Under Trump, U.S. government scientists told them they needed permission to meet with Canadian counterparts

Since US President Donald Trump took office, it has been impossible to attend international conferences and even join a conference call with Canadian colleagues under the new directives.

Canadian ecologist Aaron Fisk said he recently tried to establish a virtual call to discuss plans with colleagues from U.S., including government scientists, around sampling fish.

“We tried to have a quick meeting with one of our collaborators…they were denied access,” Fisker said.

Given that the Great Lakes region and its aquatic organisms crossed both sides of the border, the sudden ban on American scientists had a profound impact.

With funding freezes, at least for the moment, the way North American science works in North America has changed a lot.

Fisk is the Canadian research chair at the University of Windsor to transform the Great Lakes ecosystem, and his work has received funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Federal agency NOAA provides scientific information, research and forecasting, including daily weather reporting, hurricane tracking, climate modeling and ocean monitoring.

Fisker said he has frozen the U.S. research fund totaling more than $700,000, or about $993,000 in CDN.

This leaves two of his Great Lakes research projects – one related to studying the movement of fish, and one using automated underwater vehicles to study how climate change affects Lake Erie.

Which internal NOAA emails are displayed

CBC News has seen emails sent to NOAA employees directing employees to receive senior approval for “All upcoming international participation” by the end of March 2024.

The new guide from the NOAA Policy Group states that “international participation should be widely used”, including all NOAA-funded international travel, international conferences within the United States, and scientific collaborations regarding international topics, policies or policies, policies or all virtual conferences.

If the virtual conference covers a range of topics including climate, energy, offshore wind, ocean maps and exploration, competitive seafood, aquaculture, marine plastics, World Meteorological Organization, Arctic security and Arctic energy, it must also be submitted for review. .

Emails from international peers with scientific nature and involving the exchange of scientific data must also be submitted for review.

CBC News has agreed to protect the identity of the source of this information because they fear revenge.

CBC News contacted several NOAA officials for comment.

NOAA fisheries spokesman Rachel Hager denied federal scientists were ordered to stop communicating with international peers.

In another email, the agency remains committed to serving the U.S. public affairs director Mona Allen, NOAA Research, said in another email that the agency remains committed to serving the U.S. public public affairs and “we continue to work with partners to provide these important services.”

Scientists say “harsh” changes the disadvantages of planets

The mission statement is still published on NOAA's website, which states that its role “gone beyond national boundaries” to monitor global weather and climate and “work with partners around the world.”

However, internal emails obtained by CBC News appear to undermine the center’s goals.

“It's very harsh,” Fisker said.

Throughout his career, until Trump's recent inauguration, he said it was normal to share resources, ideas and data with colleagues in the South of the Border.

“The Great Lakes region is a great place for Canada and the United States to come together to do really good research,” Fisker said. “Like the border doesn't even exist.”

Fisker said emails with his U.S. have slowed to a minimum and he is not the only one at Windsor to put aside his research.

From studying the effects of climate change to tracking hurricanes, it's from the Caribbean Sea to the U.S. coast to Canada, NOAA's work is closely linked to Canadian weather forecasts and research.

If global leaders like the United States embark on the path of scientific segregation, many people are concerned about what they mean for the international research community.

Gretchen Goldman, president of the Alliance of Related Scientists, said simply: “I think science is under attack in the United States.”

But she encouraged her colleagues not to give up hope. She told CBC News that I think we should hold this line and act every day. ”

Former NOAA official: Labor can be cut in half

Reports of looming large-scale layoffs by U.S. agencies also shocked many federal scientists.

Fisheries ecologist Janne Haugen is a NOAA branch and works for a company signed by the U.S. government.

Hogan told CBC News that she is currently cautious and limited to technical communication with international colleagues to work.

“I did receive emails from other collaborators I did not respond to,” she said.

“I just don’t want to put my head on the chopping block and get fired if I responded with something that was interpreted as something I shouldn’t have done.”

Andrew Rosenberg, former deputy director of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Services, told CBC News that on Capitol Hill and within NOAA, 50% of the agency's workforce are being discussed.

“It's a transition to destruction. I've never seen anything like that,” said marine scientist Rosenberg.

He said it was normal for political priorities to be transferred under the newly elected government, but nothing.

Firefighting in response to policy changes in US scientific institutions is not limited to NOAA.

one Communication freeze At the National Institutes of Health, the disarray, the disappearing data set constitutes the Centers for Disease Control sent Canadians Racing to archive information Before it is lost.

The Environmental Protection Agency has also terminated hundreds of employees in the crosshairs.

According to Rémi Quirion, president of the International Government Science Advice Network, if this is part of a long-term trend to remove or at least strictly limit the work of American scientific institutions, there is no denying that there will be a ripple effect.

“Science should have no boundaries,” Quirion said. “I think globally, it will slow progress and research.”

The Canadian government says no official notice

The Canadian federal government said it has not received official notification of any changes to its cooperation with NOAA.

Canadian spokesman Samantha Bayard highlighted the long-term relationship with his U.S. peers in an email about environmental and climate change.

“The ECCC and NOAA also collaborate every day through many different fronts, including joint observations and predictions of Arctic waters and Great Lakes through North American ice services and the production of integrated weather models as part of the overall North American forecasting system, Byard said.

Quirion suggests that this situation may bring some benefits to Canada. As the chief scientist in Quebec, while advising the provincial government, he said it could be an opportunity to attract talent.

“We've already asked in Quebec … Canadian scientists in the United States are thinking maybe it's time to go home,” he said.

But for many, it's too early to see any silver lining.

Rosenberg, who has over 35 years of experience in government and academic work, said he was angry.

“Does this have any impact on Canada and the rest of the world?” He said, “The United States has the most powerful scientific enterprise in the world and these people are throwing it away.” ”