quote:
Members of Canada's scientific community praised the contributions of the national science adviser and expressed regret over the government's decision to phase out the position at the end of March.On Wednesday, Industry Canada confirmed that national science adviser Arthur Carty would be retiring on March 31, and that the position and office would be phased out.
John Smol, a leading ecology professor and researcher with Queen's University, said he found the news "troubling and worrisome."
"Having someone in a position to advise the prime minister or a cabinet minister gave me more confidence in the process," Smol said. "There's so little of this contact between the scientific community and politicians. If you remove one of those major contacts, I don't see it as a positive thing."
Andrew Miall, the president of the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada, said the society did not wish to comment on the government's decision. But the University of Toronto geologist, speaking as an individual fellow of the society, said in an e-mail he thought "it unfortunate that a line of communication between the scientific community and the government is to be closed off."
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posted 25 January 2008 10:14 AM
