Quote:
Originally Posted by Thor
Well,
1. We have a Science minister finally, yay!
2. Harper did everything to muzzle and direct science to be beneficial to business and muzzle those who would challenge it.
3. http://scienceblogs.com/confessions/...al-indictment/
We have come out of a dark age in government science. The gag orders, the cutting and promoting "business science" has been a long list of a frankly scary approach by the previous government. A Republican approach if you will on science, silence, unfund, promote business people in science positions...
Of all the things people criticize the PC government for, the crap that has happened against science policy in Canada and the environment is so damning even Nature covered it, which is not exactly a partisan magazine. |
This is just typical leftist rhetoric - much in the same way you decree Harper's policies "the Republican approach." Cutting the long-form census, being tough on drugs, and muzzling scientists to the extent he did was certainly not right, but slashing government industries, and ensuring the health of the Canadian economy were two things he was repeatedly voted into power to do, and two things he did rather well.
Having a Science Minister is something I think most people would agree with. However, at a time when scientists are rejoicing that the "war on science" is over, we've got a leading neurologist quipping that "This is the most curious appointment since Caligula named his horse as consul" when he has every reason to be overjoyed.
Further, the science minister enters the fray with fears from her peers that she will exert “top down” political pressure on the scientific community" and that the new minister is "closed-minded to cutting-edge work from outsiders" isn't exactly heart warming. Especially when one takes it in conjunction with her stubbornness to deviate from her position on MS treatment despite there being strong evidence to suggest her theory is wrong.
I understand she's not even settled into her chair yet with her title, and that she deserves time. That's fair. However, it is equally as troubling to me that we could go from having a government that wouldn't listen to science at all, to a government only willing to listen to science that it agrees with.