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SP - Science Advisory Committee (SAC) 2018 Report

Science Advisory Committee (SAC) 2018 Report

Presented to the SP Group Annual General Meeting

Prepared by 

Norma Domey, ECCC, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa

Members:

Jean Bérubé (Chair) (RE/QC)

Karen Hall (SP/BC-Yukon)

John Shi (RE/ON)

Elizabeth Ptasznik (SP/PRA-NWT)

Krishna Gautam (CO/NCR)

Patrick Cherneski (SP/PRA-NWT)

Norma Domey (SP/NCR)

Friends of the Committee

Cathy Cheung (NRC RO-RCO/NCR)

Dean Corda (CS/ON)

Charlotte Young (CO/NNCR)

Pierre Morin (AFS-CO/QC)

Richard Winder (RE/BC-Yukon)

Board Liaison

Robert MacDonald (SP/BC-Yukon)

Staff:

Maxime Gingras

Marielle Nadon

Michael Urminsky

Mandate

The Science Advisory Committee shall advise and make recommendations to the Board on how to address concerns or issues identified in the Workplace which related to science and public science issues, and the Institute’s efforts to present itself as an advocate for public science in Canada and for restoration of a science based departmental funding (A-base budgets). 

To achieve its mandate, it will:

a) monitor issues in the field of science and technology related to the work of members and the Institute in this field, including issues of science workplace ethics;

b) coordinate and distribute information on public science within the Institute and help coordinate the Institute’s outreach through its communications to Canadians on these issues, under the goal of focusing the public discussion of science issues in the language of science, by scientists; and,

c) provide an ongoing forum where Public Science-related issues and the Institute’s interests in this issue can be discussed and studied.

2017-18 Key Activity Areas of the Science Strategic Plan:

  1. Science Membership Survey & Associated Reports;
  2. Departmental Scientific Integrity Teams Working on Science Integrity Policies with Ministries and Treasury Board;
  3. Women in Science Initiative;
  4. Conference Attendance Initiative;
  5. State of Government Science Monitoring ; and,
  6. Government & External Relations Strategy Developed targeting Ministers, MPs, Chief Science Advisor and other Senior Government Officials.
  1. Science Membership Survey & Associated Reports

To follow up on the success of our Science Membership Survey in 2012/13 and the associated reports “The Big Chill” & “Vanishing Science”, PIPSC conducted a second membership survey of federal scientists and researchers in 2017.  The response rate was lower than in 2012, but still a respectable 18.5%.  The result is the following 3 reports:

Defrosting Public Science

This report is a follow up to the “Big Chill” and looks at progress on many of the same questions that we reported in 2013. “Defrosting Public Science” was launched on February 21, 2018.  The overall message of the report is that lifting the big chill that was created in the Harper years is only partially complete with still half of public sector scientists and researchers still feeling they cannot speak freely to the media.  

Women in Public Sector Science: Analysis to Action

This report was released March 7 prior to International Women’s Day.  It focuses on challenges faced by women in science careers in the federal public service.  The report looks at challenges such as gender bias, mentoring and dependent care responsibilities.  It also examines the under representation of women in federal science and identifies a concern about diminished concern for women’s rights. 

Science Capacity in the Federal Government

This report is still under development.  

  1. Departmental Teams working on Scientific Integrity in Departments

This activity area was focused on follow up related to the achievements made in collective bargaining for the RE and SP Groups as well as Separate agencies e.g. CFIA and the NRC.   The Memorandum of Agreement called for the creation of a model policy on Scientific Integrity and all departments with at least 10 RE or SP members to create a policy on scientific integrity covering a number of issues. 

PIPSC has developed its own white paper on what a model policy should contain.  The Chief Science Advisor has taken over development of a model policy for departments and a model is under further discussion with PIPSC and Treasury Board. The obligation on the employer is that these policies are in place by December 2018. 

  1. Women in Science Initiative

The Women in Science Initiative was conceived of as a mechanism to engage more women in our science-based groups, but also serve as a cross-cutting initiative to ensure the integration of gender across the strategic and operational plan on science.

The engagement of many women from PIPSC science groups in the report referenced above has definitely created a significant group of members working on these issues.  This group held workshops in January and February 2018 which focused on identifying actions for PIPSC to take on these issues.  Proposals for action in 4 areas are being made to the Science Advisory Committee for their review and recommendation to the PIPSC Board of Directors.

The recommendations are grouped into 4 areas;

  1. Develop and conduct awareness and education campaigns for PIPSC members. Ensure engagement of men on the subject matter.
  2. Conduct advocacy and activism campaigns aimed at new or better workplace legislation
  3. Collective bargaining for new and better workplace rights
  4. Support consultation presidents at union-management consultation for new and improved human resources policies

On-going:

  1. Conference Attendance Initiative
  2. State of Government Science Monitoring
  3. Government & External Relations Strategy Developed targeting Ministers, MPs, Chief Science Advisor and other Senior Government Officials

PIPSC’s Science Advisory Committee (SAC) has also moved forward on the following additional activities:

  1. Members of the committee spoke and participated actively in the nationwide March for Science event.
  2. SAC initiated and guided a PIPSC panel on Scientific Integrity at this year’s Canadian Science Policy Conference (CSPC).
  3. SAC filed an ATIP which uncovered the lack of action from Information Commissioner on the muzzling issue and is considering next steps.
  4. SAC provided advice and background for the PIPSC Parliamentary Lobby in fall 2017.
  5. SAC members were asked to contribute their scientific knowledge and advice to the Privy Council Office-OECD consultations on Innovation in the Canadian Federal Public Service.
  6. SAC ensures that appropriate messaging is incorporated and shared within the PIPSC community, such as consultations teams and group executives.
  7. SAC continues to integrate and coordinate its activities with PIPSC’s science-based groups.

Considerable work still lays ahead for the committee, especially on Scientific Integrity and ensuring that its inception will positively affect PIPSC science and research members, as well as for the following upcoming subject matters:

  1. Science Infrastructure
  2. Technological change and Artificial Intelligence in Science Based Departments
  3. Building bridges with the newly appointed Chief Science Advisor

The Institute’s Science Advisory Committee (SAC) has continued efforts to highlight science issues in Collective Bargaining, the loss of scientific integrity, the continuation of the muzzling of scientists, the destruction of important scientific data, and career advancement for scientists and funding cuts for scientific research.

Respectfully submitted,

Norma Domey

Norma Domey, B.Sc., M.Sc., DTM

Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Member

SP National Executive, Parliamentarian

 

SAC website: http://www.pipsc.ca/about/governance/committees/sac