A Guide for Science and Policy Managers

S&T foresight involves systematic attempts to look at the longer-term future of science and technology, and their potential impacts on society, with a view to identifying the emerging change factors, and the source areas of scientific research and technological development likely to influence change and yield the greatest economic, environmental and social benefits during the next 10-25 years.¹⁵

Under the Federal Innovation Networks of Excellence (FINE) initiative, an interdepartmental working group has been formed to run a pilot foresight project. The intent of this pilot project is to test the applicability of foresight techniques for determining future FINE research and development priorities. Initial results from the project are expected in early 2003.

Contact: Jack Smith, NRC (613) 993-7496

Technology maps are a structured methodology that provides an in-depth assessment of the capabilities and challenges associated with a given technology, as well as a comprehensive guide to the many commercial development parameters, issues and uncertainties behind successful technology commercialization. They can serve as a basis for research agenda, priority setting and networking activities.

At Health Canada, a series of mechanisms has been and continues to be put in place to provide a strong departmental capacity for, and high-level engagement with, quality decision making related to risk:

1. The Departmental Executive Committee on risk management provides expert leadership, horizontal co-ordination and strategic risk management discussion and advice at the senior management level. It is a forum for discussing options for optimal or most appropriate action based on the best information available.
2. Risk management committees at the branch, directorate or program level are becoming the norm.
3. In some cases, branch-level capacities are being developed in risk management, with particular focus on early identification of issues, capacity building, communications and process management.
   Contact: Patricia Milsom (613) 941-9087 or Douglas Watson (613) 941-8146, Health Canada
   

Environment Canada has established four business lines that cut across organizational structures. These business lines are managed by senior departmental managers, who are responsible for setting national direction and ensuring national coherence in program delivery, establishing clear accountabilities for results, and tracking and reporting on performance. Each business line table has identified present and emerging research issues and challenges and has established research agendas that lay out research priorities for the next five years. The business line research agendas improve understanding among departmental managers of the role and importance of scientific research across EC programs, and provide a clear link between research and development and table priorities and programs.

Contact: Linda Crosby, EC (819) 953-3083

5 (a) Science-Policy Linkages (SPLINKs)

In response to the need for ongoing interaction between science and policy at the departmental level, Natural Resources Canada has introduced regular science-policy linkage or "SPLINK" events. These events bring together science and policy practitioners for open dialogue on a particular horizontal issue or theme.¹⁶

Contact: Mary McKennirey, NRCan (613) 992-4180

5 (b) National Science Workshops

To build stronger national linkages between scientists and their respective fields of expertise, Fisheries and Oceans Canada holds an annual National Science Workshop. The forum provides scientists from the department’s 12 research facilities with the opportunity to network and become familiar with research being undertaken by their departmental colleagues in disciplines other than their own. Approximately 150 participants, including policy and communications staff, attend the annual workshop.

Health Canada has adopted a formalized decision-making framework (DMF) as one of its mechanisms to ensure that a multidisciplinary approach is taken when identifying, evaluating, managing, mitigating and communicating health risks. Involvement of interested and affected parties (including partners, the public and other stakeholders) throughout the process, as appropriate, is a central tenet of the decision-making framework. Within the context of the DMF, Health Canada emphasizes public involvement and risk communication to exchange information amongst risk assessors, risk managers, consumers and other interested parties.

Health Canada’s objective in using a risk management process is to follow a systematic approach in order to achieve scientifically sound and integrated decisions. In addition to a focus on comprehensive scientific assessment, this process takes into account relevant social, cultural, political, economic and legal considerations and ensures the timely dissemination of information. Contact: Dr. Judith Glennie, HC (613) 946-6512

7 (a) Health Canada’s Science and Research Database provides a forum for departmental scientists and researchers to contribute information on their areas of expertise, science and research interests, current projects, specialized equipment and methodologies used, and other related information. The database provides HC scientists and researchers with a tool for networking and identifying potential collaborators as well as facilitating information sharing among the science, research, policy and program communities.

Contact: Stephanie Wilson, HC (613) 946-5606

7 (b) Environment Canada is developing the S&T Community yellow pages. The yellow pages are a Web tool for finding people or organizations within EC’s S&T community based on expertise, issues and/or location. This initiative will help EC collaborate and share knowledge, work better horizontally across the organization, utilize better the expertise and experience in the department and avoid duplication.

Contact: Shealagh Pope, EC (819) 953-4078

Science assessments play a key role in providing succinct, state-of-the-art scientific reviews of complex issues. Science assessments are utilized by Environment Canada to deliver scientific knowledge and information to the scientific community, policy analysts and decision makers.

The CEPA Registry is a comprehensive, online source of public information relating to activities under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. The primary objective of the Registry is to encourage and support public participation in environmental decision making.

Contact: CEPARegistry@ec.gc.ca

Science networks are collaborative mechanisms linking different organization or individuals and encouraging sharing of information and exchange of methodologies and forms of practice. These networks ensure collaboration on initiatives such as training, research and development, monitoring and data collection, commercialization and provision of services. Each network usually has a unique governance structure, function, organization and funding arrangement.¹⁷

"Environment Canada regards Canadian volunteers as the eyes and ears of the department, improving its knowledge and understanding of the environment. Volunteers count birds through such programs as the Christmas Bird Count, listen to and record information on frogs through Frogwatch, gather weather data using Stephenson screens in their backyards, and contribute through a host of other activities. To ensure the quality of its science, Environment Canada uses standard methods for collecting, reporting, managing and analysing these data and provides training and feedback to its volunteers."¹⁸

Fisheries and Oceans Canada has developed a performance measurement framework based on the principles and guidelines contained in the Framework for Science and Technology Advice. Annual performance measurement reports will be used to systematically assess the impact of science in decision making on a case-by-case basis.

The Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for the Public Service requires all government employees to perform their duties in such a manner that public confidence and trust in the integrity, objectivity and impartiality of government are conserved and enhanced. Government employees are required to review their obligations under the Code to ensure that their assets, liabilities and outside activities do not constitute a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest with their duties (http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/Pubs_pol/hrpubs/TB_851/CIP_e.html).

14. Policy on Internal Disclosure of Information Concerning Wrongdoing in the Workplace

This policy requires deputy heads to put in place internal mechanisms to allow employees to disclose, in good faith, information concerning wrongdoing within their organizations. These disclosures need to be addressed in an appropriate and timely fashion; as well, employees who disclose information need to be treated fairly and protected from reprisal. Deputy heads and managers should foster a culture of open communication where issues and concerns can be dealt with in the workplace, but should also provide an alternative when one is needed (http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/Pubs_pol/hrpubs/TB_851/idicww-diicaft1_e.html).

15. Minority Input Consideration

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Policy Framework Checklist provides guidance throughout the policy formulation and decision-making processes, identifying issues and ensuring inclusion of all stakeholder opinions. If consensus on the science cannot be reached within CFIA, the issue is referred to the Science Evaluation Unit (SEU) for unbiased scientific evaluation of the minority input or viewpoint. The SEU considers the soundness of the science underpinning the minority opinion and the impacts of including and excluding the information, and recommends how the minority opinion should be considered in policy formulation.

Contact: Dr. Maria Nazarowec-White, CFIA (613) 225-2342, ex. 4597

16. Science Forum
    
    The CFIA holds an annual Science Forum to discuss emerging science and technology issues and how these issues may affect its policies and programs. Participants (100-150) include members from all CFIA branches, including Programs, Operations, Human Resources, and Public and Regulatory Affairs, from all areas of the country, as well as representatives from federal, provincial and territorial agri-food sectors. Through focused roundtable discussions, participants develop recommendations on emerging science and technology issues. The recommendations are presented to senior management. Implementation of recommendations is reviewed six months and then two years after each forum.

Contact: Dr. Maria Nazarowec-White, CFIA (613) 225-2342, ex. 4597

The Royal Society of Canada has drafted a procedures manual for expert panels. This manual may serve as a useful guide on such issues as assembly of expert panels, panel procedures, addressing possible biases, conflict of interest considerations, etc. (http://www.rsc.ca/english/expert_manual.pdf).

The Treasury Board Secretariat’s Integrated Risk Management Framework is the federal government’s own policy on integrated risk management. The objective of the Risk Management Framework is to assist public service employees in strengthening their ability to anticipate, assess and manage risk, and make decisions (http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/dcgpubs/
riskmanagement/rmf-cgr01-1_e.html).

The government, led by the Privy Council Office, has been working on an initiative to discuss the application of the precautionary approach, or precautionary principle, in science-based regulatory programs. The precautionary approach is distinctive within science-based risk management. The Assistant Deputy Ministers Working Group released a discussion document (http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/raoics-srdc/default.asp?Language=E&Page=Precaution&Sub=Discussion) on a proposed principle-based framework to guide the application of the precautionary principle in risk management decision making. This is an important step toward establishing a federal framework for coherent and consistent application of the precautionary approach in Canada.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada undertook an external peer review of its greenhouse gas research programs to seek guidance and a rationale for continuing projects that are considered essential, to identify any redirection needed and to chart future paths. The review panel assembled an inventory of departmental greenhouse gas research programs for the last 10 years and provided a candid assessment of these efforts, in addition to recommendations.

The Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) within Fisheries and Oceans Canada co-ordinates the peer review and provision of advice on scientific issues for the department. The formalized peer review process is applied to a number of issues, ranging from the status of stocks to the impact of oil and gas exploration and development on aquatic ecosystems. The process engages scientific expertise internal and external to the department as well as traditional knowledge. The goal is to achieve full consensus on the soundness of all information under review and its implications for decision making. If full consensus cannot be achieved, dissenting views are included as an annex to the written meeting proceedings. Formal terms of reference for each peer review help to ensure that the review is aligned with the science advice requirements of decision makers and that important concerns are captured and addressed by the science community. Guidelines for external participation in the peer review process have been established to clarify objectives, the role and requirements of participants, and knowledge criteria. Scientific information and advice (research documents, status reports, proceedings) arising from the peer review process is published on the CSAS Web site (http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas) in a timely fashion. When interest warrants, consensus scientific opinion is immediately communicated to Canadians via media briefings.

Contact: Dr. Jake Rice, Director, Assessment and Peer Review, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, DFO (613) 990-0288

The Policy Committee within Fisheries and Oceans Canada performs a critical science and policy interface function that enables the review of major science initiatives (e.g., Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board submissions, DFO policy proposals) that are being brought forward for consideration by the Departmental Management Committee in preparation for presentation to the Minister. The Policy Committee and its parallel Shadow Policy Committee consisting of director generals ensures that the science aspects of departmental policy proposals and/or Memoranda to Cabinet are appropriately reflected in the proposal and decision-making process.

[ Previous ] [ Table of Contents ] [ Next ]