Science Policy in Canada: Are We There Yet?
As I was reading today an announcement that Physics Nobel Laureate and Professor of Physics at UBC, Dr. Carl Weiman was nominated by the President Barack Obama to assume a role of the Associate Director for Science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, I was thinking how far we are from such a development in Canada. As far as science policy and science education is concerned it feels like our Canadian Government is not concerned about it. Not only we do not have proper funding for Science Education, we do not have any coherent policy in this area. A common excuse for the lack of such a policy is the fact that in Canada, education is a provincial responsibility, yet Science Education research is NOT. When will our own government realize that science education is not something they can ignore? I hope the changes in the U.S. politics will eventually rub off Canadian politicians. I am certainly hoping for new Canadian politicians who have the vision in science and in science education.