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This is my old blog, which I no longer update. Feel free to browse around old posts and such, but the much more recent version of my ramblings are to be found at MarilynAnneCampbell.com

Friday, April 14, 2006

Silly Government, Helping Sell Books it Doesn't Like

I just saw this news item on Yahoo.ca:


Novelist scientist silenced as Harper Tories quietly axe 15 Kyoto programs


It's about a new novelist who works for Environment Canada by day being told to hold off launching "Hotter than Hell", a sci-fi novel about global warming eventually leading to a US/Canada war over water. Mark Tushingham was supposed to give a talk about the science his book is based on yesterday, but that was the day Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn was making it known that Harper's government is axing fifteen Kyoto-related programs.

As much as it's upsetting that the government is trying to sneak through the program cuts unnoticed, what I find it even worse is the attitude this has revealed towards employees. Here's a quote from the article:


"Due process for this event was not followed and that's why it was cancelled," said Ryan Sparrow, a spokesman for Environment Minister Rona Ambrose.

Publicity for the planned book launch identified Tushingham as an Evironment Canada scientist, Sparrow said, "and it was assumed that he would be representing the position of the department.

"We would not have objected to Mr. Tushingham's appreance if he had been referred to as a private citizen."


So, he can work for the government, but he can't mention that unless he's also busy talking them up? And what exactly is the "position of the department" that he isn't representing? Doesn't Environment Canada believe that increased global warming could cause serious issues in international relations? If they don't, I don't think they're taking their job seriously enough.

Ah well. The good thing is I've now heard of this book, which otherswise would have slipped entirely under my radar. I assume the same is true for a lot of people, so in the end "Hotter Than Hell" may do Better than Expected.

Quick Links:
www.dreamcatcherpublishing.ca - Publishers of "Hotter than Hell"

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