how the hormone was approved.
One scientist, Margaret Haydon, is now fighting a second disciplinary case that arose after she suggested politics rather than science was behind Canada`s ban on Brazilian beef.
``There`s a troubling connection,`` Qualman said. ``This government is talking about transparency and good science and then the first thing it does is make the process much less transparent.``
An official of the union that represents Agriculture Canada scientists said the gag order may have been issued because Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief has been repeatedly upstaged by the scientists.
``The minister apparently was scooped a few times by his own scientists and that`s why the gag order was issued,`` said Francine Pressault of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
However, she said some scientists have already been told not to pay attention to the directive, which was issued May 2.
Qualman remains concerned that the gag order is part of a plan by the department to push through genetic engineering and other controversial practices.
``(It`s) a government that is very, very eager to promote this technology and convince Canadians that it is safe and useful,`` he said.