CSPC 2018

Artificial intelligence...Blockchain...CRISPR-cas9... these are just the ABCs of a broad array of emerging technologies confronting federal decision-makers, who must weigh how to foster these technologies in the interests of Canada’s economic competitiveness but also regulate them in the public interest. Similarly, new ideas such as inclusive innovation, open science, digital governance, collaborative research infrastructures, and the inclusion of traditional Indigenous knowledge present both opportunities and challenges to government departments. Meanwhile the broader context is characterized by rising populism, changing citizen expectations, and a post-truth decline of deference to experts. In this context, timely science advice remains a critical input to agile public policy. As part of the Government of Canada’s new vision for science, federal departments and agencies are identifying Departmental Science Advisors (DSAs) to support effective decision-making informed by the  scientific evidence. Join us for a dialogue with three DSAs on the new directions for science advice in the federal government.