canadian advocacy initiatives - neuroscience€¦ · 2 - building a team of neuroadvocates...

1
Canadian Advocacy Initiatives Chris Anderson U of Manitoba Nafisa Jadavji Carleton U (Liaison to CSMB) Charles Bourque, McGill U Kurt Haas, U of British Columbia Liisa Galea U of British Columbia Supported by CAN gratefully acknowledges SfN’s important support of our initiatives. This partnership has strengthened our advocacy efforts. 4 Challenges & Opportunities for increased impact Lisa Saksida Western U Karun Singh McMaster U CAN President: Jaideep Bains U Calgary Advocacy Chair: Melanie Woodin U Toronto Advocacy Committee More on our website: can-acn.org/advocacy Follow us facebook.com/can.acn twitter.com/can_acn www.flickr.com/photos/can-acn/sets/ 4 Keys to effective advocacy in Canada 1 - Engaging politicians CAN has participated in events on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, many of which featured presentations by neuroscientists. These meetings are opportunities to speak directly to Members of Parliament (MPs), and build important relations with elected officials and groups that also advocate for increased science funding. CAN encourages its members to invite their local MPs in their laboratory. These visits are a great way to humanize research, and show the reality and relevance of the neuroscience research being done in Canada. Four MPs participated in the CAN annual meeting in Vancouver in May 2018: Joyce Murray (Liberal), Matt Jeneroux (Conservative), Elizabeth May (Green) and Fin Donnelly (New Democrat). The participation of members of all political parties in a discussion about health research support by the government shows this is an issue that crosses party lines and is important for all Canadians. All MPs highlighted the important role of researcher advocates to keep research funding at the forefront of the government’s priorities. The government of Canada holds official consultations yearly on the budget. CAN has submitted briefs to these consultations, and invited its members to participate in open mic sessions that occur across Canada. There are also opportunities to engage with the Ministers of Health, of Science and of Finances on social media, and Canadian neuroscientists use these opportunities to congratulate our elected officials for their support of science. 2 - Building Partnerships SfN The very important financial support provided by the Society for Neuroscience has allowed CAN to develop a diversified advocacy program, specifically tailored to Canada’s political reality. CAN’s participation in SfN’s Hill Day in 2018 was an extremely valuable experience, as we were able to see first- hand the professional approach SfN takes to advocacy, with pre-meeting training, and on-the-ground accompaniment of the scientists as they met with elected officials and their staff. Research Canada Through our membership in Research Canada (https ://rc- rc .ca/), CAN has visited the Canadian Parliament and showcased neuroscience and neuroscientists to elected officials on multiple occasions. Other partnerships CAN has developed important relationships with scientific associations, such as the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences, who share a common goal of promoting increased science funding in Canada. CAN also has links with Universities and Research Centers – as many of our members are actively engaged with their institution, in leadership positions. 3 - Sharing a message The Government of Canada commissioned a report on the state of governmental funding of fundamental research in Canada, which was released in April 2017: Canada’s Fundamental Science Review (available at http ://www.sciencereview.ca ). Universities, research centre and associations of scientists across Canada rallied behind this report, which lead to the #SupportTheReport social media movement in advance of budget 2018. Through coordinated messaging, including use of the website supportthereport .ca, which was developed by CAN, the scientific community and its supporters were able to bring about a historic reinvestment in fundamental research in Canada in the latest budget. 4 - Reaching out Public lectures Canadian neuroscience research success stories CAN regularly developed and published public-friendly Canadian stories of research to highlight the work of our members and its relevance to all Canadians. Since 2016 CAN has developed over 30 stories, some of which were collected in book format and distributed to elected officials in Ottawa during our visits, and at CAN public events. Many stories were also developed for presentations at our annual meeting and disseminated through EurekAlert! (the AAAS Global Source for Science News). These stories and other association news can be found in the CAN news section of our website: https ://can-acn.org/category/can- news Advocacy training CAN offered an advocacy training workshop to meeting attendees on May 31st 2017 titled “All You Need Is Love…And A Little Help From Your Friends.” A Science Communication and Advocacy Workshop, Jason A. Tetro, Advocacy Officer, CAN https://can-acn.org/science-communication-and-advocacy- workshop Promoting Advocacy & Outreach initiatives CAN has been awarding prizes for Outreach & Advocacy since 2016, at our annual meeting. These prizes serve to highlight the great work done by Canadian neuroadvocates across the country, and help publicize their initiatives, which raise awareness of the importance of neuroscience research for everyone. 1 - Balancing gratefulness and need The government of Canada announced historical investment in fundamental research in the 2018 budget, with a 25% increase. Yet Canada remains second to last in science funding in the G7. How to be thankful for the increased funding yet still ask for more? Left to right: Melanie Woodin (incoming chair of the CAN advocacy committee), Joyce Murray, liberal MP, Matt Jeneroux, Conservative MP, Lynn Raymond, CAN President, Fin Donnelly, New Democratic Party MP, Elizabeth May, Green Party MP, Katalin Toth, Chair of the CAN Advocacy Committee, Jaideep Bains, CAN Vice- President. A delegation of Canadian neuroscientists in the Canadian Parliament building for the Neuroscience in Canada event in February 2017. Left to right: Jaideep Bains, VP- elect, Katalin Toth, Chair of Advocacy, Charles Bourque, Speaker, Freda Miller, President, Bev Orser, Speaker, Jason Tetro, Advocacy Officer. Doug Munoz, Past President of CAN, Julie Poupart, Advocacy Officer and Katalin Toth, CAN VP in Washington DC for Hill Day 2018 CAN organizes yearly public lectures. The 2018 public lectures featured two leading neuroscientists who spoke on the very timely topic of addiction: Catharine Winstanley and Luke Clark. They are pictured here at a science museum in Vancouver with Tim O’Connor, Shernaz Bamji and Liisa Galea. 2018 award winners: The Neurohistory Team. Top (left to right): Armin Mortazavi (cartoon),Jordan Shimell, Luis Bolanos, Brett Hathaway, Eli York, and David Cheng Bottom (left to right): Susan Lin, Asma Bashir, Samantha Baglot, Amy Smith, and Anne Liu Missing from the photo: Aarthi Gobinath, Jill Dosso, Katelyn Hudak, Ellen Koch, Samantha Feldman, Naila Kuhlmann, Blair Jovellar, and Matt Sacheli 2 - Building a team of neuroadvocates Neuroscience research has the potential to improve the lives of all Canadians. How to convince non-scientists to advocate for research with us? 3 - Competing with other government priorities The government of Canada has identified its priorities as helping the middle class thrive, and boosting the economy. How can we make health research part of these priorities? 4 - Framing our message Insider knowledge is needed to frame our message in a way that will resonate with members of Parliament, Ministers and their staff. What is the best way to present neuroscience research to touch the minds and the hearts of elected officials?

