Why Does it Exist? For many years, one of CAP’s most important (and successful) roles has been to advocate for physicists, and for scientists generally, in the corridors of power. After all, if we don’t do it, who will? Several examples have appeared in recent issues of Physics in Canada.

What Does it Do? The CAP Science Policy Committee (SPC) is a key resource for CAP’s science policy efforts. Working with other CAP people, especially the CAP President and Executive, the SPC (i) takes primary responsibility for developing CAP positions and strategies in the science policy arena, (ii) provides expert advice to the CAP President and Executive when science policy issues arise, (iii) alerts the Executive and CAP membership to news in the science policy area, especially when it sees problems or opportunities developing, (iv) assists the CAP President and others in developing letters and other communications to policy-makers, (v) takes the lead in developing other written positions, most notably CAP’s annual Brief to the House of Commons Finance Committee, (vi) spearheads other CAP advocacy efforts, (vii) is the primary liaison between CAP and the Canadian Consortium for Research (CCR, the umbrella advocacy body for Canada’s scientific societies, in which CAP has always played a leadership role), and (viii) assists in organizing the Science Policy Session(s) at the CAP Annual Congress.

Who Does All This? The SPC is chaired by the CAP Director of Science Policy, currently Paul Vincett, who has also recently become the Chair of CCR. Other members are Normand Mousseau (U. Montreal and retiring Vice-Chair), Daniel Banks (NRC), Melanie Campbell (U. Waterloo), Walter Davidson (NRC), Eric Donovan (U. Calgary), Francine Ford (CAP Executive Director), Bruce Gaulin (McMaster), Gary Knight (retired), Mike Morrow (Memorial), and Ken Ragan (McGill).

Can anyone join the party? Yes! If you are a CAP member, are interested in science policy, and are prepared to be active, we want to hear from you! Please e-mail paul [dot] vincett [at] gmail [dot] com.

Use the links on the left to see the mandate of the committee and view links to articles. 

Click here to return to the Science Policy section of the CAP's website.