Activists launch campaign on government science

A group of activists and academics led by the Politics of Evidence Working Group at York University in Toronto has launched a letter-writing campaign in support of government science.

The campaign, dubbed Write 2 Know, encourages people to sign one of eight letters on topics such as the effect of oil extraction on water quality, the closure of departmental libraries, and aboriginal health, among others. The letters ask scientists in the relevant government departments about the results of their environmental monitoring and scientific research. Participants can also write their own letters and suggest other topics.

At the end of Write 2 Know week, to be held from 23 to 27 March, the scientists will receive one copy of the letter, with the names of all those who signed it. Federal ministers and members of parliament will receive copies of each letter sent. The campaign is a response to cuts to federal science programmes, and the government’s strict communications rules that prevent scientists from speaking freely about their work.