Trudeau Renews Federal Commitment to Science-Based Decision-Making with New Cabinet Appointments

The new federal government of Canada cabinet includes three ministers responsible for science, and signals more focus on climate change, pure science and public interest research. Newly-appointed cabinet members include medical geographer Dr. Kirsty Duncan as Minister of Science; international trade lawyer Catherine McKenna as Minister of Environment and Climate Change; and financial analyst Navdeep Bains as Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. The new emphasis of these ministry positions highlights Trudeau’s commitment to the reality that science pervades all aspects of governance, and recognizes the important role of both basic and applied scientific research in technological innovation and economic development. Trudeau has also appointed former Nunavut MP Hunter Tootoo as Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, potentially paving the way for a renewed emphasis on the management of Canada’s Arctic marine resources.

For more insight on the restored focus on science in Canada’s new, see this recent piece in Nature News.