Parks Canada staff banned from criticizing Feds

Just the Facts

House Member
Oct 15, 2004
4,162
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SW Ontario
So public is only when there is a mic or journalist around? Dubious.

No, nothing to do with electronics, more to do with intended audience. The journalist part might make it public, or potentially anyway, depends on the context. You've heard of people talking to journalists "off the record", right? Well that supposed to be a gentleman's agreement that they are no longer speaking publicly. Probably foolish to trust the journalist, but that's besides the point. :)

Whatever the blurring of the boundaries may be, there is a clear distinction between public and private speech.
 

Niflmir

A modern nomad
Dec 18, 2006
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No, it's not. Consensus on what constitutes the boundaries is blurry, and not neccessarily static.

Think about it.

Thank you.

The more I think about this the less sense it makes.

It is not that the boundaries are blurry, where we agree the boundaries are is blurry? That's exactly what it means for boundaries to be blurry.
 

Angstrom

Hall of Fame Member
May 8, 2011
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I'm noticing a pattern with Mr.. Harper
Is it just me or Harper is slowly Gagging one by one all who opposes his way of doing or thinking?
Who will be Gagged next?
 

Niflmir

A modern nomad
Dec 18, 2006
3,460
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There comes a time when common sense should kick in.

Like when people aren't making your sandwich properly? Then it is definitely time to call 911, or 112, as the case may be.

Actually, even if somebody is doing something illegal, I'll use my own judgement to decide if the government needs to know. Too many things are illegal when they shouldn't be. What do I care if you are driving a motorcycle without a helmet, a car without a seatbelt? And so on.
 

Kakato

Time Out
Jun 10, 2009
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Like when people aren't making your sandwich properly? Then it is definitely time to call 911, or 112, as the case may be.

Actually, even if somebody is doing something illegal, I'll use my own judgement to decide if the government needs to know. Too many things are illegal when they shouldn't be. What do I care if you are driving a motorcycle without a helmet, a car without a seatbelt? And so on.
No,common sense where you do the right thing,I dont think a badly made sandwhich falls under that.
 

Just the Facts

House Member
Oct 15, 2004
4,162
43
48
SW Ontario
The more I think about this the less sense it makes.

It is not that the boundaries are blurry, where we agree the boundaries are is blurry? That's exactly what it means for boundaries to be blurry.

Sure, I guess. Either way, point is that blurry boundaries between A and B don't negate that there's a clear distinction between A and B. Once you get past the blurry border regions and into the heartland of A, you clearly know that you're not in B. :)
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
43,839
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Ontario
Quite reasonable.

As a group that operates within a hierarchy, not unlike the military. Seems quite as reasonable as Army personnel having the same restrictions placed upon them.
 

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
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London, Ontario
Evidently their employers don't.

Commenting on the OP:
Where I work, I am not allowed to speak about my company publically. They too have whole department about media relations. A typical company does want to present the image they want to present to the public. What I see here is that the government is trying to do the same thing. However, given its the government, I would agree only that they should not be publically commenting on work their individual department is working on. For example, a worker in Parks Canada should be free to voice displeasure of their local MP or government handling of the budget bill but not about how Parks Canada is being run. That is where I would draw the line.

That is a very reasonable compromise in my opinion.

It's not unreasonable to restrict any staff from criticizing their direct employer's publically, however every citizen should have the right to criticize their government.
 

CDNBear

Custom Troll
Sep 24, 2006
43,839
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Ontario
That is a very reasonable compromise in my opinion.

It's not unreasonable to restrict any staff from criticizing their direct employer's publically, however every citizen should have the right to criticize their government.
Why should public servants get special treatment, just because their boss in the Federal Gov't?

This site, is the very reason my last employer had a policy written and implemented, regarding just mere commentary, while citing the companies name.

It was an effective gag order posting anything that might shed a bad light on the company. Not just a restriction on posting anything bad about the company.