The New Year has gotten off to a rocky start for Canadian S&T. From the resignation of Canadian Space Agency (CSA) president Larry Boisvert to the high-profile firing of Linda Keen, president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), the stewardship of our high-tech institutions are under a cloud as never before. Add to that the decision to close the Office of the National Science Advisor (ONSA), and one can’t be faulted for wondering where it will all end.
Each situation must obviously be examined within its own context. The debacle of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd and its relations with the CNSC go back many years, but the viciousness of the attacks on Keen and her credibility make one question this government’s ability to deal with difficult situations. Had the Conservative or previous Liberal governments approved the proposed Canadian Neutron Facility, the prospect of relying on a 55-year-old reactor for the majority of the world’s medical isotopes wouldn’t be an issue.
Less is known about the circumstances surrounding the departure of Boisvert from the CSA. But for a key S&T executive to jump ship less than one year into a five-year term, one has to question the relationship between Industry Canada and this key agency.
In both cases, the Industry department was forced to draw from its own ranks to fill the leadership vacuums. The same remedy won’t be required for the ONSA. The government has decided to close the office — a sad case of a important initiative that was never properly executed or supported.
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