Public sector union calls for blue ribbon panel to examine government science

The union representing federal scientists and technicians is calling for a blue ribbon panel to examine government R&D and a reinstatement of the Office of the national Science Advisor to ensure that the national innovation system has "three solid and mutually supporting pillars for science in Canada".

Gary Corbett, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), made the recommendations November 18 at the Canadian Science Policy Conference to address what he called plummeting support for intramural R&D which saw its total slide from 30% of the national total in 1970 to just 9% in 2007.

Corbett said it's time that investments in federal science brought Canada up to the OECD average and while he's hesitant to suggest yet another panel, he noted that business R&D has been studied extensively while government science is ignored.

"While tremendous time and energy is dedicated to understanding the under-performance of Canadian business R&D, equally concerning statistics have attracted little attention," said Corbett. "We do need to shine a spotlight on the public pillar of Canadian science. This is particularly true as public science now faces a new and serious threat. It is a toxic mix of an increasing disdain for evidence-based decision making and a disappearing commitment to transparency."

Corbett also lamented the inability of scientists to communicate their work publicly and called on the government to enact whistleblower legislation.

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