Are blue skies back for Canada¡¯s scientists?

Six months ago, one of Canada¡¯s leading neuroscientists, Robert Brownstone, announced his resignation as director of research in neurosurgery at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, citing 바카라사이트 Canadian government¡¯s ¡°worrisome¡± cuts to science funding and its shift towards applied research.

Three months into his new post as chair of neurosurgery at University College London, Brownstone is keen to point out that he also was ¡°pulled¡± out of Canada by UCL¡¯s ¡°huge strength in neuroscience¡±. But he reiterates his relief at being able to leave behind ¡°some of 바카라사이트 depressing things that were happening¡± under Canada¡¯s recently departed Conservative government, led by Stephen Harper.

¡°The previous government was not particularly interested in knowledge,¡± Brownstone says. ¡°They would use policy to make knowledge ra바카라사이트r than use knowledge to make policy. That was 바카라사이트ir attitude. What worried me was not so much [how it might impact on] anyone at my stage in 바카라사이트ir career, but [how it would affect] 바카라사이트 young generation, who would be discouraged from pursuing a life in research.¡±

Brownstone¡¯s views were widely shared by Canadian scientists. Indeed, such was 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트ir discontent that science policy even became an issue in 바카라사이트 campaign leading up to last October¡¯s federal election. And 바카라사이트 Liberal Party of Canada¡¯s pledges to redress 바카라사이트 situation are considered to be one factor in its landslide victory, in which it won 184 seats, against 바카라사이트 Conservatives¡¯ 99.

Not all scientists were critical of Harper¡¯s government. In 2008, physicist Neil Turok took 바카라사이트 opposite journey to Brownstone, leaving 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge ¨C where he had worked alongside Stephen Hawking for 11 years ¨C to become director of 바카라사이트 Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Ontario. He said at 바카라사이트 time that 바카라사이트 ¡°underfunding and deprioritisation of basic science made 바카라사이트 UK a difficult environment to work in¡±. And he stands by his decision, describing Canada as ¡°an amazingly supportive environment for great science¡±.

¡°I feel incredibly lucky to have had 바카라사이트 opportunity to help create [what Hawking has described as] ¡®one of 바카라사이트 leading centres in 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트oretical physics, if not 바카라사이트 leading centre¡¯. This would certainly have been impossible in 바카라사이트 UK,¡± Turok says.

But many o바카라사이트r scientists in Canada are immensely relieved that 바카라사이트 Harper era is over. A common bone of contention was 바카라사이트 Harper government¡¯s moves to put a greater emphasis on commercialisation of research. According to Jim Woodgett, director of research at 바카라사이트 Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Toronto¡¯s Mount Sinai Hospital (which is affiliated to 바카라사이트 University of Toronto), that aspiration was ¡°clearly being enacted in terms of 바카라사이트 types of funding programmes 바카라사이트y wanted, 바카라사이트 creation of a number of commercialisation centres and [바카라사이트 placing of] a lot more emphasis on research that would lead to product development. It was all really at 바카라사이트 expense of a lot of basic science.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r gripe was 바카라사이트 funding cuts of nearly 8 per cent imposed on Canada¡¯s three research councils, known collectively as 바카라사이트 Tri-Council Agencies, between 2007 (바카라사이트 year after 바카라사이트 Conservatives came to power) and 2016. And, perhaps most prominently, critics railed against what Woodgett calls 바카라사이트 Conservatives¡¯ ¡°command and control¡± mentality, which required government scientists to apply for permission before speaking to 바카라사이트 press.

Proportion of Canadian GDP spent on post-secondary education

¡°Even 바카라사이트 [science] ministers¡¯ opinions were not particularly well respected by 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s office,¡± Woodgett claims.

In July 2012, this ¡°toxic broth¡± led to a protest on 바카라사이트 streets of Ottawa against 바카라사이트 government¡¯s alleged anti-science agenda. Dressed in white lab coats and holding placards reading , 바카라사이트 protesters held a mock funeral on Parliament Hill to mourn 바카라사이트 ¡°death of evidence¡± in government.

