Opinion
New cabinet, old fears, what does it mean for Canadian research and science?
By Sam Garnett and Tina Gruosso December 2, 2019
The science portfolio needs continued attention to address these ongoing issues.
New Deputy Government House Leader Kirsty Duncan, pictured April 16, 2018, on the Hill. As Canada's federal science minister in the last Parliament, Ms. Duncan’s achievements included significant work to unmuzzle government scientists, commissioning a fundamental science review, and establishing the office of chief science adviser. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
On Nov. 20, the Trudeau government announced its new cabinet and House leadership appointees. Surprising many in the research community, the minister of science was eliminated, with the science portfolio being absorbed by the renamed ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry. What could this mean for the next generation of Canadian scientists and for the entire Canadian science community, and does it signal that the government has de-emphasized science?
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