Ottawa, May 26, 2021

Evidence for Democracy is pleased to learn that Motion 38 (M-38) passed by a vote of 331-0 in the House of Commons today. The motion received unanimous support from all parties, as well as the independent Members of Parliament (MP). This new committee will begin when the House resumes in September 2021.

The proposal for the new standing committee was spearheaded by former Minister of Science turned Deputy House Leader, the Honourable Kirsty Duncan (LPC). During the two hours of debate, Ms. Duncan received broad, all-party support from several MPs. A full analysis on how M-38 unfolded can be found here.

“We are delighted to see strong support for a new Standing Committee on Science and Research. As an organization committed to improving the linkages between science and policy, this new Standing Committee offers a new channel of engagement for scientists and decision-makers. We look forward to working closely with stakeholders on all sides of this initiative to help bring it to life,” said Rachael Maxwell, Executive Director at Evidence for Democracy. “As a country, we need to do a better job of recognizing the critical role of science and research in our democratic processes; we all benefit when governments make decisions informed by the best available science and evidence. We applaud the new Committee as a step forward in this direction,” she added.

Further, Evidence for Democracy is supportive of the recommendations put forward by MPs who participated in the motion’s debate, including concern that it may overlap with the responsibilities of other Committees.