Conservatives Are Bad for Science

By Mike Lin

The journal Nature has come out about how bad the Conservative government has been for science in Canada.

For example, they’ve decided to close the office of national science advisor, and replace it with a less independent 18-member council containing both scientists and administrators. And then there’s climate change:

Concerns can only be enhanced by the government’s manifest disregard for science. Since prime minister Stephen Harper came to power, his government has been sceptical of the science on climate change and has backed away from Canada’s Kyoto commitment. In January, it muzzled Environment Canada’s scientists, ordering them to route all media enquires through Ottawa to control the agency’s media message. Last week, the prime minister and members of the cabinet failed to attend a ceremony to honour the Canadian scientists who contributed to the international climate-change report that won a share of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

Anyway read the article. I’m scared of politicians disregarding science, because it means they want the evidence to fit their policy and not the other way around.