Canadian Government Executive - Volume 22 - Issue 4

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April 2016 // Canadian Government Executive / 13
Design
ficer of the Commonwealth Science Coun-
cil to identify challenges and opportuni-
ties for Australia that can be addressed, in
part, through science. The Chief Scientist
reports to the Minister for Industry and
Science, and also works closely with the
Prime Minister both in his role as Execu-
tive Officer of the Commonwealth Science
Council and in order to provide detailed
scientific advice. The Chief Scientist also
holds a number of ex-officio roles at the
discretion of the government including
Chair of Australian Climate Change Sci-
ence Framework Coordination Group,
and membership of the Defence Science
and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Ad-
visory Board.
The incumbent is also an advocate for
Australian science internationally and fo-
cuses national thinking on science across
the states and territories through the Forum
of Australian Chief Scientists. An equally
important part of the role of Chief Scien-
tist for Australia is to be a champion of sci-
ence, research and the role of evidence in
the community and in government. Finally,
the Chief Scientist is a communicator of
science to the general public, with the aim
to promote understanding of, contribution
to and enjoyment of science and evidence-
based thinking. The new Chief Scientist is
currently tackling two key areas: to help
lead the development of a 15-year plan
for investment in science, research and in-
novation and to map Australia’s long-term
research infrastructure needs.
It should perhaps come as no surprise
that science advice has come into its own
around the globe. A new International
Network for Government Science Advice
has been established. INGSA provides a
forum for policy makers, practitioners,
academies, and academics to share experi-
ence, build capacity and develop theoreti-
cal and practical approaches to the use of
scientific evidence in informing policy at
all levels of government. Quebec’s Chief
Scientist—the only Canadian jurisdiction
to have such a position—is a member and
serves on the network development group
to this newly formed group.
In due course, Canada will have a fed-
eral Chief Science Advisor of sorts. That
position will be yet another attempt by a
Canadian government to arm itself with
expertise to tap on emerging public policy
issues that have a significant science (in-
cluding social sciences) input—presum-
ably there will be a demand for this ad-
vice. It is always useful in this context to
explore other models and try to learn from
our past failures. Of course, adapting mod-
els from other places should be done with
great care given Canada’s history, culture,
Nordic and bilingual confederation.
Nonetheless, as Sir Peter Gluckman
noted in his remarks at the American As-
sociation for the Advancement of Science
meeting on February 14, “The key issue
for science and scientific advice is that of
maintaining trust with the policy makers,
rather than being seen as a well-placed
lobby for science. This is generally done
through maintaining the integrity of both
the form and the function of advice.”
This is sage advice. Canada’s new Sci-
ence Officer should be exclusively an ad-
visory role—an adviser that is “on tap” and
not “on top.” This key criterion has already
proven to be a successful mandate.
Paul Dufour is a Fellow and Adjunct
Professor of the Institute for Science,
Society and Policy at the University of
Ottawa.