PAGSE: Who we are and what we do

The Partnership Group for Science and Engineering (PAGSE; www.pagse.org) is a cooperative association of 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 almost 60,000 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 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 and to inform parliamentarians on topics of science and engineering.

PAGSE: Members and representatives

A full list of PAGSE Member Organizations and representatives can be found at
www.pagse.org/en/links.htm.

PAGSE: Update

Over the summer, PAGSE went through a period of transition as longtime manager Donna Boag retired. In August 2018 PAGSE settled in its new home at the Canadian Museum of Nature, and the fall 2018 season of Bacon and Eggheads was up and running in September.

Bacon & Eggheads

PAGSE, in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canadian Museum of Nature, CANARIE Inc, and many other organizations sponsors a monthly breakfast meeting held on Parliament Hill, known as “Bacon and Eggheads”. Speakers at the meetings inform parliamentarians about recent advances in science and engineering. In 2018-2019 PAGSE organized the presentations listed below.

How Did that Chemical from My TV End Up in Me and an Arctic Fish?
Miriam Diamond, University of Toronto
Thursday, September 27, 2018

Plastic: from miracle material to environmental threat
Peter S. Ross, Ocean Wise
Thursday, October 25, 2018

What Will it Take for Canada to Finally Solve Indigenous Water Health Challenges?
Madjid Mohseni, University of British Columbia Thursday, November 29, 2018

Metals and sustainability –
Earth’s odd couple
John F.H. Thompson, PetraScience Consultants Thursday, February 21, 2019

Toxic algae – a growing threat to Canadians
Frances Pick, University of Ottawa
Thursday, March 21, 2019

Innovation Prospects for Canada: The Industry Perspective
Panel Discussion – Jill Green - Green Imaging Technologies, Allan F. Miranda – Johnson & Johnson Innovation Labs & David Ross – Ross Video. Moderator - Satyamoorthy Kabilan – Public Policy Forum Thursday May 2, 2019

Using Light to Save the Planet: Photonics for the Environment – POSTPONED till 2020
Donna Strickland, University of Waterloo Thursday May 30, 2019

SciEng Pages (formerly SciencePages)

SciEng Pages is an initiative undertaken by PAGSE to provide brief, evidence-based assessments of topical science and engineering topics to Parliamentarians and the public. October 17, 2018,
Cannabis Act came into force and the Canadian Association for Neuroscience led and released with the assistance of the Science Media Center a Canada a SciEng Pages effort on Cannabis, with Professor Matt
Hill and Rebecca Haines-Saah (University of Calgary).

To view all the SciEng Pages publications please visit the SciEng Pages website. http://sciengpages.ca/
or http://sciengpages.ca/fr/

PAGSE Council Meetings

Guests, representing science and engineering in the government and industry sectors, are invited to PAGSE Council meetings to present their perspectives on science and engineering in Canada, on the activities of their organizations, as well as the potential issues and challenges that they would like to see PAGSE address. Members also consider federal activities and reports and how best to promote and sustain Canada’s scientific base. The meetings are held at the University of Ottawa. During the last year PAGSE has welcomed the following guests:

• December 3, 2018: Meg Beckel, Canadian Museum of Nature
• April 17, 2019: Jim Handman, Science Media Centre of Canada

Submissions to Parliamentary Committees and Consultations

PAGSE will prepare briefs to respond to calls for consultations from the government (http://www.consultingcanadians.gc.ca/) when the topic is broad and there is a science/engineering component. Yearly, PAGSE will submit a brief to House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance in response to the questions provided in the pre-budget consultations. Our submissions are available on the PAGSE website.