Federal Science and Technology Advisors
The Council of Science and Technology Advisors (CSTA) - is a group of advisors outside the government who provide expert science advice to the federal cabinet.
The CSTA aims to improve the management of federal science and technology by examining problems shared by departments and agencies, including Health Canada , that focuses on science and research. The advisory group also highlights potential opportunities for partnerships.
Established in 1998, the CSTA was created in response to the government's science and technology plan. The plan called for the government to:
- Rely more on external advice; and
- Form one group that would advise the federal government on science and technology problems
The CSTA is made up of 22 people who represent universities, industry and not-for-profit organizations. The members cover a wide range of science and technology-based areas and are named to the group by the Ministers of the various science-based departments and agencies. One of the advisors chosen by Health Canada is Dr. Judith Hall, Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia and British Columbia 's Children's Hospital. Dr. Hall was also Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for Health Canada .
Dr. Kevin Keough, Health Canada 's first Chief Scientist, was also on the Council before he joined the Office of the Chief Scientist in 2001.
CSTA Reports
The CSTA has released its  seventh report (February 2005). This report recommends a number of actions that the federal government can take to encourage science and technology (S&T) partnerships between departments and between the federal government and private industry.
The CSTA has written six other major reports to date, covering a number of science- and technology-related topics. These reports which can be found include: (Hyperlinks attached)
For more information, visit the Council of Science and Technology Advisors (CSTA) Web site.
The Frameworks for Federal Science and Technology (S&T)
The development and management of science and technology has always been an important focus for Health Canada . In fact, the Federal Strategy for S&T was developed in 1996. This strategy outlines a way to manage S&T, and it has continued to evolve over time with the naming of chief scientists as well as the National Science Advisor to the Prime Minister.
More recently, Health Canada and the federal government have adopted two S&T frameworks to help provide a government-wide way to manage S&T.
The Framework for Federal S&T focuses on:
- The roles of S&T; and
- The performance of quality science.
The Framework for S&T Advice focuses on using the science available to develop advice to help in the decision-making process.
The documents also recognize the important role S&T plays in helping to ensure the quality of life and health of Canadians.
Federal S&T Forum
The Federal S&T Forum that took place in 2002 involved over 350 people, including people from across the public service and from outside the federal government. The purpose of the Forum was to discuss the future and the vision of federal S&T over the next decade. Through a series of discussions, a vision for S&T excellence and integration was adopted.
More recently, the 2005 Forum worked to further clarify the meaning of integration. The Forum also discussed the work of the Assistant Deputy Minister's S&T Integration Board and engaged the Deputy Minister's Committee on S&T.
For more information on the S&T Forum, visit the Federal Science and Technology Community Web site.
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