Preston Manning calls for improvements to federal government's allocations to STI

Quick implementation urged

The Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC) should be directed to propose a structure and process for high-level allocation decisions for science, technology and innovation (STI). The call for greater clarity and transparency in deciding how and where to make future STI investments was issued by Preston Manning, who says STIC should act as soon as possible to produce a report by the end of the year.

Manning, former Reform and Canadian Alliance party leader and president of the Manning Centre for Building Democracy, says it's important to move quickly to address and alleviate misunderstandings over federal decision making for STI, adding that the government should be prepared to make "mid-course adjustments" if STIC suggests improvements.

"If left unaddressed and unattended, (it) could lead to a deterioration rather than a strengthening of the relationship between the STI community and the federal government," said Manning. "The government (should) direct STIC to conduct these inquiries as expeditiously as possible … with maximum transparency and openness."

greater transparency and openness urged

Manning's emphasis on making the process open for scrutiny can be viewed as an oblique reference to the difficulties the Conservative government has experienced with the STI file — difficulties Manning termed "misunderstandings". Budget 2009 is perceived in many quarters as a failure to support Canada's broad research community through the granting councils (a contention the government disputes), due to the strategic review-related cuts to their budgets and the silence on further funding for Genome Canada.

"The Government of Canada is committed to spending some $12-13 billion per year in support of (STI) activity over the next two years. But whether those funds are currently being allocated on an optimal basis at the macro level is a legitimate subject for debate," he said. "The allocation decisions involved at this level are complicated by many factors and competing interests. Responsibility for making them is often divided half-a-dozen ways, and the process whereby they are made is not always transparent even to those within the government."

Manning is seeking to carve out a role for himself as a statesman for STI. While repeating the claim that the Conservative government has increased STI funding by at least $12 billion since it took power, he also acknowledged criticism of funding decisions for Genome Canada. Rather than come down on one side or the other in the debate, he prefers to label criticism of government policy as merely a misunderstanding.

Policy makers in attendance for Manning's address were urged to advise STIC on how to best establish a new structure and processes for high-level STI decision making. He also generated a chuckle from the audience by suggesting that STI was so important that all political parties should set aside their differences for the common good.

"The principles, structures and decision making processes whereby the macro or higher-level allocations are made are neither clear nor well understood and this has led to significant misunderstandings ... acknowledging, addressing and eliminating these misunderstandings must be a priority." — Preston Manning address to Public Policy Forum conference

"It is my earnest hope that the widespread agreement on the importance of (STI) ... might enable our Members of Parliament to transcend party lines, to resist the temptation to make the funding of science a political football," he said.

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