When Canadas only World Cup ski champion was invited to participate in a 2014 Olympic torch relay at the North Pole, he probably wasnt expecting his fellow runners would be world-class Arctic scientists. One Canadian Arctic expert calls it mind-boggling that Steve Podborski was chosen by the federal government to represent Canada at an event designed to honour researchers who have made a considerable contribution to Arctic studies and exploration. Last year, months before the Sochi Winter Games, Russia invited members of the Arctic Council - eight countries that have stakes in the Far North - to take part in an Olympic torch relay at the North Pole. The Russian Olympic Committee is seeking to finalize the list of torch bearers for the torch relay by they end of September 2013, said a September 12, 2013 memo by Morris Rosenberg, Canadas deputy minister of foreign affairs, to foreign minister John Baird. Russia has invited all Arctic Council states to delegate representatives to participate in the North Pole portion of the torch relay that Russia is organizing as part of the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi. Russia asks countries to propose an individual who has made a considerable contribution to Arctic studies and exploration. Russia planned to transport the torchbearers by nuclear icebreaker from Murmansk to the North Pole in late October. Other Arctic Council countries including Sweden, Finland and Norway had reacted positively to Russias request, Rosenberg wrote. In Canada, that decision was more difficult. Over the last few years, the government of Canada and prime minister Stephen Harper seem to have been ensnared in a 21st-century Cold War with scientists. The government has handcuffed publicly financed scientists from communicating with the public and with other scientists, according to newspapers including The New York Times. The showdown began in 2008 when Environment Canada ordered scientists to refer all questions from the public to communications officers. Since then, the government has monitored and restricted the distribution of information about everything from climate change to fisheries to the Alberta tar sands. A week before Rosenbergs memo, hundreds of scientists in white lab coats took to Parliament Hill to demand Harpers government stop the muzzling. The protest was one of many held across the country by an advocacy group called Evidence for Democracy. The Ottawa protest came after Canadas information commissioner Suzanne Legault launched an investigation into the muzzling, saying she would investigate six federal departments. The federal government has disputed the claims of protestors, saying that scientists and experts are readily available to share their research with the public and the media. Still, consider the scientists other countries sent to the torch relay. Denmark sent Christian Marcussen, a chief scientist who works with the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. Sweden sent Ylva Sjoberg, a doctoral student focusing on polar research at Stockholm University. Finland sent Lassie Neininen, a professor of arctic policy at the University of Lapland. Norway offered a pair of professors from Norways Arctic University, while Iceland sent Steingrimur Jonsson, a professor and scientist at the University of Akureyri. Canada sent Podborski, a bronze medalist at the 1980 Lake Placid Games and the first North American in 1982 to win a World Cup season title in the downhill. It would have been nice to see anyone who does science in the Arctic get that kind of exposure. I have no idea what Podborskis academic credentials are, said Pierre Fogal, a researcher at the University of Toronto who has studied the Arctic. He was a hell of a skier. But I know of at least 30 or 40 top-notch researchers who could have been filled that role. Im not at all surprised at this. its entirely in keeping with their approach. Its mind-boggling. The Canadian government seems to think science is okay but scientists arent. Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman John Babcock said the government decided the Canadian Olympic Committee, would be best placed to identify the most suitable candidate to participate in the North Pole Olympic torch relay. Babcock referred questions to the Canadian Olympic Committee. COC spokesman Marc-Andre Plouffe wrote in an emailed statement that Podborski was sent to the torch relay based on his immense contributions that he has an continues to make to the Olympic movement. This was a clear choice considering he was the chef de mission and the highest ranking sport official for Canadas Olympic team in Sochi. A COC source pointed out that Canada wasnt the only country to send an athlete to the North Pole torch relay. 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Hill is batting .472 (17 for 36) with four home runs and 11 RBIs in eight career games at Miller Park. Hills home run Tuesday came after Miguel Montero had a tying single. Evan Marshall (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 innings of scoreless relief in his major league debut for the victory. "Evan Marshall was electric in his first big league appearance," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "He had a little cheering section out there. His parents and his wife were here. He came in and threw the ball like we were told he was throwing the ball down in Triple-A. It was much needed for us." Addison Reed pitched a scoreless ninth inning to record his ninth save in 10 opportunities. Paul Goldschmidt and Chris Owings also homered for Arizona, which has won five of its last seven games on the road. Brandon Kintzler (1-1) gave up the three runs in the eighth. "I feel terrible for letting the team down in that situation," Kintzler said. Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer in the first inning off Milwaukee starter Marco Estrada. The Brewers scored for five runs in the bottom half off Josh Collmenter. "The first inning was not well-played at all," Gibson said. "We gave up four unearned runs. But true to (Collmenters) form, he hung in there. Hes great at keeping his composure." Collmenter gave up just four singles after the first. He departed in the sixth after consecutive two-out singles to Logan Schafer and pinch-hitter Rickie Weeeks.dddddddddddd Marshall came on to record the final out of the inning. Collmenter gave up five runs -- one earned -- and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings. He struck out three and walked one. "I just wanted to give the team a chance to win to try and keep us in it long enough," Collmenter said. "When you get a comeback win like this, its huge for the club." The Diamondbacks entered the eighth trailing by a run. But Goldschmidt hustled for a double and scored on Monteros single. Hill then hit a drive over the left-centre field fence. Goldschmidts first-inning homer came immediately after Arizona challenged a call in which leadoff hitter Gerardo Parra, who had singled, was ruled out at first base on a pickoff. The call was overturned by review. Lyle Overbay had an RBI single, Ownings two-out throwing error allowed another run to score, Jean Segura followed with a run-scoring single and Schafer capped the big inning with a two-run double. Both pitchers settled down after that. Estrada retired 11 of the next 12 batters following Goldschmidts home run before issuing a walk to A.J. Pollock leading of the fifth. Pollack later scored on Collmenters ground out, cutting the lead to 5-3. Owings hit his first big league homer leading off the sixth. "Obviously it feels good. It makes it even more special that we got a win out of it," Owings said. Estrada yielded four runs and four hits over six innings. He struck out four and walked two. NOTES: The Diamondbacks placed reliever J.J. Putz on the 15-day DL with right forearm tightness and optioned pitcher Mike Bolsinger to Triple-A Reno. The team called up Marshall from Reno and Chase Anderson from Double-A Mobile. .The Brewers lost for the first time this season (19 games) when scoring four or more runs. ... Wily Peralta (4-1) will take the mound for Milwaukee against Arizonas Bronson Arroyo (2-2) in the three-game series finale on Wednesday. ' ' '