Minister of State for Science and Technology, Gary Goodyear, is being asked of clarify his position on science. Is he, or is he not, anti-science? Specifically, does he reject the scientific fact of evolution? Yesterday, newspapers reported on his wishy-washy definition of evolution. Most people concluded that he is, indeed, a creationist of the sort that rejects science.
Today's National Post documents the evolving strategy of the Conservative Party and their friends. They are trying to make this into an issue about freedom of religion rather than a simple question of scientific literacy [My beliefs not relevant: Goodyear].
In light of those responses, critics were still wondering yesterday whether someone who believes the Earth is just thousands of years old is heading Canada's science and technology sector.Hmmm ... let's think about this for a minute. How many people think it's relevant that a Minister of Science and Technology is anti-science?
Mr. Goodyear bucked at requests to clarify his point of view yesterday, cutting short a question into whether he defined evolution in the popular Darwinian sense.
"My entire background has been in science, and my personal beliefs are not important," Mr. Goodyear repeated. "What I'm doing and what the government is doing to move this country forward -- that's important."
When pressed, Mr. Goodyear added that there would be no conflict of interest for a minister heading the science and technology industry to hold a belief in creationism.
"Absolutely not. How ridiculous. It's absolutely ridiculous. That's why I didn't answer the question, because it has no relevance," he said.
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