Ontario dismisses chief scientist, eliminates dedicated research ministry

Shortly after announcing a Cabinet without a science or innovation minster, Ontario’s new Progressive Conservative premier Doug Ford has dismissed the province’s first chief scientist, Dr Molly Shoichet. A highly placed source tells RE$EARCH MONEY that Shoichet was removed from office but that such action is “common place” when a new government takes over. The source adds that the PCs “hope to find a qualified and suitable replacement as soon as possible.”

Shoichet, an internationally recognized scientist, was named the province’s first chief scientist last November after a long consultation and search process that involved fine-tuning her job description. Shoichet – who holds a Canada Research Chair in tissue engineering, has published nearly 600 papers, patents and abstracts and was named to the Order of Ontario - assumed the post last January.

Paul Dufour, former executive director of the federal Office of the National Science Advisor (ONSA) that was eliminated shortly after the Conservative government of Stephen Harper assumed office in 2007, tells RE$EARCH MONEY that Ontario should retain the post.

“If they want to get another candidate for the job, they should find a candidate who has very good credentials and not just a political hack,” Dufour says, adding that Shoichet was a “superstar” scientist with very strong credentials. “If it’s going to be a political hack, what’s the point because that person will just support what the government does, and that’s not what a science adviser does. Advisers are there to provide unbiased, sound advice on issues that government needs help on.”

He adds that there’s a large pool of scientists in Ontario from which the PCs can find someone to fill the position.

Dufour says that if the purpose of the PC government is to cut costs and pursue their priority of balancing the books, eliminating the office of Ontario’s chief scientist won’t cause huge cost-savings as it doesn’t have a big staff.

Dufour was the final executive director of the ONSA when it was closed by the Conservative government of Stephen Harper after less than four years in operation and the national science advisor, Dr Arthur Carty, was dismissed. Its demise ushered in a contentious period of science advice with the formation of the Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC) which only provided confidential advice to the government.

He adds that the situation with Carty was different because the political climates are different, and Carty’s post was already established when the office was closed. But both Carty and Shoichet are distinguished scientists, he says.

With the Ford government's elimination of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science (MRIS), the source adds that the Office of the Ontario Chief Scientist now falls under the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade. The ministry is headed by MPP Jim Wilson who, during the PC governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves, served as minister of Health; Energy, Science and Technology; Northern Development and Mines and Environment.

Dufour notes that, with the elimination of MRIS, there are now no jurisdictions in Canada with any separate Cabinet-level science and research ministries, including the federal government.

“If you’re going to put a science adviser in your job creation and economic development portfolio, clearly that is what the job is all about. It’s going to be about science for economic development and not for any other objective,” he adds.

Ottawa-based science advocacy group, Evidence for Democracy (E4D), slammed Shoichet's dismissal as "very disappointing news, and signals a worrying pattern". In a statement, E4D executive director Katie Gibbs said her removal from the new position was accompanied by the Ford government's decision to "cut government subscriptions to scientific publications, and reduce all travel for public servants, including to scientific conferences".

Also reportedly dismissed are two other Liberal appointees: chief investment officer Allan O’Dette, and Ed Clark, former premier Kathleen Wynne’s business adviser, who was previously TD Bank’s chief executive.

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