Science Council of Canada : The Science Council of Canada was established in 1966 under the Science Council of Canada Act (14-15 Eliz. II, Chapter. 19). The establishment of the Council was evidence of the federal government's interest in science policy in the 1960s. In 1963, the Royal Commission on Government Organization (the Glassco Commission) deplored the lack of oversight and coordination with respect to federal activities in the field of science and technology. In 1964, the Pearson government established a Privy Council Science Secretariat to study and analyze federal activities in the field of science and technology. It also developed plans for an advisory body with a mandate to identify major science policy orientations, which would become the Science Council.
The Council was made up of a maximum of 25 members; in addition, there were 4 associate members who were federal government employees. The Council used the personnel from the Science Secretariat until 1968, when it hired its own employees. In 1969, the Council became a Crown Corporation and achieved greater independence. (17-18 Eliz. II, Chapter 28). In 1977, Parliament adopted a new Science Council of Canada Act (25-26 Eliz. II, Chapter 24). This Act reoriented the Council's activities from making recommendations to the Minister toward educating the public. Membership was increased to 30 but the associate members were dropped. The Council's budget was progressively reduced, starting in the mid-1980s, and it was abolished during the wave of budget cutbacks in 1992-93 (Act to dissolve or terminate certain corporations and other bodies, 40-41 Eliz. II, Chapter 1, assent on February 4,1993).
The Council's functions were to evaluate Canada's scientific and technological resources, needs and potential; to increase public awareness of the problems and the potential related to science and technology, as well as the interdependence of the public, governments, industries and universities in the development and utilization of science and technology. To this end, the Council carried out studies and surveys subsequently made available to the public. Each study was directed by a Council committee, with the assistance of outside experts. The Council published studies on the status of research in different fields, including new technologies (information sciences and biotechnology). It also issued several statements respecting Canadian science policy and its direction, and the inadequacy of federal government research efforts and spending in this field. Among the Council's outstanding studies are the assessment of the Intense Neutron Generator project, submitted by Atomic Energy Canada Limited; studies on biotechnology, education in scientific fields, and scientific and technical complementarity between Canada and Japan. While the Council was able to choose the fields it studied, the department responsible for it also directed it, on occasion, to undertake certain studies.
In the course of its existence, the Science Council successively reported to the Privy Council Science Secretariat, the Ministry of State for Science and Technology (1971-1990) and the Department of Industry, Science and Technology (1990-1992). The Council was under the direction of Omond M. Solandt (1966-1972), Roger Gaudry (1972-1975), Josef Kates (1975-1978), Claude Fortier (1978-1982), Stuart L. Smith (1982-1987), Geraldine Kenney-Wallace (1987-1990) and Janet E. Halliwell (1990-1992).
