SUBMISSION
TO HOUSE OF COMMONS STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
2008 PRE-BUDGET CONSULTATION

Investments in Big Science Initiatives
and International Science Partnerships.
Presented by the Partnership Group for Science
and Engineering
August 15, 2008
SUMMARY
Canada is one of the largest countries in the world, yet
historically it has been a minor player in international science
projects, including those of strategic importance to the country.
Collaboration on international science not only exposes Canadian
scientists to breaking discoveries, it provides the critical
mass required for certain major research initiatives, as well
as access to scientific talent and intellectual property,
representing huge leverage of the country’s investment.
It also allows Canadians to benchmark against other countries
and to influence international programming while enhancing
Canada’s reputation as a serious international partner,
which can influence leading international scientists to consider
working here. Greater involvement and investment in selected
major international initiatives will help change the perception
of Canada from that of a small player who must join with other
small players for access to a scientific programme, to that
of a key partner.
International science is defined as initiatives and Secretariats
requiring the coordinated financial, logistical or intellectual
resources of several countries and sectors. Big science is
defined as initiatives of a significant magnitude that require
resources beyond the capacity of any single institution, funding
agency or country to operate, and which are expected to yield
very significant results. Big science includes all levels
of initiatives from consortia at facilities such as CERN (European
Organization for Nuclear Research); the world acclaimed Sudbury
Neutrino Observatory Laboratory; or the Ocean Drilling Programme,
to major research networks such as the Polar Environment Research
Laboratory on Ellesmere Island; and NEPTUNE1, which will be
the world's largest cable-linked seafloor observatory.
Canada subscribes to a number of international science programmes
and hosts the international secretariats for a few. It can
ratchet up its reputation, contributions and most importantly,
its benefits, by coordinating funding sources, supporting
infrastructure and operational costs; hosting international
science secretariats, and removing strictures affecting the
environment for innovation and economic development. These
measures will enhance the reputation of Canadian science and
scientists in the international sphere, increase awareness
by industry of the roles played by Canadians, and will encourage
the retention of research and innovation in Canada.
The Partnership Group recommends:
• That the federal government adopt a strategic approach
to investments in big science initiatives and international
science partnerships. The approach must incorporate financial
support to ensure full benefits to Canadians and their economy.
Introduction
The Partnership Group for Science and Engineering
(PAGSE) is an association of over 25 professional and scientific
organizations representing 50,000 members from academia, industry
and government sectors. It represents the Canadian science
and engineering community to the Government and seeks to advance
research and innovation for the benefit of Canadians. PAGSE
is not a lobby group, but a cooperative partnership that addresses
broad issues of science and engineering policy at the national
level.
PAGSE has endorsed the May 2007 federal S&T strategy:
“Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s
Advantage”. The present brief proposes measures: to
maintain Canada’s G-8 leadership in public R&D performance;
to be a magnet for highly skilled people; to inspire and assist
Canadians to perform at world class levels of scientific and
technological excellence; and to encourage partnerships and
build global leadership. These measures are consistent with
the federal policy commitment:
“Canada’s federal government will make Canada
a world leader through stronger domestic and international
partnerships by: … Strengthening Canada’s ties
to the global supply of ideas, talent and technology. The
government will assess Canada’s S&T presence on
the international scene and explore options to further improve
Canada’s ability to contribute to and benefit from international
ST developments … . “2
A major concern in Canada has been, and continues to be the
need to translate research into innovation more effectively.
The reasons for this need are numerous and complex, but include
the need for an effective policy for Canadian scientists to
be involved in international big science initiatives.
Rationale
Science is by definition international. Advancements in knowledge
and technologies benefit all and require international co-operation
and innovation. Canada has a network of science and technology
counsellors at selected embassies abroad; granting councils
support access to international teams and facilities to the
extent possible, and the National Research Council supports
Canadian membership in 29 international scientific unions
or programs. However attempts to provide the environment for
international innovation by measures such as tax incentives
have never been particularly successful; the need to align
science with current government policies limits scientists’
ability to pursue promising new directions; practices of granting
bodies are not attuned to the funding needs of major collaborative
efforts; and the limited funds available for subscriptions
to international programs leave virtually no room to subscribe
to new partnerships.
It is necessary to change direction. This can be accomplished
in large part by:
• encouraging the coordination of funding sources for
greater efficiencies, to eliminate the problems of piecing
together matching funds from multiple sources, and of Canada’s
productive senior scientists having to devote large amounts
of time to multiple grant applications;
• ensuring that funding for work during ‘International
Years’ is available in a timely (and competitive) fashion,
so that research outputs and contributions from Canada are
in concert with those of other countries;
• ensuring sustained support for major initiatives (e.g.
10 years, with mid term evaluation), to allow a flow of trained
people, scientific results and applications / benefits;
• supporting international science Secretariats in Canada.
These currently include PICES: the North Pacific Marine Science
Organization, which is housed at the Institute of Ocean Sciences
in Sidney, B.C. and the Secretariat for the World Climate
Research Programme’s SPARC initiative (Stratospheric
Processes and their Role in Climate), hosted by the University
of Toronto. These clearly enhance Canada’s reputation
for leadership. More support would permit Canada to be as
active as Europe, the Nordic countries and Asia.
• becoming a full signatory and leading participant
in international treaty organizations such as the Antarctic
Treaty System.
• encouraging Canadian researchers to participate in
international initiatives driven by scientific, rather than
policy objectives, thus helping them to identify over-the-horizon
issues of potential economic and scientific importance;
• strategically investing in components of big science
projects, e.g. investment/tax incentives along the knowledge-value
chain, including investments for translation of research into
innovation; and in collaborative infrastructure to advance
interdisciplinary research.
These changes would enhance the international science reputation
of Canada - fundamental to an increased awareness by industry
of the role of Canada in innovation – and would enhance
the perception of Canada as a desirable strategic ally.
In its 2007 brief, PAGSE raised similar issues and recommended
measures to ensure equal participation in national
and strategic international partnerships, and access to international
scientific programs/data. It suggested there was
a mismatch between Canada’s international (bilateral)
commitments and its ability to implement these negotiated
agreements. It also commented that fiscal restraints had seriously
weakened the ability of many federal departments to support
travel, meetings and other costs of partnerships. Federal
departments and Canadian universities need access to funds
for basic implementation of these commitments. PAGSE’s
2006 Brief had suggested that an innovative form of “risk
capital” was essential for Canada to establish or maintain
its international credentials and to benefit from S&T
on the world scene: we repeat this suggestion. We also suggest
establishment of an International Opportunities Fund, to empower
Canadians to partner on international initiatives for research
and technology development.
Conclusion
Increased focus on support for Canada and Canadian scientists
to lead and to participate as full partners in international
science initiatives will have multiple benefits. Support is
needed for science, for scientific infrastructure and for
international science administration. Collaborative international
research among sectors involves sharing of costs (financial
leverage) and results, as well as federal recognition of the
importance of access to new ideas and technologies from around
the world and measures to archive and access new knowledge.
The enhanced reputation of Canadian science and scientists
in the international sphere will present Canada as an important
strategic partner, lead to greater awareness by industry of
the innovative role of our scientists and will encourage the
retention of research expertise and innovation in Canada.
Recommendation:
That the federal government adopt a strategic approach
to investments in big science initiatives and international
science partnerships. The approach must incorporate financial
support to ensure full benefits to Canadians and their economy.
1North-east Pacific Time-series Undersea
Network Experiments
2Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s
Advantage, Industry Canada, 2007, pg. 86.
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