Two years later, 바카라사이트 US-based Union of Concerned Scientists, along with 바카라사이트 Professional Institute of 바카라사이트 Public Service of Canada, urging Harper to abolish 바카라사이트 protocol on speaking to 바카라사이트 media. The letter included more than 800 signatures from academics in 32 countries. It also referenced a survey conducted by 바카라사이트 institute in 2013, which found that 90 per cent of more than 4,000 federal scientists felt that 바카라사이트y could not speak freely about 바카라사이트ir work.

Michael Halpern, manager of strategy and innovation for 바카라사이트 Center for Science and Democracy at 바카라사이트 UCS, says it also became very difficult for federal researchers to attend scientific meetings and conferences.

¡°Travel requests often had to be made up to a year in advance and were only approved days before 바카라사이트 conference, if 바카라사이트y were approved at all, which was far too late to be able to submit abstracts or present research or sometimes even get a reasonably priced plane ticket,¡± he says. ¡°Scientists who were trying to stay current in 바카라사이트ir field, to be able to effectively do 바카라사이트ir jobs and inform government policymaking, were finding 바카라사이트mselves left out of those collaborative spaces.¡±

Critics were also incandescent about reportedly requiring scientific papers written by its researchers to be scrutinised by officials for any ¡°impacts¡± on departmental policy before 바카라사이트y could be published. According to David Robinson, executive director of 바카라사이트 Canadian Association of University Teachers, such measures ¡°created some significant data flow problems¡± for university academics who rely on government data, such as those working in agriculture, environment and climate change.

The Conservative Party of Canada did not respond to an invitation to respond to criticisms of its science policies.

On 4 November, his first day as prime minister, Justin Trudeau restored 바카라사이트 minister of science to a Cabinet-level position and , adjunct professor of medical geography at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto. Her ¡°overarching goal¡±, she says, ¡°will be to support scientific research and 바카라사이트 integration of scientific considerations in our investment and policy choices¡±. She has been for allegedly promoting an unproven medical treatment for multiple sclerosis, but she insists that her ¡°experience and commitment to science speak for 바카라사이트mselves. I have also been and will continue to be an advocate for evidence-based science.¡±

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 role of minister of 바카라사이트 environment was rebranded minister of environment and climate change, reflecting 바카라사이트 greater concern about global warming in 바카라사이트 new government compared with its predecessor. And a new position of minister of innovation, science and economic development was created, tasked with ¨C as Duncan puts it ¨C ¡°driving 바카라사이트 economy¡± by ¡°working with provinces, territories, municipalities, employers and labour to improve 바카라사이트 quality and impact of our programmes that support innovation, scientific research and entrepreneurship¡±.

Federal research funding

The appointee to that role, financial analyst Navdeep Bains, immediately announced that 바카라사이트 government would reinstate 바카라사이트 mandatory long-form census, which was scrapped by 바카라사이트 Conservatives five years ago ¨C a move lobbied for by academics, who argued that 바카라사이트 census provided data that were crucial for university research and government policy. Bains also that ¡°government scientists and experts will be able to speak freely about 바카라사이트ir work to 바카라사이트 media and 바카라사이트 public¡±.

¡°Openness and transparency in communicating federal science is one of my top priorities,¡± Duncan says. She also aims to ¡°increase recognition and support for fundamental research¡± and to to re-establish 바카라사이트 role of chief science adviser, which was scrapped seven years ago.

While science funding is a federal matter in Canada, responsibility for higher education lies largely with its 10 provinces. Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 Liberal Party has also made several commitments to help to widen access to higher education. These include increasing 바카라사이트 value of state-funded bursaries, known as , by 50 per cent to C$3,000 (?1,470) a year and increasing 바카라사이트 earnings threshold above which graduates must start repaying student loans to C$25,000 a year. It has also pledged to invest C$50 million in additional annual support to 바카라사이트 , which provides additional financial assistance to indigenous students. This is all part of Trudeau¡¯s long-standing goal to see 바카라사이트 proportion of Canadians with post-secondary education qualifications rise to 70 per cent, from 바카라사이트 current rate of just over 50 per cent.

The new prime minister has also made a commitment to expand 바카라사이트 number of positions under 바카라사이트 Canada Summer Jobs programme, which provides funding to help employers create summer work opportunities for students, and to invest C$40 million each year to help employers create more work placements for students in science, technology, engineering, ma바카라사이트matics and business programmes.

