Science minister updates house committee on CSO

Science minister Dr Kirsty Duncan told a House of Commons committee April 14 the government will launch its search for a chief science officer "in the next few months", following a consultation process that received ideas from 74 groups and other parliamentarians, as well as meetings with "hundreds of stakeholders" from across Canada. "We asked what a CSO position would look like, tasks it should undertake, how to engage with the research community," Duncan told the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology. "Those consultations are now complete and we are at the analysis stage." She said Canada also examined CSO models in other countries, including the US, UK, Australia and India. NDP MP Brian Masse pointed out, however, that no money was set aside in last month's Budget for a new CSO. Duncan said funding would be forthcoming once an appointment has been made….