Science Canada: 03/10/09

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Canada’s innovation woes

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:05 PM

Mar 10, 2009
DAVID CRANE
Chronicle-Herald
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1110569.html

Climate scientists gather, and the news is not good

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:05 PM

Mar 10, 2009
AFP
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ixeie7WvUNajfJtN3iImDQ_MUhhQ

Universities promised stimulus flexibility

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:05 PM

Mar 10, 2009
BRIAN LAGHI and ELIZABETH CHURCH AND OLIVER MOORE
Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090310.wclement10/BNStory/politics/home

More money for higher education

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:04 PM

$2-billion fund to help universities with refits, construction
Mar 10, 2009
JOHN GILLIS
Chronicle-Herald
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1110575.html

Dreams of clean energy centre dashed

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:04 PM

Innovation Documents reveal how N.B. tried to land millions of research dollars
Mar 10, 2009
Brett Bundale
Telegraph-Journal
http://nbbusinessjournal.canadaeast.com/journal/article/597999

Trans-fat ban is on its way

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:03 PM

B.C. will regulate the food additives across the province Oct. 1
Mar 10, 2009
Darrell Bellaart
Daily News
http://www.canada.com/Trans/1373092/story.html

Researchers wary over cuts to councils

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:03 PM

Turk: Canada will lose top scientists
Mar 10, 2009
Jared Lindzon
Western Gazette
http://www.gazette.uwo.ca/article.cfm?section=FrontPage&articleID=1330&month=03&day=10&year=2009

Ban based on politics, not science, say pesticide companies

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:03 PM

Mar 10, 2009
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2009/03/10/pe-pesticide-companies.html

Free-range ruling leaves Metro with egg on its face

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:02 PM

Mar 10, 2009
Harvey Enchin
Vancouver Sun
http://www.vancouversun.com/Health/Free+range+ruling+leaves+Metro+with+face/1372862/story.html

Sanity on stem cells

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:02 PM

Mar 10, 2009
The Edmonton Journal
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Health/Sanity+stem+cells/1373022/story.html

Obama's stem cell decision raises Canadian cheers - and brain drain worries

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:02 PM

Mar 9, 2009
The Canadian Press
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jSqRWkdgymJn6ITbk96KKM-NrDxQ

Deadline coming for crumbling colleges, universities

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:01 PM

Federal fund about to end: Minister
Mar 9, 2009
Mike De Souza
Canwest News Service
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Deadline+coming+crumbling+colleges+universities/1371048/story.html

Evaluating Ontario's green energy program

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 10:01 PM

Mar 7, 2009
Rod Charlton
Recorder & Times
http://www.recorder.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1468157

WELCOME TO SCIENCE CANADA

The goal of the Science Canada website is to highlight science policy issues in Canada's political arena and media.

Science policy is the discipline that lies at the interface of the scientific enterprise and public administration. It encompasses two related and complementary spheres: (i) “policy for science” – strategies for managing and enhancing the conduct of scientific research; and (ii) “science for policy” – mechanisms by which scientific knowledge informs government decision-making. Science Canada aims to keep you up-to-date on recent developments on both fronts.

PS - In the interests of promoting healthy debate and reflecting the full marketplace of ideas, links to many types of opinion pieces are posted here... including ones with which I may strongly disagree. (Don't interpret a link to an editorial as an endorsement of its point of view.)

Happy reading!

Jeff Sharom

Connect with Jeff Sharom on LinkedIn or Nature Network.

Why Science Canada?

Canadian scientific community suffers from lack of active engagement in decision making processes, dynamic network of science advocacy and lobbying. That is due to various factors but mainly lack of strong professional associations, and as result frail networks, and absence of science policy discourse in the mainstream of Canadian society. However the involvement of scientists at decision making levels differs in different provinces depending on the degree of cosy relationship and personal friendship between the scientists and policy makers rather than strong professional and systematic engagement.

In United States, there are numerous research centers, and many scientists that are being trained in science policy, numerous networks and organization which provide a strong base for science policy discourse and strong lobby for science in mainstream of the society. One of the latest examples of this effective science lobby in the United States is the efforts to hold a debate dedicated to science and technology between the candidates in 2008 presidential race. There has already been one public debate of scientific advisers of both democratic presidential candidates, and the efforts to convince the final two candidates to dedicate one debate to science and technology has been continued. Regardless of appropriateness of such debate, the fact that serious efforts are present and has taken momentum somehow that according to polls 85% of voters agree with having one debate on science issues , indicates that science policy discourse in the United States is in the mainstream of American society.

It is time for Canadian scientific community to start bringing science into mainstream of Canadian society and get engage in policy making processes. The necessity of dynamic scientific community being involved at policy making levels, in collaboration with social scientists, technology experts, engineers, government officials, policy makers and private sector, has not ever been more urgent. It is up to Canadian scientists to recognize the need and starts preparing essentials for this goal.

Mehrdad Hariri

Science Canada

Canada’s innovation woes

Climate scientists gather, and the news is not good

Universities promised stimulus flexibility

More money for higher education

Dreams of clean energy centre dashed

Trans-fat ban is on its way

Researchers wary over cuts to councils

Ban based on politics, not science, say pesticide companies

Free-range ruling leaves Metro with egg on its face

Sanity on stem cells

Obama's stem cell decision raises Canadian cheers - and brain drain worries

Deadline coming for crumbling colleges, universities

Evaluating Ontario's green energy program

Contribute to Science Canada: e-mail us!

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