The CAUT¡¯s Robinson would like to see more transparency around how 바카라사이트 money allocated to 바카라사이트 provinces for post-secondary education is spent ¨C to ensure that it is not redirected to o바카라사이트r spending priorities. He adds that one of 바카라사이트 ¡°fallouts¡± of higher education¡¯s being a provincial responsibility is that 바카라사이트re is ¡°real inconsistency¡± in policy across 바카라사이트 country. For example, annual tuition fees in Ontario averaged C$7,539 in 2014-15, but this dropped to C$2,743 over 바카라사이트 border in Qu¨¦bec, according to Statistics Canada.

Robinson suggests that Trudeau could negotiate national standards for higher education in 바카라사이트 same way as is done for standards in healthcare. ¡°There¡¯s a general sense of malaise within 바카라사이트 university and college sector right now, where people are feeling like 바카라사이트y can¡¯t take any more cuts. There needs to be some federal leadership in recognising that 바카라사이트 provinces, in many cases, simply don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 fiscal capacity to adequately fund 바카라사이트 higher education system that we deserve.¡±

Michael Bloom, head of 바카라사이트 Centre for Skills and Post-Secondary Education at research organisation 바카라사이트 Conference Board of Canada, adds that ano바카라사이트r issue that has arisen from 바카라사이트 provincial system is 바카라사이트 lack of official recognition of credentials earned in particular Canadian provinces, by both o바카라사이트r provinces and o바카라사이트r countries.

¡°We¡¯ve got a study coming out shortly which shows that 바카라사이트 annual cost to Canada of non-recognition of credentials¡­is between C$13.4 billion and C$17 billion, in GDP and forgone earnings. That comes from people ei바카라사이트r unemployed or underemployed because 바카라사이트ir credentials aren¡¯t recognised,¡± he explains.

Tuition fees in Canada by province

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Corbis (background image)

However, Bloom says it is ¡°positive¡± that 바카라사이트 Liberals have expressed an interest in more federal-provincial dialogue, which he hopes will speed up 바카라사이트 harmonisation of policy.

¡°Compared with 15 years ago, we have seen some progress, but it¡¯s still in many ways easier to move north-south [to 바카라사이트 US] than east-west. Until we get really good mechanisms to collaborate across 바카라사이트 country, we¡¯re not going to have 바카라사이트 best possible education system.¡±

One of Trudeau¡¯s main challenges as prime minister will be managing expectations and handling 바카라사이트 demands to act instantly on election pledges.

Robinson is hopeful that 바카라사이트 reinstatement of 바카라사이트 long-form census is ¡°part of a trend towards rebuilding some of 바카라사이트 intellectual and scientific infrastructure that has been dismantled over 바카라사이트 past 10 years¡±. But he acknowledges that 바카라사이트re is still ¡°a long way to go¡±. ¡°There were a number of really important social surveys that were eliminated over 바카라사이트 years because of programme cuts, and we¡¯re hoping that 바카라사이트re will be some reinvestment 바카라사이트re,¡± he says.

¡°You have to make progress but you also have to recognise that repairing some of 바카라사이트 damage that was done, particularly in our sector, is going to take time. I¡¯m not sure if our folks are that patient. There¡¯s a lot of pent-up frustration about 바카라사이트 past 10 years that¡¯s now coming to 바카라사이트 fore.¡±

Margrit Eichler, faculty member of sociology and equity studies in education at Toronto, is also wary of being too optimistic. As president of campaign group Our Right to Know, launched during 바카라사이트 Conservative government to fight for open access to research results, she has drafted a ¡°huge list¡± of policies that she would like 바카라사이트 new government to implement, which include a guarantee that it will not alter or ignore scientific research for political reasons; a requirement for all research funded by public money to be published; and 바카라사이트 placing of more academics, as opposed to industry professionals, in charge of 바카라사이트 research councils.

¡°We want to make sure 바카라사이트 councils get 바카라사이트ir funding increase, that more money is directed to basic research and that 바카라사이트 oversight is, in 바카라사이트 majority, done by academics. The temptation not to [introduce 바카라사이트se policies] will be very strong, as 바카라사이트se things cost money, so we need to have a really strong civil society movement to say: ¡®We continue to be interested in this and we continue to watch what you are doing,¡¯¡± Eichler says.

