Is silencing federal scientists against the law

If not against the law it is definitely unscrupulous. But it is what we have come to expect from Stephen Harper and his Dictatorship style of government.

Taxpayers are the ones that finance the work of federal employees therefore it is the taxpayer that has the right to see the results of their studies and evaluate the work performed .

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/muzzled-scientists-complaint-filed-federal-watchdog-203309513.html

The Information Commissioner of Canada is being asked to investigate whether "federal government policy forcing scientists to jump through hoops before speaking with the media" breaches the Access to Information Act.

 

The request was made as part of a complaint filed Wednesday by Democracy Watch, a non-profit organization that advocates for government accountability, and the University of Victoria’s Environmental Law Clinic.

"In sharp contrast to past Canadian practice and current U.S. Government practice, the federal government has recently made efforts to prevent the media and the general public from speaking to government scientists,” said Tyler Sommers, coordinator of Democracy Watch, in a statement.
He noted that the scientists conduct research that is paid for by taxpayers who therefore have a right to learn the results.

If the Harper government is not redacting documents to hide the truth from Canadians they are concealing facts on taxpayer funded studies by stifling federal scientists.

These tactics we expect from a "Third World Dictatorship" not from our own government.