Canada's Science Technology and Innovation Council

 
In response to the dismissal of Canada's Science Advisor, the Harper government proposes to get science advice from someone other than scientists. They have established the Science, Technology and Innovation Council. This body will not advise the Prime Minister or members of parliament. It reports to the Minister of Industry. Here's the mandate ...

The Council is an advisory body that provides the Government of Canada with external policy advice on science and technology issues, and produces regular national reports that measure Canada's science and technology performance against international standards of excellence.

We all know what this means. The role of the council is not to give scientific advice, it's to promote and enhance technology.

As far as I'm concerned, this is worse than having no science advisor at all. What it does is establish a group of people who will masquerade as real scientists and discourage the government from seeking real scientific advice about important science policies like science education and funding of basic research.

Let's look at the people who have agreed to serve on this council [Biographical Notes]. You can judge for yourself whether this group is going to give good advice on science policy or whether they are going to advise on technology issues that can benefit Canada.

Ask yourself whether you would take advice from this group on oil platforms in the arctic ocean, global climate change, stem cell research, evolution vs creationism, or investing in a large telescope. Of course you wouldn't. The fear is that by having this group, Harper can avoid having to seek out other sources of advice. I think it's better to have no "science advisors" at all than to have sham advisors [We Hardly Knew Ye].

• Chair: Dr. Howard Alper: A distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of Ottawa. He has an impressive record of scientific research.


• Dr. Francesco Bellini: Chairman, President and CEO of Neurochem, a drug company. Received his Ph.D. in chemistry in 1977 and worked in a drug company as a researcher until 1984.


• Mr. Eric Bergeron: He has "18 years of global international management experience in high-tech industries, including business development, sales, technology and finance. He is the Founder of Optosecurity Inc., a venture-funded company that develops breakthrough security products for the Transportation and Critical Infrastructure markets."


• Mr. Richard Dicerni: Deputy Minister, Dept. of Industry.


• Mr. David B. Fissel: President of ASL Environmental Sciences, a company that funds projects related to the ocean. "Most of these projects involved input to the design of offshore oil and gas facilities, port development, or environmental assessment and monitoring for coastal and deepwater developments."


• Mr. Peter MacKinnon: Former Dean of Law and currently President of the University of Saskatchewan.


• Dr. Terence Matthews: "Dr. Terry Matthews is the non-executive Chairman of a number of technology companies including Mitel Corporation, March Networks Corporation, DragonWave Corporation, Newport Networks and Solace Systems."


• Mrs. Marie-Lucie Morin: Deputy Minister, International Trade.


• Dr. Heather Munroe-Blum: Currently she is Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University. She used to be a highly respected scientist working in the field of epidemiology.


• Mr. David O'Brien: "Chairman of the Board of EnCana and Chairman of the Board of the Royal Bank of Canada. He is a director of Molson Coors Brewing Company and TransCanada Corporation. Mr. O'Brien is also a director of Focus Energy Trust, the E & P Management Partnership (a private energy investment company) and Spur Resources Ltd. (a private exploration company)."


• Mr. J. Robert S. Prichard: President and Chief Executive Officer of Torstar Corporation, which publishes the Toronto Star. Rob is a former lawyer and the former President of the University of Toronto.


• Mr. Morris Rosenberg: Deputy Minister of Health.


• Dr. Guy Rouleau: A scientist interested in the genetic basis of neurological disease at the Université de Montréal.


• Dr. W. A. (Sam) Shaw: "President and CEO of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (1997-present), one of the country's leading technical institutes." (I'm not familiar with this leading institute.)


• Dr. Molly Shoichet: A scientist who "is an expert in the study of Polymers for Regeneration which are materials that promote healing in the body. Dr. Shoichet's laboratory has numerous patents (published and pending) on drug delivery and scaffold design. She has founded two spin-off companies from her laboratory."


• Dr. Mihaela Ulieru: "Dr. Ulieru holds the NSERC Canada Research Chair in Adaptive Information Infrastructures for the e-Society at the University of New Brunswick where she founded and directs the Adaptive Risk Management Lab - an international leading centre for research and innovation in the design of holistic security ecosystems and resilient information infrastructures that link critical infrastructures."


• Dr. Harvey Weingarten: Currently President of the University of Calgary, he used to be a psychologist.


• Mr. Rob Wildeboer: "He is the Executive Chairman and co-founder of Martinrea International Inc., a leading Canadian auto parts supplier, specializing in automotive fluid systems and metal forming products, with leading edge expertise in hydroforming, hot stamping, stamping, laser trimming and welding."

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