Greg Rickford, Minister of Science and Technology

2011 : MP Greg Rickford - centre - proudly announces funding for fish lab at Experimental Lakes Area, calling it “Canada’s most innovative freshwater research centre.” The 58-lake globally renowned research facility in his Kenora riding was responsible for the research behind the Canada-US acid rain treaty, 

May 2012 : The DFO announces it is dumping ELA to save $2M per year, even though it will cost $50M to shut it down.

After months of hiding from his constituents and outraged scientists, Rickford emerged to explain: 

"Our mandate has moved to a smaller-scale research that reflects what priorities are today."

Exactly how small those Con priorities are Rickford doesn't say, but on March 20 this year, he voted along with all the other Cons against the following motion in the House of Commons :

That, in the opinion of the House:
(a) public science, basic research and the free and open exchange of scientific information are essential to evidence-based policy-making;
(b) federal government scientists must be enabled to discuss openly their findings with their colleagues and the public; and
(c) the federal government should maintain support for its basic scientific capacity across Canada, including immediately extending funding, until a new operator is found, to the world-renowned Experimental Lakes Area Research Facility to pursue its unique research program

How'd he do in his previous stint as ParlSec on Aboriginal Affairs?

Two months before 16-year-old Chelsea Edwards of Attawapiskat First Nation traveled to Geneva Switzerland in Feb 2012 to speak to the UN on behalf of students in her community whose school had closed 12 years earlier due to toxic contamination, Greg Rickford, then Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Development, stood in the House of Commons in Dec. 2011 and said : 

Mr. Speaker, the government works with First Nations to deliver real results for their priorities. We have invested heavily in First Nation schools, including in Attawapiskat, and in water and waste water infrastructure, health and housing, and we have done this all in full partnership with First Nations.

Sunday update : unmuzzledscience  : Greg Rickford? Really?

July 24 update : G&M : Time running out for ELA transfer deal
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#3 in a series on Steve's recent cabinet shuffle appointments. See also : 
Pierre Poilievre, Minister for Democratic Reform and
Dr. Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour
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Attawapiskat vs gazebos

Steve very unhappy about Attawapiskat housing crisis and "missing" dough :

"This government has spent some $90 million since coming to office just on Attawapiskat," he told the Commons on Tuesday. "That's over $50,000 for every man, woman and child in the community."

Yeah, Steve, it must be their own fault they're living in tents and sheds without electricity or running water or indoor plumbing. Better punish them for embarrassing you. And how's that school coming along after 10 years? Ah - next year, is it?


But according to Aaron Wherry's breakdown of the figures, the housing budget is only $500 per person per year, which would not even cover upkeep on the existing homes never mind building any new ones in a community where shipping the materials in costs more than the materials themselves.


A lot of racist crap in comments under these articles - in particular repeating rubbish like the G&M's More than 80 on-reserve politicians paid more than PM! - a lie already deftly demolished here . 


Instead try this excellent article from Patricia Pearson  and a really really must read from âpihtawikosisân.
Donations via the Red Cross here. Attawapiskat page from Another Voice here.
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Sunday update : Âpihtawikosisan's entire blogpost reprinted word for word today in the National Post as :
Brett Hodnett: The real math behind Attawapiskat’s $90 million 

with tiny credit to her tacked on at the end.

NaPo commenters busy congratulating NaPo on their excellent journalism.

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Hours later ... via Holly Stick :
The National Post has changed its headline and added a note:

"Note: This article was inadvertently credited to Brett Hodnett. Full Comment apologizes for any confusion, which was due to a misunderstanding on our part. As noted, the original article appeared on the site âpihtawikosisân."

then amended once more to include : "The original article, written by Chelsea Vowel,  appeared on the site âpihtawikosisân."
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Dec 13 APTN : 
De Beers decision to dump sewage into Attawapiskat played role in current housing crisis

(h/t Holly Stick ... again!)
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Dec 15 Funding by the numbers : Attawapiskat vs Toronto
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Attawapiskat still being ignored

After waiting eight years for a new school, 700 students at Attawapiskat First Nations in Northern Ontario will instead be evacuated from the community to protect them from further toxic exposure to a 30-year-old diesel-oil spill under the old school. The demolition of the old school in March - nearly a decade after it was closed down due to contamination - has released noxious fumes causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea in the local residents.

Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Chuck Strahl doesn't see what all the fuss is about.

I just cannot believe this is still going on.
Let Chuck know you are watching. Send him a cluebat at ottawa@chuckstrahl.com and cc it to NDP MPs Charlie Angus - AngusC@parl.gc.ca. and Gilles Bisson -GBisson@ndp.on.ca who have made a video of the people in this community telling their story.
That video is up at Cam Holstrom's who has been on this for months now.
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