To the Editor:

Action taken in the Omnibus Budget Bill cutting back funding for research resulted in scientists protesting ‘death of evidence’ on Parliament Hill. Unfortunately this is only one example of the Harper Government’s actions related to evidence.

“Why save the prison farms?” provided reasons, evidence ignored, in the closing of prison farms on the no-evidence basis they were too costly. Recent changes in the collection of statistics through the Census were proceeded with, despite contrary evidence of its value.

Belief in removal of government and its replacement by corporate interests is suggested as motivation for proceeding without regard to evidence as in the plan of 2012 layoffs of 2 300 Statistics Canada employees that “may result in data collection and processing services being contracted out “and meetings of the vice president of The GEO Group, Inc., operator of private prisons, with Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), Public Safety Canada (PS), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), Public-Private Partnerships Canada, Solicitor General Canada (SGC).

The corporatist directions evident in internal policy do not explain international reactions made without waiting for evidence. John Baird’s reaction to events in Treimsa, “”The use by Syrian security forces of artillery, tanks and helicopters, confirmed by the supervision mission of the UN in Syria, demonstrates the barbarity of the regime,” were not based on evidence that has since come forward but on following the directions of our closest allies.

The incidence of Death of Evidence practices of the Harper Government internally have negative effects. None as negative, however, as this: having the United States and Israel opening hostilities against Syria and then Iran through receiving Canada’s unquestioning support rather than words of caution.

Joe Hueglin. Niagara Falls, ON.