The Partnership Group for Science and Engineering (PAGSE) www.pagse.org is a cooperative association of more than 25 national organizations in Science and Engineering. It was formed in June 1995, at the invitation of the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada. The national organizations that comprise PAGSE represent approximately 50,000 individual members from industry, academia, and government sectors. They work collectively to represent the Canadian science and engineering community to the Government of Canada, and to advance research and innovation for the benefit of Canadians. PAGSE is not a lobby group. It does not seek an audience in order to advance the cause of specific science and engineering initiatives: rather, its intent is to address the broader issues of science and engineering policy at the national level.

If PAGSE is to be truly representative of the science and engineering community in Canada, it must ensure that you, individual members of member societies and associations, are aware of the activities that are undertaken in your name. While details may be found on the PAGSE website ( www.pagse.org ), we also provide you with a periodic summary of activities.

Bacon & Eggheads:

PAGSE, in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), sponsors monthly breakfast meetings on Parliament Hill, known as “Bacon and Eggheads”. The meetings inform parliamentarians about recent advances in science and engineering. This Fall, Parliament was prorogued until October 16th 2007; when it reconvened, the following Bacon & Eggheads talks were offered. Given the importance of oil sands development to energy and the Canadian economy, the two talks were on complementary aspects of the topic:

1. Can oil sands production and upgrading be sustainable?
   Murray Gray, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta
   Thursday October 25, 2007
   
   
2. Trading Water for Oil - Tailings Management in Surface-Mined Oil Sands
   Randy Mikula, Natural Resources Canada
   Thursday November 29, 2007

PAGSE Monthly Meetings:

Guests representative of science and engineering in the government and industry sectors are invited to monthly PAGSE meetings held at the University of Ottawa to present their views on the status of science and engineering in Canada in general and in the organisations they represent, and to discuss the issues and challenges that they would like to see PAGSE address. Since the summer, we have welcomed the following guests, who have given their perspectives on S&T in Canada:

1. October 16th: Eliot Phillipson, President, Canada Foundation for Innovation
   Dr. Phillipson provided information on strategic directions and funding initiatives at the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
   
   
2. November 22nd: Iain Stewart, Director General, Policy Branch, Industry Canada
   Iain Stewart presented the ‘diagnostics’, analysis and objectives that had gone in to the federal strategy: Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage (released May 2007).

House of Commons Finance Committee:

PAGSE submits a brief each fall to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance (HCFC). In August 2007, we submitted a brief entitled “The Tax System the Country Needs for a Prosperous Future”. The theme was governed by the stated priorities for briefs to the Finance Committee for 2007.

Summary of the Submission:
Canada’s economic health relies on its human, natural and environmental resources and a legislative environment that allows effective mobilization of these resources. In research and development (R&D) this economic health requires strength and balance in public, private and academic sector initiatives. The new federal strategy for science and technology provides the framework for strengthening Canada’s research and innovation performance across sectors. It also recognizes the need for measures to encourage industrial and private sector R&D.

Long-term research and monitoring that is essential to the public good must be conducted in the public sector and supported with public funds. A dynamic research environment in universities fosters new knowledge, its distribution to other sectors, interdisciplinary partnerships, education of students - and ensures a repository of expertise. This pool of skilled human resources is drawn on by the private and public sectors.

The research activities of the private sector are motivated by efficiency and profit margin, as well as by competitive forces: this sector requires a mix of realistic incentives and regulations. The corporate sector already benefits from generous R&D tax credits which particularly favour small firms. Credits are the main government tool for influencing the overall level of business-led R&D; the issue is thus whether they should be expanded or made more effective.

The Partnership Group recommends:

1. Increased incentives to attract and retain the best scientists and engineers;
   
2. Increased support for research infrastructure in federal laboratories and for indirect costs;
   
3. Fiscal incentives to encourage private sector investment in R&D;
   
4. Support for strategic international partnerships and access to international scientific programs/data.

For further information regarding PAGSE activities, please contact your PAGSE representative www.pagse.org/en/links.htm

Dawn Conway
Email: conway@cfcas.ca
PAGSE Chair