Canadian Academies of Science proposal heading to Cabinet for this fall

Lobbying to intensify later this summer

The drive to create an independent national science organization in Canada has cleared another major hurdle with the pending release of a draft document outlining its proposed structure, mission and key characteristics. Embraced as a major priority by Dr Gilbert Normand, secretary of state for science, research and development, the document outlining the Canadian Academies (CA) for sciences will be widely circulated for comment and consultation for the remainder of the summer. It will the go before Cabinet for consideration in the fall.

The concept and structure of the proposed CA was refined by a 16-person working group chaired by Normand and represents the consensus of a wide group of stakeholders who were previously divided on the best approach for establishing a national science body (see box next page). The group was struck following a landmark round table meeting (also chaired by Normand) last year in Aylmer PQ bringing together a wide range of stakeholders (R$, October 23/00).

The document’s three-part mission statement positions the CA as a voice for the sciences in Canada and abroad, a vehicle to secure the greatest possible social benefits from science with minimal risk, and perhaps most importantly, a source of independent expert assessment on sciences underlying pressing issues.

As proposed by the working group, the CA would have an annual budget of $3 million and would receive $15 million or $30 million over a five or 10-year period. The working group examined various funding models and an endowment request was rejected as being politically unpalatable, given the large up-front funding it would require. Normand says a governance structure such as Genome Canada or the Canada Foundation for Innovation is being seriously considered before being taken to the Cabinet Committee of Economic Union in October.

“We are on a good track with this proposal. I hope we will be able to put it in place before Christmas,” says Normand, adding that the timeframe is realistic regardless of when the next Budget is tabled. “I don’t think it will be a tough sell because everyone agrees we need a universal organization. We must do something to be more credible with the public and keep apprised of scientific activities both inside and outside of government.”

The CA would bring together three national science groups — Canadian Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Canadian Academy of Engineering and a new Canadian Academy of Health Sciences to be established this summer. There is also a fourth spot for any new organization that may form — and qualify— in the future.

“I’m very excited by this. The concept of the CA is well thought through,” says Dr John de la Mothe, a professor of international S&T policy and a member of the working group. “It’s a light, responsive and flexible mechanism for dealing with S&T-intensive issues Canadians will face in the future. It will be inexpensive and tremendously valuable since we currently have no horizon radar for emerging issues on everything from the potential hazards of cell phone use to xenotransplantation.”

As proposed, the CA would be governed by a board of 12-20 directors. Each founding organizations would appoint two members and they will be free to choose others from the public representing a wide range of views and areas of expertise. The inclusion of outside individuals reflects the working group’s intention of making the CA as inclusive as possible, and represents a component that is unique internationally.

“More and more science is at the base of issues like globalization and social development,” says Normand. “We need more credibility in front of Canadians and the international community. This has been a great challenge and it’s been very interesting working with these people.”

WILD CARD

The impetus to create a national science organization like the CA originally came from Dr Tom Brzustowski, president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Dr William Leiss, president of the Royal Society of Canada whose term ends in November. Both were active in the working group and have taken a consensus approach in recent months, merging their views with those of Normand and others.

The unanimity of the working group is considered key to gaining approval for the CA, but somewhat worrying is a rumoured fall Cabinet shuffle. If Normand is moved out of his current position, there are fears the CA proposal could die a quiet death. To date, Industry minister Brian Tobin has reportedly had little time to champion the proposal, leaving Normand to lobby his Cabinet colleagues and the prime minister for their buy-in (which will ultimately include Tobin).

“I speak with the prime minister regularly about this (the CA proposal) and he supports me to continue with it,” says Normand.

Also contributing to the potential for Cabinet endorsement of the CA is the participation of Dr Michel Chrétien, a senior researcher at the Ottawa Health Research Institute and brother of the prime minister.

“It (Chrétien’s involvement) certainly helps the process,” says de la Mothe, adding that all working group members will continue pushing for approval in the coming months. “I hope to see a draft paper out of the secretariat sooner than later.”

When the draft document is released, letters of support will be solicited from MPs and the document will be posted on a variety of web sites, including those of the granting councils, Industry Canada and Royal Society of Canada.

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