For the throngs of delegates who attended last week’s AAAS conference in Vancouver, the absence of federal politicians and bureaucrats was palpable but perhaps understandable. Despite the excellent research on display from Canada there’s a growing sense that this country is in danger of becoming an innovation laggard.
This isn’t exactly news to those in the S&T community. Multiple reports and conferences have highlighted the weaknesses in Canada’s innovation system and contrasted it to other nations — both developed and emerging — that are making innovation a central priority in their economic and social policies. The current government is sensitive to such unflattering comparison.
Another impetus for steering clear of the conference could have been a prominent (and widely reported) session on the muzzling of government scientists from speaking to the media. The practice of denying media contact with these researchers or limiting their response to questioning has given Canada a black eye and urgently needs to be addressed before any further damage is incurred.
Federal funding of S&T is stagnant or declining, as recent Statistics Canada data show (R$, January 20/12) and researchers are preparing themselves for a Budget that could reduce support even further. One can only hope that recent high-level expressions of support for innovation translate into a more robust suite of support for Canadian researchers and innovators. By maintaining support and introducing smart new policies and programs for S&T, credibility can be restored.
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