Having had experience in the recent past of the smear tactics from the provincial government I fully expected them to go after you with falsehoods, vague insinuations, and in some cases I allege lies. What I didn’t expect is that they would use the majority of your time on the stand to direct the commission away from the issues. I would also in this case have expected His Honour to have stopped the witch hunt.
Because Justice Cohen didn’t stop the witch hunt I am now viewing this commission as a complete sham. At of time and money.
I was reading the article written by Damien Gillis regarding your first day on the stand at the Cohen Commission. I was particularly moved by the quote:
“Morton remained cool under fire, replying that unlike all of them, ‘I don’t work for a university, the government, the industry, or a First Nation – I’m completely independent.’ The lawyer, Stephen Kelliher, shot back, with a heavy dose of sarcasm: ‘So you’re pure, then. You’re the only one who isn’t corrupted?’ Morton simply smiled and replied, ‘Perhaps,’ as the increasingly raucous gallery erupted in cheers.”
I too am an independent scientist (we are few in number in BC). Having listened to government scientists refute years of their own research at the Commission, one is left with the question – when did they start lying? When they began their careers as scientists and started publishing their papers? Or more recently when they became “bought” political pawns? Where does this leave the public trust in scientists and the scientific method?
Thank you for telling the public that there are still some scientists out there who are not in somebody’s pocket!
I sat in the courtroom for all of the disease and aquaculture hearings except one day. It was really disturbing to see how much of the focus was on anything but the crash of the 2009 Fraser Sockeye. It was also really harsh to see how some people’s careers go back and forth between the salmon farming industry and the DFO as is the case of Mia Parker who used to work for Grieg Seafoods and now writes fish feedlot policy for DFO as well as Clare Backman who used to work for DFO and is now with Marine Harvest. (two people on the stand as “expert” witnesses) In addition myself and others were sometimes confused as to whether it was council for the Salmon Farmers Association or council for the Federal government who was asking the questions.
I hope Justice Cohen can see what is really going on. This is a crime against humanity. To let disease amplify in salmon feedlots and spread through their open nets and devastate the wild salmon stocks has far reaching devastating effects.
The way you were treated in that courtroom Alexandra was appalling but if anything it served to show the true colours of those that are simply not interested in protecting wild salmon or even hearing what you had to say. What do we do when our Provincial and Federal Government are on side with an industry that very well could be devastating our wild salmon stocks? I don’t know yet but I do know we can’t give up hope, we can’t stop trying and we stick with the truth. Thank you for all the effort you put into this. I would have liked to hear you speak about the salmon.
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3 responses to “”
Having had experience in the recent past of the smear tactics from the provincial government I fully expected them to go after you with falsehoods, vague insinuations, and in some cases I allege lies. What I didn’t expect is that they would use the majority of your time on the stand to direct the commission away from the issues. I would also in this case have expected His Honour to have stopped the witch hunt.
Because Justice Cohen didn’t stop the witch hunt I am now viewing this commission as a complete sham. At of time and money.
I was reading the article written by Damien Gillis regarding your first day on the stand at the Cohen Commission. I was particularly moved by the quote:
“Morton remained cool under fire, replying that unlike all of them, ‘I don’t work for a university, the government, the industry, or a First Nation – I’m completely independent.’ The lawyer, Stephen Kelliher, shot back, with a heavy dose of sarcasm: ‘So you’re pure, then. You’re the only one who isn’t corrupted?’ Morton simply smiled and replied, ‘Perhaps,’ as the increasingly raucous gallery erupted in cheers.”
I too am an independent scientist (we are few in number in BC). Having listened to government scientists refute years of their own research at the Commission, one is left with the question – when did they start lying? When they began their careers as scientists and started publishing their papers? Or more recently when they became “bought” political pawns? Where does this leave the public trust in scientists and the scientific method?
Thank you for telling the public that there are still some scientists out there who are not in somebody’s pocket!
I sat in the courtroom for all of the disease and aquaculture hearings except one day. It was really disturbing to see how much of the focus was on anything but the crash of the 2009 Fraser Sockeye. It was also really harsh to see how some people’s careers go back and forth between the salmon farming industry and the DFO as is the case of Mia Parker who used to work for Grieg Seafoods and now writes fish feedlot policy for DFO as well as Clare Backman who used to work for DFO and is now with Marine Harvest. (two people on the stand as “expert” witnesses) In addition myself and others were sometimes confused as to whether it was council for the Salmon Farmers Association or council for the Federal government who was asking the questions.
I hope Justice Cohen can see what is really going on. This is a crime against humanity. To let disease amplify in salmon feedlots and spread through their open nets and devastate the wild salmon stocks has far reaching devastating effects.
The way you were treated in that courtroom Alexandra was appalling but if anything it served to show the true colours of those that are simply not interested in protecting wild salmon or even hearing what you had to say. What do we do when our Provincial and Federal Government are on side with an industry that very well could be devastating our wild salmon stocks? I don’t know yet but I do know we can’t give up hope, we can’t stop trying and we stick with the truth. Thank you for all the effort you put into this. I would have liked to hear you speak about the salmon.