IF WE DON'T GET THIS RIGHT, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS

Professor Ken Davey sent the note below to a few friends in the Riding. It really hit home with me -- with his permission I reproduce it here:

As a johnny-come-lately to this enterprise, most of you won't know me or understand why I have become involved so late in life (I am 79). 

I am an emeritus prof of biology at York.  Although I closed my lab 10 years ago, I continue with an active life in Science.

For most of my career, in addition to the research and teaching  that I enjoyed so much, I had a parallel life as an academic administrator, finishing as the senior VP at York, responsible for the entire academic enterprise of Canada's third largest U.  I was responsible for 80% of the budget.  I had little time for the political process apart from voting and reading about it.

Like many others, however,  I am alarmed with the current government, not so much for what they are doing , but, importantly, for how they are doing it.  So, I began by donating, by cheque, to both the federal party and the riding.  More recently, I tried donating via the web-site.  Without going into detail, it was an alienating and difficult  process.  Rather than shrugging my shoulders and simply writing  a cheque, I sent an e-mail along to point out those bits that were difficult.  I will not detail the events that followed, but the process got much worse. Follow up with me as a donor was inconsistent and at times downright silly.  I have concluded that this part of the organisation of the Party is awfully weak.  IF WE DON'T GET THIS RIGHT, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. 

There was also evidence of poor communication among the various parts of the organisation.  Hints of this are in the platforms of some of the candidates for President

Originally, I was simply going to attend as an observer, to see whether it was worth continuing to donate, but then I discovered what it would cost, and I also had a look at the program and realised that I might be able to make a contribution.

Moreover, I have, over the years built up a pretty good knowledge of how Ottawa works.

I have been on every committee related to NSERC.

As President of the Biological Council of Canada I lobbied during the 80s on behalf of science, and achieved  some successes

I have done work for the Auditor General.

During my time with the National Council on Ethics in Human Research, I interacted with senior people at Health Canada, and retain those connections

Former member of the Life Sciences Advisory Committee for the Canadian Space Agency.

The only non-government scientist on a PCO Round Table on the role of government research scientists in setting public policy.  The other members were all DMs and Adams wrote some of the background papers leading to the establishment of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the funding of overhead costs for grants from the granting agencies to the Universities.

Currently, I was one of the three first incorporators for the Canadian Science Press, the not for profit established to transition the NRC Press, which publishes 15 Scientific Journals, to the private sector. I remain vice chair of the Board. I have informal connections elsewhere: the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Ag Canada, NRC

You should not take it that I am planning to ride in on a white horse and save the party: far from it.  I regard the convention as a learning experience

But I will be listening carefully to the candidates for every post against this background and experience, and will try to make useful contributions to the workshops.

I have, I think sorted out the organisation of the Party from the Constitution.  It is a little bewildering, but I think I understand why it is so complexity various policy resolutions on the web site are disappointing to me because of the absence of the role of science (including the Social Sciences) in the development of public policy.  

I believe that the tories are vulnerable in this area.  But the emphasis on evidence based policy making in the workshops is encouraging.  Ted HSu, the member for Kingston and the Islands, has a background in Physics and that is encouraging as well.

Finally, I am not a relative of Keith Davey!

I look forward to seeing you.

Ken Davey