The agreement between the federal government and Canadian scientists would lock in a “scientific integrity” clause first included in a 2017 agreement. The clause—which allows scientists to talk about their research without being a designated department spokesperson—would apply for four years to 15,000 Canadian scientists, researchers and engineers. This month, the agreement will be presented to the union for a ratification vote. (CBC)

Talking point: The contract would remain in force even if the Liberals lose the October election. Debi Daviau, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada union representing scientists, said “all evidence” suggests that the current Conservative party denies climate change. This week, Conservative leader Andrew Scheer presented his party’s climate-change plan, which proposes making greenhouse gas emitters over their target pay into a fund that invests into cleantech. It did not include taxes or specific numbers on how its policies would reduce emissions to hit targets set in the Paris Agreement in 2016. The previous Conservative government clashed with scientists working for it; in 2013, a poll of 4,000 scientists found that 74 per cent felt sharing research had become too restricted. “It was the one that was most important to get into our collective agreement because now they’re going to pry it from my cold dead fingers to get it back,” Daviau said of the clause.