A strong democracy needs strong science | Evidence For Democracy

A strong democracy needs strong science | Evidence For Democracy

"I believe that all Canadians benefit when governments solicit,  collect and use the evidence and expertise needed to make smart policy  decisions that safeguard the health, safety and prosperity of Canadians. I will support/vote for actions that invest in public-interest science; ensure open, honest and timely communication of scientific information; and make public the evidence considered in government decisions."

 Canada's commitment to making decisions based on evidence, not politics, helped to build our prosperity and make our country one of the safest, healthiest, best educated and most compassionate countries in the world. Making evidence-based decisions requires investing in the science and research upon which they are founded but in recent years, our federal government has turned away from science, putting at risk the foundation of what makes Canada great.

We have seen drastic funding cuts to both federal government and academic research and the scrapping of many important evidence gathering institutions, most notably the long-form census. Government scientists are working under increasingly restrictive rules limiting their ability to openly communicate their research. Perhaps what is most alarming is that many recent public policy decisions disregard all available evidence.

We have an unprecedented opportunity to highlight science and smart-decision making in the upcoming federal election. For the first time in Canadian history there is momentum to get political parties and candidates to commit to science and evidence-based decision-making!

This is your opportunity to restore the science needed for a strong democracy by taking our pledge.