Re: “Scientists’ findings belong to employer,” letter, Feb. 23.
The writer is correct — the entity that pays for scientific research should own and control the result.
Unfortunately, the writer does not recognize that the people of Canada have paid for the research with our taxes. That intellectual property belongs to us, not to the government that happens to be in power when the research is done.
To compare the research on the atomic bomb to the research done at, say, the Experimental Lakes Area is ludicrous. The atomic-bomb research was designed to end a horrible war that was engulfing the entire world. That research had to be kept secret so the enemy would not use the results to harm us.
On the other hand, the research being done at the Polar Environmental Atmospheric Research Laboratory is producing results that every Canadian voter needs to know about. If we know the results, we can use that knowledge to defend Canada’s national interest.
Does the Harper government really consider us to be “the enemy”? Is Harper afraid that we voters might use the research results to vote wisely?
We voters are the employers of those scientists. We demand to learn the results without censorship.
David Stocks
Colwood