Upload: others

Post on 20-Jul-2020

0 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Canadian Advocacy Initiatives - Neuroscience€¦ · 2 - Building a team of neuroadvocates Neuroscience research has the potential to improve the lives of all Canadians. How to convince

Canadian Advocacy Initiatives

Chris AndersonU of Manitoba

Nafisa Jadavji Carleton U(Liaison to CSMB)

Charles Bourque, McGill U

Kurt Haas, U of British Columbia

Liisa GaleaU of British Columbia

Supported byCAN gratefully acknowledges SfN’s important support of our initiatives. This partnership has strengthened our advocacy efforts.

4 Challenges & Opportunities for increased impact

Lisa SaksidaWestern U

Karun SinghMcMaster U

CAN President: Jaideep BainsU Calgary

Advocacy Chair: Melanie WoodinU Toronto

Advocacy Committee

More on our website:can-acn.org/advocacy

Follow usfacebook.com/can.acntwitter.com/can_acnwww.flickr.com/photos/can-acn/sets/

4 Keys to effective advocacy in Canada1 - Engaging politicians

CAN has participated in events on Parliament Hill inOttawa, many of which featured presentations byneuroscientists. These meetings are opportunities to speakdirectly to Members of Parliament (MPs), and buildimportant relations with elected officials and groups thatalso advocate for increased science funding.

CAN encourages its members to invite their local MPs intheir laboratory. These visits are a great way to humanizeresearch, and show the reality and relevance of theneuroscience research being done in Canada.

Four MPs participated in the CAN annual meeting inVancouver in May 2018: Joyce Murray (Liberal), MattJeneroux (Conservative), Elizabeth May (Green) and FinDonnelly (New Democrat). The participation of members ofall political parties in a discussion about health researchsupport by the government shows this is an issue thatcrosses party lines and is important for all Canadians. AllMPs highlighted the important role of researcher advocatesto keep research funding at the forefront of thegovernment’s priorities.

The government of Canada holds official consultationsyearly on the budget. CAN has submitted briefs to theseconsultations, and invited its members to participate inopen mic sessions that occur across Canada.

