Unmuzzled federal biologist Facebook post goes viral

A Facebook post fromthe mother of anunmuzzledB.C.biologist has gone viral, shedding more insight into the changes in the control of information since the new federal government took office lastweek.

Jody Paterson, the mother of afisheries biologist with theDepartment of Fisheries and Oceans, shared a "spirit-lifting" message from her son in aFacebook poston Friday.

• ANALYSIS | Scientists, ministers get green light to speak under Trudeau
• Kristi Miller, muzzled fisheries scientist, felt like a second-class citizen

Paterson quoted a status update her son made on his personal Facebookaccount,where he announced that hisDFO supervisors told himthemuzzle order on scientistshad been lifted. He said the changeswereannounced by hissupervisorsat an all staff meeting onThursday.

"We were told that it's ok to talk to the media or anyone about what we do without permission.That's how surreal it was. That's how things changed over night," the post reads.

Paterson says her son has been working with the department for about a year.

She shared his message with her own Facebook friends, adding a few comments of her own. The postnow hasmore than 11,000 likes and 8,200 shares.

Paterson, a former journalist inB.C. who now lives in Nicaragua, says she has been shockedby the response.

"I've had people tell me they cried when they read that post, and now I'm seeing comments from others who are talking about crying during the swearing-in ceremony, crying on the day after the election," she told CBC News in a written statement.

"These are regular people who are not particularly political, and they had been stuffing down their feelings of rage and helplessness for so long that when it was finally over and the Harper government was vanquished, all the emotions flooded out."

Paterson haswritten a blog post about the experienceand sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeauto tell him about her son andthankhim for reversing the communication policy of the previous government.

Government announced reversal on Friday

Kristi Miller,aB.C.-based molecular geneticist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, was among the first scientists to speak out after the unmuzzling.

In 2011, she was prevented from discussing her researchinto the 2009 Fraser River sockeye salmon collapse following its publication.

"When we were banned, it almost made government scientists second-class citizens in the scientific arena," she said. "It was quite embarrassing. I really felt like a second-class citizen."

Navdeep Bains, the new minister of innovation, science and economic development, announced the policy change Friday, two days after Trudeau and hiscabinet were sworn in.

"Our government values science and will treat scientists with respect.That is why government scientists and experts will be able to speak freely about their work to the media and the public," he said in a written statement.

"We are working to make government science fully available to the public and will ensure that scientific analyses are considered in decision making."

The previous government of formerprime minister Stephen Harper brought in a restrictive communications policythat required national or international media requests to speak withfederal government scientists to be approved by a minister's office, and all communications with government scientists to go through a government communications office.