Harper government’s NRC makeover is short-sighted and wrong-headed: Editorial
“Scientific discovery is not valuable unless it has commercial value.” That’s an extreme position for anyone to hold, but coming from the country’s chief scientist, it’s a sign that something is very wrong.
The comment, made by National Research Council president John MacDougall, is an expression of the philosophy behind the federal government’s makeover of Canada’s science agency into a tool box for industry. Gary Goodyear, minister of state for science and technology, announced last week that the NRC will shift its focus away from so-called basic research — science for no immediate purpose other than knowledge-gathering — to “large-scale research projects that are directed by and for Canadian business.” In other words, the government is set to transform the agency’s $900-million budget into a business subsidy.
It’s an approach that yet again highlights the Conservative government’s antagonism to evidence; reflects a misunderstanding of how science, including innovation, works; and suggests some confusion about the role of government.
The non-commercial value of Canadian science to both our quality of life and to our economy is not to be dismissed. As world-renowned ecologist David Schindler pointed out on thestar.com last week , government research on lake ecologies has been key to preserving the health of our freshwater bodies and the valuable fisheries therein — and at a cost far lower than would have been possible without it. That’s one example among many of science that no business will fund, but that any government ought to want as it develops policy.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2013/05/13/harper_governments_nrc_makeover_is_shortsighted_and_wrongheaded_editorial.html
Evolution controversy [edit]
In a March 2009 interview, The Globe and Mail asked Goodyear if he believed in evolution. He responded, "I am a Christian, and I don't think anybody asking a question about my religion is appropriate." While many scientists and educators expressed shock at this,[10] others defended the minister, citing statistics that show a majority of Canadians believe God played a role in creation.[11] Later that day, however, Goodyear said that he believed in evolution during an interview with CTV News.[12] When asked to clarify this belief, Goodyear responded "We are evolving, every year, every decade. That’s a fact. Whether it’s to the intensity of the sun, whether it’s to, as a chiropractor, walking on cement versus anything else, whether it’s running shoes or high heels, of course, we are evolving to our environment."[13] Some journalists, such as the National Post’s Jonathan Kay, sided with Goodyear on this issue. Kay wrote that “Goodyear’s remarks […] seem to have been carefully considered words from a man trying conscientiously to balance his personal faith with his public responsibilities.” Kay also noted that “Indeed, there is an air of a witch-hunt about it. […] If it becomes a real scandal, it will be solely due to the Toronto media’s own echo chamber—not anything Goodyear actually said.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Goodyear
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