From: Brenda Waiwood
To: megan.leslie@parl.gc.ca ; keith.ashfield@parl.gc.ca ; yvon.godin@parl.gc.ca ; dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca ; Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca ; Mike.Olscamp@gnb.ca ; Curtis (LEG)
Malloch ; editor@stcroixcourier.ca ; John.Williamson@parl.gc.ca
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 10:35 AM
Subject: Science in Canada As a retired public servant I want to express my concern over the current
government’s recent budget. I saw previous Liberal and Progressive
Conservative governments make budget cuts to the public service, usually leaving
each department to make the final decision over where to apply their share of
the reductions. To my knowledge the current government is the first to
make targeted reductions. To do this in such a blatant manner as to reduce
science capacity within Canada is very concerning. Yes, universities also
carry out scientific research but usually in three year funding cycles and
targeted to their and the funding sources interest. Government scientists
are the only ones who can respond to a sudden crisis such as the amnesic
shellfish toxin incident in 1997. Locally, work at the St. Andrews
Biological Station in the 1960s is the basis for the salmon aquaculture business
on both our eastern and western coasts. Without that research I am sure
the current successful commercial businesses would not exist. It is future
Canadian business development which will be hampered by these cuts, not just the
degradation of our environment.
I have always exercised my democratic right and duty by voting in all
elections but not been politically active, however the actions of the current
federal government are enough to get me involved. I just hope that other
Canadians with similar feelings express their opinions too and help to change
this blow to science.
Yours sincerely,
Brenda Waiwood
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