The Privy Council Office is engaging in covert “behavioural science” research while intentionally withholding the findings, violating an Act of Parliament, according to Access to Information records..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, it is mandatory in federal law to disclose all publicly-funded opinion research to taxpayers and other political parties..The Privy Council would not comment on documents showing that within weeks of the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020, it commissioned monthly “behavioural science” research with Canadians in groups of 2,000 people..The polling was ordered by the Privy Council’s Impact and Innovation Unit..The Innovation Unit has five senior managers. However, there was no disclosure of the cost of monthly polling. Additionally, a memo marked “For Internal Use Only” stated that the findings were intended for use by the cabinet..“The rich data set can support immediate policy objectives such as more precisely targeting government messaging and communications to priority areas to encourage particular behaviour,” said the memo. .“Given the depth and breadth of the study, it can also provide signals about longer-term implications that might require new or adapted policy responses.”.Parliament in 2006 passed the Federal Accountability Act mandating that all public opinion research charged to taxpayers must be “made available to the public” within six months..Polling must be “open, transparent and fair as well as provide value for Canadian taxpayers,” then-Public Works Minister Michael Fortier said at the time..The requirement was implemented after a federal audit in 2003 revealed that the cabinet had covertly commissioned partisan polling, which resulted in thousands of dollars being improperly charged to taxpayers. Former Auditor General Sheila Fraser described it as “troubling.”.“We noted the government failed to follow its own guidelines in effect at the time and paid for syndicated research that monitored, among other things voting behaviour and political party image,” said Fraser’s audit Management of Public Opinion Research..Between 2001 and 2003, the Privy Council and other federal agencies allocated a total of $476,000 towards conducting secret polling of Canadian citizens. These polls aimed to gauge their voting intentions and gather insights into their impressions of party leaders..“The department should clearly demonstrate why this public opinion research is being carried out,” Fraser testified at hearings of the Commons Public Accounts committee..The most recent covert polling conducted by the Privy Council was referred to as the COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring..“Compared to traditional public opinion polling, the longitudinal design of Snapshot Monitoring surveys enables deep insights about how the views and behaviour of citizens are changing over time in tandem with the progression of the pandemic,” said an internal memo..“An academic advisory committee with expertise in infectious disease, behavioural science, public health and epidemiology provides ongoing feedback.”.According to the information, the research had objectives that extended beyond the management of the COVID-19 pandemic..“Combating the rampant spread of misinformation and disinformation is currently one of the critical priorities in the government’s response with deep and increasingly complex behavioural roots,” said the memo.
