Science integrity and environmental decision-making in Canada: a fragile renaissance

Abstract Scientific integrity, which is not separable from broader concepts of integrity and honesty, has come under assault in many nations, including Canada. Here, federal scientists were prevented from communicating about their work, research facilities were shut down, and environmental monitoring programs were ended. Concurrent attacks on environmental legislation and protections were facilitated by “muzzling” policies that prevented scientists from speaking about their work. Government leadership demonized those who spoke publicly in defense of scientific integrity. By galvanizing a broad coalition of scientists, we were able to “save” the last significant piece of federal environmental legislation from being gutted. Despite forming a similarly broad consensus in defense of scientific integrity, we made no progress in unmuzzling researchers with that Government. In 2015 a Motion to Parliament to restore scientific integrity federally was prepared and brought to a vote, ensuring that scientific integrity would remain a central election issue. This Motion was converted into the science-policy platform for the party that formed government, decisively ending the “war on science” in Canada. Yet, challenges remained, including overcoming cultural inertia in the public service that hindered the adoption of policies to restore scientific integrity in the decision. Nevertheless, the recovery of scientific integrity in Canada occurred concurrently with the restoration of key environmental laws that had previously been stripped of effectiveness. Scientific integrity is vital for maintaining and restoring effective policy more generally.