Harper government reinstates ministerial position for science and technology

S&T is back at the Cabinet table after a five-year absence with the appointment of Dr Gary Goodyear as minister of state for science and technology. The reinstatement of the junior ministerial position adds further definition to the Conservative government's evolving approach to S&T policy and governance with details of the position's mandate and priorities to be finalized next week.

There is cautious optimism within the S&T community that the reinstatement of the position will help to push forward the government's S&T Strategy and perhaps provide innovation with a higher profile. While some note the frequent changes and spotty track record of past S&T ministers and secretaries of state, others contend that the position is critical as many of the recommendations within the S&T Strategy have yet to be implemented.

"The Prime Minister brought the position to the forefront to show how strongly he feels about promoting S&T. We need to get a real serious focus on S&T and make it equal to all other ministries," says Goodyear. "The government has a new S&T Strategy and the goal is to develop the strategy and support the government's direction."

The decision to revive the minister of state position ends the longest period in nearly four decades in which Canada did not have a dedicated, elected representative for science (see chart). At the international level, Canada has not been represented by a senior elected official since 2003. In the interim, Canadian representation has been provided by the National Science Advisor until the position was abolished in early 2008 and more recently by Dr Howard Alper, chair of the Science, Technology and Innovation Council.

Goodyear — a third-term MP representing Cambridge ON — says that while the private sector in his region has been successful in securing new patents, the track record of the university sector is less impressive. "We need to do a better job in taking intelligence and the technologies we create and get them into the marketplace," he says. "We're a very bright country and the challenge is to do a better job marketing the technologies we have and creating even more technologies and more jobs."

Goodyear has a strong science background, having graduated from the Univ of Waterloo in biomechanics and psychology. Prior to entering politics in 2004, he worked as a chiropractor specializing in sport sciences.

Goodyear's relatively short tenure in Ottawa has been anything but low profile. As chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, he was ousted from the position last March via a non-confidence motion passed by a majority of committee members. The committee has not met since.

Goodyear also garnered press attention when he fired an assistant for allegedly using his name to obtain tickets to a special screening of the controversial Canadian film Young People Fucking (Goodyear denies the charge).

He has also garnered a reputation as one of Harper's "parliamentary pitbulls" and a social conservative — a label he rejects as unfair. He says his position on controversial issues such as embryonic stem cell research will be determined by his "responsibility to the nation" rather than any personal views he may hold.

"It's not a fair assessment of my overall attitude," he says. "The prime minister recognizes that I have a background in science and I believe that science does not always move in a unilateral direction. There are often a number of ways to get to the same goal."

Goodyear points to his position as chair of the Conservative Space Industry Caucus as an indication of his interest in S&T issues and says he plans to be involved in the forthcoming long-term space plan of the Canadian Space Agency.

Goodyear says he plans to ramp up on the S&T portfolio within days and meet with all the stakeholders in the S&T Strategy and "perhaps some new ones".

"I'm extremely honoured that prime minister Harper asked me to take on this responsibility and I believe it's a good fit."

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