Below is a selection of Science and Innovation themed Policy Briefs published by the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School and written by researchers associated with CSIP.
In 2017, the federal government announced its commitment to develop a national food policy for Canada that will emphasize “community bonding”. The assertion is that “food connects us. It brings us together”. Significant policy efforts and investments in food innovation were launched more than three years ago. How have things changed since then?
After two years of anticipation and competition, the federal government announced Feb 15 the five winning “superclusters” designed to spur economic development and innovation in Canada. Since then there has been a heated debate in the media, in boardrooms, within and among governments and in the academic community about the value and potential impact of such a large investment program.
Generating, developing and applying science and innovation to benefit humanity at local and global levels has never been more important and challenging for decision-makers in the public, private and civil sectors. Keeping in mind that scientific discovery may be a necessary condition for change, it is seldom sufficient for economic development. Innovation involves the application and use of both old and new science and technology in new ways. Making that system work is a challenge no country has completely solved.
The global consensus reached in the Paris Agreement is that governments and industry need to reduce the carbon footprint and “to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments necessary for a sustainable low carbon future.” According to the national climate action plan that Canada submitted in relation to the agreement, “Canada intends to achieve an economy-wide target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030.”
The Government of Canada is in the midst of developing policy it hopes will help build a national consensus on what often appear to be the irreconcilable issues of energy and the environment. The effort begins from the premise that “a clean environment and strong economy can go hand-in-hand and is central to the health and well-being of Canadians.” It is a challenging, complex, inherently divisive and critical initiative.
On February 6, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) released its judgment in Carter v. Canada, 2015 SCC 5 [Carter]. This much-anticipated decision changed the law relating to physician-assisted dying in Canada for individuals whose circumstances meet a list of conditions enumerated by the court, including a grievous and irremediable medical condition that causes enduring and intolerable suffering.
Representative democracy faces many challenges. Declining voter turnout reflects citizen discontent expressed in voter apathy and the replacement of traditional partisan politics with issue-based activism. The vexing question is what to do about it.
