NDP tabling private member's bill calling for a Parliamentary Science Officer

The opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) is tabling a private member's bill this week calling for the creation of a Parliamentary Science Officer (PSO) to provide independent science information and advice to Parliament. The bill is being proposed by NDP science and technology critic Dr Kennedy Stewart and is the third science-focused bill he has introduced since being appointed to the critic's position in 2012.

The PSO would be appointed for a seven-year, non-renewable term, submit annual reports to Parliament and undertake several functions including:

• Assessing the state of scientific evidence relevant to any proposal or bill before Parliament;

• Answering requests for science information from committees and individual members ;

• Conducting independent analysis of federal S&T policy;

• Raising awareness of scientific issues in government and publicly; and,

• Encouraging coordination between departments and agencies conducting scientific research.

The PSO proposal was presented to a special session at the Canadian Science Policy Conference which included Liberal S&T critic Ted Hsu. Stewart said the position would replace the mothballed Office of the National Science Advisor and, is modelled in part on the UK Parliamentary Office for S&T and augmented following discussions with senior officials from president Barack Obama's administration.

The PSO is designed to complement the work of the Science, Technology and Innovation Council and the Council of Canadian Academies. The concept was also raised by Paul Dufour in a column for RE$EARCH MONEY (R$, November 9/12) and subsequently in an article published November 18/13 in iPolitics.

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