moved for leave to introduce Bill C-217, An Act respecting the position and office of the Parliamentary Science Officer and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce my private member's bill to establish Canada's first parliamentary science officer.
My bill aims to create an independent science watchdog for Parliament with a mandate to provide MPs with sound information and expert advice on scientific issues facing our country. This office would help to ensure scientific research has a stronger voice in the policy-making process and that decisions made in Ottawa are based on the best available evidence.
A parliamentary science officer would be a major improvement compared to the previous office of the national science advisor, which advised only the prime minister and lacked institutional independence before being eliminated in 2008.
Canada needs a new science advisor that is independent of the government and reports directly to Parliament. Its mandate needs to be comprehensive and protected by law, and that is why I am putting forward this bill today. It complements a motion I put forward on ethics in terms of research.
I hope the bill will receive support from all members of the House.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)