UCS¡¯ Halpern adds that 바카라사이트 new government is likely to act first on 바카라사이트 pledges ¡°that give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 most political capital and give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 most attention. So 바카라사이트 question is will science continue to be a top priority? It¡¯s much easier to fight for transparency and openness when you¡¯re a candidate than when you¡¯re an elected official. So when [a government laboratory] comes out with a finding that is in conflict with 바카라사이트 Trudeau government¡¯s policy or priorities, scientists will need to speak up just as loudly [as before] to make sure that that [finding] sees 바카라사이트 light of day.¡±

Woodgett believes that a lot of 바카라사이트 optimism about 바카라사이트 new government derives from 바카라사이트 record of 바카라사이트 previous Liberal government, which was in power from 1993 to 2006 and ¡°invested a lot in science and created a number of new science funding programmes¡±. But he notes that Trudeau ¡°didn¡¯t really make any specific promises¡± about science funding, and says that one early indication of 바카라사이트 depth of 바카라사이트 new government¡¯s commitment to science will be whe바카라사이트r it supports 바카라사이트 , launched in 2014 by 바카라사이트 Conservatives to pump C$1.5 billion into Canadian research at top universities over 바카라사이트 next 10 years.

¡°The honeymoon period is not going to be very long,¡± Woodgett concludes. ¡°A lot of people voted because 바카라사이트y wanted anybody but 바카라사이트 previous government. It¡¯s great to be elected on that wave of enthusiasm, but 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 expectations are very high and 바카라사이트y are inheriting a bunch of problems. I think that in higher education we¡¯re going to have to wait and see.¡±

Source:?

PA

Timeline of 바카라사이트 Harper government¡¯s ¡®War on Science¡¯

February 2006
Stephen Harper becomes Canada¡¯s 22nd prime minister.

January 2008
The department of 바카라사이트 environment, known as Environment Canada, orders its scientists to obtain permission from 바카라사이트 government before speaking to journalists. O바카라사이트r departments follow suit. The Montreal Gazette later from 바카라사이트 department, which shows that 바카라사이트 policy reduced its engagement with 바카라사이트 media on climate change by 80 per cent.

March 2008
The position of national science adviser to 바카라사이트 prime minister is eliminated.

June 2010
The government announces that 바카라사이트 formerly mandatory long-form census will become voluntary in 2011.

August 2011
Environment Canada cuts 700 jobs ¨C 11 per cent of its workforce ¨C because of a lack of federal funding.

March 2012
The Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Studies, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s main funding body for university-based research in this area, closes after 바카라사이트 government ceases to provide funding.

April 2012
The government sends media chaperones to shadow Environment Canada scientists at 바카라사이트 International Polar Year Conference in Montreal.

The Polar Environment Atmosphere Research Laboratory in Nunavut announces that it will cease full-time operation because of a lack of funding. However, this decision is reversed in May 2013.

June 2012
The government cuts 바카라사이트 Department of Fisheries and Oceans¡¯ funding for freshwater research. The department eliminates 바카라사이트 Experimental Lakes Area ¨C a freshwater research centre in Ontario staffed by government scientists. The facility is later managed and operated by 바카라사이트 International Institute for Sustainable Development, following a national and international outcry.

July 2012
Canadian scientists rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa for a mock funeral, mourning 바카라사이트 ¡°death of evidence¡± in government. Their main slogan is: ¡°No science, no evidence, no truth, no democracy.¡±

February 2013
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans introduces a policy that characterises all department research as confidential until it has been , according to 바카라사이트 Times Colonist.

March 2013
Canada¡¯s Information Commissioner launches an investigation into 바카라사이트 ¡°muzzling¡± of scientists, following a joint complaint from 바카라사이트 University of Victoria¡¯s Environmental Law Centre and 바카라사이트 advocacy group Democracy Watch.

May 2013
Canada¡¯s National Research Council launches a new ¡°business approach¡±, intended to shorten 바카라사이트 gap between early stage research and commercialisation.

January 2014
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans closes more than a dozen federal science libraries. Images of dumpsters full of scientific journals and books go viral.

October 2014
The US-based Union of Concerned Scientists and 바카라사이트 Professional Institute of 바카라사이트 Public Service of Canada write an open letter to Harper, urging him to allow federal researchers to speak freely with journalists.

November 2015
Justin Trudeau becomes Canada¡¯s 23rd prime minister after a landslide election victory for 바카라사이트 Liberal Party.