Science Canada: 06/29/09

Announcement marks a huge shift in policy for the McGuinty government, which had planned to spend $26-billion expanding and refurbishing its fleet of reactors
Jun 29, 2009
Karen Howlett
Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-suspends-nuclear-power-plans/article1200469/

Ont. nullifies nuclear power plant plans

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:54 PM

June 29, 2009
Megan O'Toole
National Post
http://www.canada.com/Technology/nullifies+nuclear+power+plant+plans/1744589/story.html

Reactor design puts safety of nuclear plants into question

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:54 PM

Feature speeds up rate of atomic reactions in event of a coolant leak; regulators say they misjudged size of the problem
Jun 29, 2009
Martin Mittelstaedt
Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/reactor-design-puts-safety-into-question/article1200130/

Central Asian leaders plead for help in cleaning nuclear waste

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:53 PM

Remnants of Cold War are a regional and global threat, delegates from four ex-Soviet states urge at summit in Geneva
Jun 29, 2009
Robert Evans
Reuters
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/science/central-asian-leaders-plead-for-help-in-cleaning-nuclear-waste/article1201134/

A public tarring in Saudi Canada

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:53 PM

Jun 28, 2009
Andrew Nikiforuk
Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/657518

China now taking climate change seriously: Barroso

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:53 PM

June 26, 2009
AFP
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/China+taking+climate+change+seriously+Barroso/1736832/story.html

Obama gears up for climate bill's test in U.S. Senate

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:52 PM

President, reluctant to speculate about when senators might pass energy law, rolls out new standards for energy conservation in lighting systems
Jun 29, 2009
Jeff Mason
Reuters
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/science/obama-gears-up-for-climate-bills-test-in-us-senate/article1201191/

America's climate-change bill: In need of a clean

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:52 PM

America's bill is a bundle of compromises
June 27, 2009
The Economist
http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13933204

U.S. House passes landmark climate bill

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:51 PM

Legislation a major victory for Obama
Jun 27, 2009
Richard Cowan
Reuters
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/us-house-passes-landmark-climate-bill/article1199364/

Carbon capture probably doable, experts say, but cost and legal barriers exist

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:51 PM

Jun 29, 2009
The Canadian Press
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gfLJWw0PL6f2mcy97Q4l_IURTdSg

Deadly pneumonia in swine-flu outbreak hit young hard

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:51 PM

June 29, 2009
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/06/29/swine-flu-research.html

Oilsands progress a missed lesson for Chu

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:50 PM

U.S. energy secretary would have learned a lot from CAPP event
June 27, 2009
Deborah Yedlin
Calgary Herald
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Business/Oilsands+progress+missed+lesson/1739145/story.html

Chief health officer warns pregnant women of flu risk

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:50 PM

June 29, 2009
Sharon Kirkey
Canwest News Service
http://www.canada.com/Health/Chief+health+officer+warns+pregnant+women+risk/1744628/story.html

Bruce nuclear plant unsafe, workers say

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:50 PM

Half-tonne load of steel at facility falls 20 metres from crane
Jun 29, 2009
Robert Cribb
Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/658118

Minister touts arctic strength

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:49 PM

Lawrence Cannon
June 29, 2009
Randy Boswell
Canwest News Service
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=1743165

British PM backs $113B climate fund for 3rd World

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:49 PM

June 26, 2009
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/06/26/uk-brown-fund-climate-change-developing-countries.html

Hawkesbury solar farm gets green light

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:49 PM

June 29, 2009
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/06/29/ottawa-hawkesbury-solar-farm.html

Can we 'milk' oil from algae?

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:48 PM

Jun 29, 2009
Tyler Hamilton
Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/article/658052

Researchers use thoughts to drive wheelchair

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:48 PM

June 29, 2009
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/06/29/wheelchair-thought-brain-control-toyota.html

Ozone machines latest move to solve sewage odour in Halifax

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:48 PM

Water commission persuaded by demonstration with old smoke-eater
June 29, 2009
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/06/29/ns-halifax-water-ozone.html

The not-so-great outdoors: How to green your grill

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:47 PM

Jun 29, 2009
The Economist
http://www.economist.com/world/international/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13936868

Deep-sea coral emerges from the darkness

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:47 PM

New technology lets B.C. research team study exotic creatures, in hopes of affecting policy protecting them
Jun 27, 2009
WENDY STUECK
Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/deep-sea-coral-emerges-from-the-darkness/article1199528/

Botanists set out on canoe expedition to gather Arctic plants

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:47 PM

June 26, 2009
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/06/26/nwt-plants.html

Black-footed ferret coming to Sask. Grasslands this fall

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:46 PM

June 26, 2009
John Weidlich
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/06/26/black-footed-ferret.html

Stephen Hawking might visit Canada in October

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 9:46 PM

June 26, 2009
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/06/26/tech-stephen-hawking-perimeter-institute.html

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

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