U.S. President Barack Obama has appointed a Nobel Prize-winning physicist to his cabinet and promised, in his inaugural address, to "restore science to its rightful place." He has also identified science, technology and innovation as essential to the attainment of clean energy and economic recovery - all of which has sparked a wave of optimism in America's scientific community.
In Canada, by contrast, there is widespread disappointment among scientists and researchers that their sector does not appear to figure prominently in Ottawa's recovery plans.
The government may well protest, pointing to its substantial annual commitments under Canada's Science and Technology Strategy (May, 2007) as well as the commitment made in the 2009 budget to provide $5-billion in new spending. (This includes $750-million for the Canada Foundation for Innovation, $110-million for the Canada Space Agency, continued long-term funding for Genome Canada, $200-million for the National Research Council in support of industrial research, and creation of a new Clean Energy Fund.)
The reality remains, however, that there was no explicit statement from the federal government in either its Throne Speech or budget on whether - or how - it intends to harness science, technology and innovation to the task of economic recovery. No explicit invitation or challenge has been issued to the community of scientists and researchers to play such a role - nor has the government done anything yet to calm the community's fears that it may be left in the dust of the Obama initiatives.
All of which raises the question: What should be done?
A good starting point for the government would be for the Prime Minister or Industry Minister to issue an explicit invitation to the science and technology community - including federal funding agencies, the big science projects, university researchers and private-sector R&D groups - to specifically identify what the sector can contribute to increased productivity, competitiveness, public health, environmental conservation and clean energy during this time of economic duress, and what government actions are required to facilitate that.
A good starting point would be to organize, within the next six weeks, a one-day, high-profile gathering in Ottawa of the country's top science practitioners, administrators, entrepreneurs, investors and communicators. The purpose would be to showcase what they and their peers can contribute to all of the above, especially economic recovery.
This event would be organized by a professional event-planning company, not an agency or company with a vested interest in federal science spending or policy.
Attendees would spend at least half their time in as many meetings as could be arranged with MPs, senators, senior civil servants and media representatives to convey a single, positive, amply illustrated message: Canada's science and technology community stands ready and willing to do its part to assist in coping with the recession if given the direction, opportunity and resources to do so.
The highlight of the day would be short addresses by top scientists in the areas of greatest concern to the government and where the community has the greatest contributions to make. These could include the economy (productivity and competitiveness), health and environment, clean energy and the amelioration of the recession's social impacts.
Science and engineering students in every research laboratory and university across the country could organize a parallel supportive event through the Internet on the same day - a virtual Science Day in Canada - using all those social networking tools with which they are so dexterous.
The idea of the event would be to avoid complaints, government-bashing, excessive Obama worship (this is a Canadian gathering) and partisanship - and have the day in Ottawa end instead with a grand reception at which any parliamentarian wishing to show personal support and encouragement for the community would be welcome.
Canadians need every available resource to be harnessed to the task of economic recovery. Let's make sure our leaders in science, technology and innovation are given the maximum opportunity to show what they can do.
Preston Manning is president and CEO of the Manning Centre for Building Democracy.
