Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

There have been drastic changes to science in Canada in recent years. These changes have happened in three distinct ways: reduction in the ability of government scientists to communicate their research to the public, the erosion of our science capacity - especially with respect to fundamental research and environmental monitoring, and a reduction in the role of evidence in policy decisions. The impacts of these changes go far beyond science. Science and evidence are essential elements for a functioning democracy. Democracy requires citizens who are well informed and transparency and accountability, the twin pillars of democracy, demand that government decisions, and their justification, be made explicit. These concerned have led to a more vocal scientific community as well as the formation of Evidence for Democracy - a new science-led, national, non-partisan, non-profit organization advocating for science and evidence-based decision-making in Canada. Speaker: Katie Gibbs Dr. Katie Gibbs is a scient