Politics
Category archives for Politics
The Canadian War on Science: Stop muzzling Canadian scientists!
Posted by John Dupuis on May 3, 2012 The Canadian Journalists for Free Expression has just awarded the Harper Conservative government here in Canada a failing grade in promoting free expression. Federal scientists’ freedom of expression: F Canada’s control over the communications of federally funded scientists is alarming. Climate change science coverage in the media has plummeted by 80 per cent since 200,…
The Canadian War on Science: Environmental rules should be better, not easier
Posted by John Dupuis on April 27, 2012 David Suzuki is a icon for the Canadian environmental movement. He’s like our Al Gore and Rachel Carson all rolled up into one. I read and reviewed his memoirs a while back and they are terrific. When he talks, sensible people listen. This blog post by Suzuki and Ian Hanington hit my in box this…
Around the Web: Research Works Act, Elsevier boycott & FRPAA (Updated!)
Posted by John Dupuis on March 27, 2012 This post has superseded my two previous link collection posts here and here. The first focused solely on the Research Works Act, the second added posts on the Elsevier boycott and this one also incorporates posts on the reintroduction of The Federal Research Public Access Act. These three stories are all intertwined to the extent…
The Canadian War on…
Posted by John Dupuis on March 20, 2012 Knowledge, science, information, common sense, openness? A whole bunch of things are under attack by various conservatively-minded levels of government here in Canada. Those of you thinking of moving north to avoid the insanity might want to have a second thought. It seems that we normally smug and superior Canadians have recently… Walked away from…
Elsevier boycott: Time for librarians to rise up!
Posted by John Dupuis on February 21, 2012 A little while back the Cost of Knowledge site started up a boycott pledge list in response to mathematician Timothy Gowers’ pledge to stop contributing to Elsevier’s operations by ceasing writing, reviewing and editing for them. Here is the call to action: Academics have protested against Elsevier’s business practices for years with little effect. These…
Library lending of trade ebooks: How should it work?
Posted by John Dupuis on February 15, 2012 We have here what is sometimes known as a wicked problem. On the one side, communities would like to be able to pool the resources of their members to acquire digital content that may then be shared and consumed by everyone in that community. On the other, content creators and publishers would like to maximize…
Penguin ebooks & The Research Works Act: Publishers gain, communities lose
Posted by John Dupuis on February 13, 2012 I was really angry riding home on the bus last Friday night. Not angry because the transit system here in Toronto is royally fudged in general or that transit to York University is fudged in particular. No, it wasn’t that particular aspect of the public sphere that had me upset. It was the growing tendency…
Around the Web: Research Works Act & Elsevier boycott
Posted by John Dupuis on February 6, 2012 Note: this post is superseded by: Around the Web: Research Works Act, Elsevier boycott & FRPAA. This post has superseded my previous post which focused solely on the Research Works Act. I have added some coverage of the Elsevier boycott which at least partially grew out of opposition to the RWA. I’m not attempting to…
SOPA: Why it’s a bad idea
Posted by John Dupuis on January 18, 2012 The Stop Online Piracy Act is a piece of legislation in the US whose aims are: The originally proposed bill would allow the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as copyright holders, to seek court orders against websites accused of enabling or facilitating copyright infringement. Depending on who makes the request, the court order could…
So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world
Posted by John Dupuis on August 22, 2011 It’s a very sad day today all across Canada as Jack Layton, leader of the Federal NDP and Leader of the Official Opposition, has died of cancer. A widely respected career politician — a rarity these days — his passion for social justice and commitment to the people of Canada will be greatly missed. His…
