Council of Canadian Academies
Encyclopedia
The Council of Canadian Academies (French
: Conseil des académies canadiennes) was created to perform independent, expert assessments of the science that is relevant to important public issues. The Council’s assessment scope includes the natural, social and health sciences, engineering
and the humanities
.
The Council is a private, non-profit corporation that has received a $30 million founding grant in 2005 from the Government of Canada
. The grant is intended to support core operations for 10 years. Although the Council is at arm’s length from government, it has agreed to conduct up to five assessments per year of subjects proposed by the Canadian federal government. Though is has not done so to date, the Council can also perform assessments for non-governmental and private sector organizations, but the cost of these cannot be covered by the federal government’s founding grant.
The Council of Canadian Academies is in many ways similar in concept and mission to the National Research Council
in the U.S., which is, in effect, the operating arm of the National Academies
in the U.S. The Council of Canadian Academies is of course much smaller and much younger, having begun full-fledged operations only in March, 2006.
, a majority of whom are appointed by the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, the Canadian Academy of Engineering
, and the RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada
. The Chair of the Board is Elizabeth Parr-Johnston
.
The Council also has a 16-member Scientific Advisory Committee, whose role is to advise the Council’s Board with respect to assessment topic selection, terms of reference, and peer review. The Committee is also among several sources of advice on the selection of expert panelists.
The first President of the Council of Canadian Academies was Dr. Peter Nicholson. His appointment was announced February 8, 2006. He retired at the end of 2009. Elizabeth Dowdeswell is the current President of the Council.
Since then, the Council has published 10 more assessments.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Conseil des académies canadiennes) was created to perform independent, expert assessments of the science that is relevant to important public issues. The Council’s assessment scope includes the natural, social and health sciences, engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
and the humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
.
The Council is a private, non-profit corporation that has received a $30 million founding grant in 2005 from the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
. The grant is intended to support core operations for 10 years. Although the Council is at arm’s length from government, it has agreed to conduct up to five assessments per year of subjects proposed by the Canadian federal government. Though is has not done so to date, the Council can also perform assessments for non-governmental and private sector organizations, but the cost of these cannot be covered by the federal government’s founding grant.
The Council of Canadian Academies is in many ways similar in concept and mission to the National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
in the U.S., which is, in effect, the operating arm of the National Academies
United States National Academies
The United States National Academies comprises four organizations:* National Academy of Sciences * National Academy of Engineering * Institute of Medicine * National Research Council...
in the U.S. The Council of Canadian Academies is of course much smaller and much younger, having begun full-fledged operations only in March, 2006.
History
The Council was initially, in April 2002, incorporated as the Canadian Academies of Science, but in June 2006 renamed to Council of Canadian Academies.Governance
The Council is governed by a 12-member Board of GovernorsBoard of governors
Board of governors is a term sometimes applied to the board of directors of a public entity or non-profit organization.Many public institutions, such as public universities, are government-owned corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was managed by a board of governors, though this role...
, a majority of whom are appointed by the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, the Canadian Academy of Engineering
Canadian Academy of Engineering
The Canadian Academy of Engineering is a national academy of distinguished professional engineers in all fields of engineering, who are elected on the basis of "their distinguished service and contribution to society, to the country and to the profession."The Academy was founded in 1987...
, and the RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
. The Chair of the Board is Elizabeth Parr-Johnston
Elizabeth Parr-Johnston
Elizabeth Parr-Johnston, CM is the Managing Partner of Parr-Johnston Consultants, an economic policy consultancy based in Chester Basin, Nova Scotia. Dr...
.
The Council also has a 16-member Scientific Advisory Committee, whose role is to advise the Council’s Board with respect to assessment topic selection, terms of reference, and peer review. The Committee is also among several sources of advice on the selection of expert panelists.
The first President of the Council of Canadian Academies was Dr. Peter Nicholson. His appointment was announced February 8, 2006. He retired at the end of 2009. Elizabeth Dowdeswell is the current President of the Council.
Assessments
The Council’s assessments are performed by independent panels of qualified experts from Canada and abroad who serve pro bono. This model has been employed in other countries, most notably in the United States by the National Research Council of the US National Academies. All Council assessments are published and made available to the public free of charge in English and French.Reports
The first report of the Council, "Survey on Canada’s S&T Strengths and Capacity", was released September 12, 2006.Since then, the Council has published 10 more assessments.
External links
- Council of Canadian Academies - Official Website
- RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada
- Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
- Canadian Academy of Engineering |accessdate=}}
- Prime Minister creates Academies of Science University Affairs, December 2004 |page=H.02 |accessdate=}}
- Royal Society of Canada - Canadian Academies of Science (proposal)