Privy Council Conducting ‘Behavioural Science’ Research on Canadians Without Disclosing Findings: Report

The main door to the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council office in Ottawa on Feb.18, 2019. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

The Privy Council Office (PCO) has been conducting “behavioural science” research involving thousands of Canadians over the past several years but has not been disclosing its findings from the studies in an alleged breach of the Federal Accountability Act, according to a news report.

Documents obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter through an access to information request reportedly show that the PCO began conducting the research with Canadians in groups of 2,000 people within just weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic starting in early 2020.

The PCO’s monthly polling was reportedly ordered by the department’s “Impact and Innovation Unit,” which the PCO says was “established to accelerate the adoption of novel outcomes-based policy and program approaches that deliver tangible and measurable results for Canadians.”

The PCO says in its 2019–2020 annual report of the unit that it “shifted its focus in March 2020” when the pandemic broke out to augment the federal government’s efforts and leveraged “its skillsets in behavioural science, public engagement, and innovative public policy design and implementation.”

The latest behavioural research polling consisted of what PCO officials in a memo called “Covid-19 Snapshot Monitoring,” which it said provides “deep insights about how the views and behaviour of citizens are changing over time in tandem with the progression of the pandemic.”

“An academic advisory committee with expertise in infectious disease, behavioural science, public health and epidemiology provides ongoing feedback,” the memo said.

Internal records indicate that the PCO’s Innovation Unit has five senior managers, but the department has not released any details of how much the monthly behavioural science polling costs taxpayers.

However, one internal memo said that the unit’s findings from the research were only intended for use by cabinet, according to Blacklock’s.

“The rich dataset can support immediate policy objectives such as more precisely targeting government messaging and communications to priority areas to encourage particular behaviour,” read the memo, titled “For Internal Use Only.”

“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.”

The Federal Accountability Act, which Parliament passed in 2006, dictates that all public opinion research conducted or contracted by the federal government and charged to taxpayers must be “made available to the public” within six months of completion.

The PCO reportedly declined to provide comment to Blacklock’s on its withholding of findings from the behavioural science research.

The Epoch Times has not independently reviewed the internal documents. The PCO was contacted for comment on the allegations but did not respond by publication time.