Blacklock's Reporter

Newly-disclosed Health Canada research shows a federal marijuana education campaign is ineffectual. Teenagers questioned by government pollsters said they assumed legalization signaled Parliament’s approval of cannabis.

“I guess if it’s going to be legal it can’t be that bad,” pollsters with Corporate Research Associates quoted one respondent in Health Canada focus groups. “Is weed really addictive?” asked another. “Pot is moving from a criminal offence to a socially acceptable activity,” said a third.

Findings were based on twelve federal focus groups with teenagers in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Sudbury and Québec City. The health department paid $87,372 for the research Social Media Focus Groups With Youth.

“The upcoming legalization of marijuana is clearly top of mind and a topic of considerable interest to youth,” said Social Media Focus; “Some questioned where it will be purchased, and how it might interact with alcohol use.”

The report also questioned the value of Health Canada education campaigns geared to social media advertisements. Cabinet last year committed $9.2 million in annual funding for cannabis awareness ads, mainly on Facebook and other social media sites. Only a fraction of funding, some $1 million, has been spent to date though a legalization bill is awaiting final passage in the Commons.

“Ads on social media are considered an annoyance to most youth and something they try to avoid,” wrote Corporate Research. “Most do not use an ad blocker, but rather simply skip or ignore the ad whenever possible.”

“Youth do not profess to look for health-related information,” said the report; “They do not want to feel as if they are being ‘force fed’ information”; “Youth consistently expressed frustration with the high volume of advertisements on social media and, in most cases, consider them a significant annoyance. Youth are clearly cynical of ads and work to avoid or ignore them whenever possible.”

Researchers noted Canadian teenagers remain hostile to social media marketing though they use the medium constantly. “Most, in fact, keep their Smartphones close 24 hours a day, seven days a week, typically taking their Smartphone to bed with them at night,” said the report.

Bill C-45 An Act Respecting Cannabis passed the Senate June 7. The bill would permit unlimited private storage of dried cannabis, public possession of up to 30 grams, and home cultivation of up to four marijuana plants subject to local option. Two provinces to date, Manitoba and Québec, have proposed to ban home grows.

The Commons will take up the Senate’s version of the bill this week. “We feel very confident that we had a very good piece of legislation,” Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor told reporters.

By Staff

Cast-iron stoves

became standard

in 19th century America.

Over half a million produced

in 1874 alone.

Followed by the spread

of gas and electric models

in 20th century.

In 21st century Guatemala

Miranda fixes dinner

for her grandson.

Smoke fills kitchen, lungs,

stains walls, burns eyes.

A daily ritual for her

and for the three billion

who still cook

over open fire.

(Editor’s note: poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday)

Federal departments and agencies since 2016 have spent $1.76 million on fake news content ghostwritten and edited by government employees, say newly-released accounts. Staff distributed unsigned stories free of charge to newsrooms.

“They shed crocodile tears for print media and say, ‘We’re on your side’, and then do things like this,” said Conservative MP Tony Clement (Parry Sound-Muskoka). “The government is always looking for ways to make sure the news is in their favour.”

Cabinet in an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons detailed scores of contracts with News Canada Inc., a Toronto-based broker that distributed ready-to-use content to editors. Stories were attributed to News Canada without identifying the government’s authorship. Blacklock’s earlier identified weeklies from Alberta to Québec that republished stories without advising readers they were produced by federal employees.

“The government is trying to buy its way into the good graces of Canadians,” said Clement. “I think there should be a general review of government promotions to make sure they are in line with what Canadians expect.”

Large contracts awarded to News Canada Inc. included $316,735 by Health Canada; $298,201 by Statistics Canada; $256,594 by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation; and $198,309 by the Canada Revenue Agency. No agency cancelled its news contracts, though the Department of Immigration wrote it allowed its existing arrangement with News Canada Inc. to expire on March 31.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which sponsored $9,440 worth of content, denied the practice amounted to fakery. “The Agency uses services provided by News Canada Inc. to provide factual information of public interest on important matters of health or safety,” wrote staff. “Contracting with News Canada Inc. has proven to be an effective means of supplementing all the various techniques used to reach Canadians.”

The Department of Canadian Heritage in a 2017 Memorandum To The Minister described fake news, including “state-sponsored” content, as a public policy issue. “Creators of fake news are non-traditional sources, i.e. not journalists; individuals on social media; individuals not preoccupied with facts,” said the memo obtained through Access To Information.

“Characteristics of fake news” include content that writers are “quick to create and share, and are not constrained by research or fact-checking,” wrote staff; “The issue is complex and there is not likely one single, easy solution. (There are) limitations to actions that governments can take, e.g. cannot decide what is fake news.”

“Access to accurate information from diverse perspectives underpins our democratic institutions,” said the memo.

Examples of ghostwritten stories included a Financial Consumer Agency of Canada item, Achieve Your Long-Term Financial Goals With Your Home Equity, that advised homeowners on how to apply to banks for lines of credit. The item did not disclose the federal Agency draws 77 percent of its $17.6 million annual budget from banks and other lenders.

Health Canada distributed an article Pesticides In Canada that told readers: “When used properly, you can be assured there is no risk to human health or the environment.” The story failed to note ongoing Agency reviews of three common neonicotinoid pesticides regulators have cited as environmentally toxic.

By Jason Unrau