<i>federal civil service -- the ones whose jobs exist precisely for the purpose of giving advice to the government</i><p>I&#x27;d say their jobs are giving advice to the <i>public</i>. Moreover the Harper party made it difficult for federal civil service scientists to communicate with journalists (aka the fourth estate of government) and the Greens, NDP, Liberals i.e. any other part of the government not in power. The Harper party overreach has no justification in a democratic society and you shouldn&#x27;t be making excuses for them.