There are alsoopportunities to engagewith the Ministers ofHealth, of Science and ofFinances on socialmedia, and Canadianneuroscientists use theseopportunities tocongratulate our electedofficials for their supportof science.

2 - Building Partnerships

SfNThe very important financial support provided by theSociety for Neuroscience has allowed CAN to develop adiversified advocacy program, specifically tailored toCanada’s political reality.

CAN’s participation in SfN’s Hill Day in 2018 was anextremely valuable experience, as we were able to see first-hand the professional approach SfN takes to advocacy, withpre-meeting training, and on-the-ground accompanimentof the scientists as they met with elected officials and theirstaff.

Research CanadaThrough our membership in Research Canada (https://rc-rc.ca/), CAN has visited the Canadian Parliament andshowcased neuroscience and neuroscientists to electedofficials on multiple occasions.

Other partnershipsCAN has developed important relationships with scientificassociations, such as the Canadian Society for MolecularBiosciences, who share a common goal of promotingincreased science funding in Canada.CAN also has links with Universities and Research Centers –as many of our members are actively engaged with theirinstitution, in leadership positions.

3 - Sharing a message

The Government of Canada commissioned a report on thestate of governmental funding of fundamental research inCanada, which was released in April 2017: Canada’sFundamental Science Review (available athttp://www.sciencereview.ca ).

Universities, research centre and associations of scientistsacross Canada rallied behind this report, which lead to the#SupportTheReport social media movement in advance ofbudget 2018.

Through coordinated messaging, including use of thewebsite supportthereport.ca, which was developed by CAN,the scientific community and its supporters were able tobring about a historic reinvestment in fundamentalresearch in Canada in the latest budget.

4 - Reaching out

Public lectures

Canadian neuroscience research successstoriesCAN regularly developed and published public-friendlyCanadian stories of research to highlight the work of ourmembers and its relevance to all Canadians.

Since 2016 CAN has developed over 30 stories, some ofwhich were collected in book format and distributed toelected officials in Ottawa during our visits, and at CANpublic events.

Many stories were also developed for presentations at ourannual meeting and disseminated through EurekAlert! (theAAAS Global Source for Science News). These stories andother association news can be found in the CAN newssection of our website: https://can-acn.org/category/can-news

Advocacy trainingCAN offered an advocacy training workshop to meeting attendees on May 31st 2017 titled “All You Need Is Love…And A Little Help From Your Friends.” A Science Communication and Advocacy Workshop, Jason A. Tetro, Advocacy Officer, CANhttps://can-acn.org/science-communication-and-advocacy-workshop

Promoting Advocacy & Outreach initiativesCAN has been awarding prizes for Outreach & Advocacysince 2016, at our annual meeting. These prizes serve tohighlight the great work done by Canadian neuroadvocatesacross the country, and help publicize their initiatives,which raise awareness of the importance of neuroscienceresearch for everyone.

1 - Balancing gratefulness and needThe government of Canada announcedhistorical investment in fundamentalresearch in the 2018 budget, with a 25%increase. Yet Canada remains second tolast in science funding in the G7.How to be thankful for the increased funding yet still ask for more?

Left to right: MelanieWoodin (incoming chairof the CAN advocacycommittee), JoyceMurray, liberal MP, MattJeneroux, ConservativeMP, Lynn Raymond, CANPresident, Fin Donnelly,New Democratic PartyMP, Elizabeth May,Green Party MP, KatalinToth, Chair of the CANAdvocacy Committee,Jaideep Bains, CAN Vice-President.

A delegation of Canadian neuroscientists in the Canadian Parliament building for the Neuroscience in Canada event in February 2017.Left to right: Jaideep Bains, VP-elect, Katalin Toth, Chair of Advocacy, Charles Bourque, Speaker, Freda Miller, President, Bev Orser, Speaker, Jason Tetro, Advocacy Officer.

Doug Munoz, Past Presidentof CAN, Julie Poupart,Advocacy Officer and KatalinToth, CAN VP in WashingtonDC for Hill Day 2018

CAN organizes yearlypublic lectures. The 2018public lectures featuredtwo leadingneuroscientists whospoke on the very timelytopic of addiction:Catharine Winstanley andLuke Clark. They arepictured here at a sciencemuseum in Vancouverwith Tim O’Connor,Shernaz Bamji and LiisaGalea.

2018 award winners: TheNeurohistory Team. Top (leftto right): Armin Mortazavi(cartoon),Jordan Shimell,Luis Bolanos, BrettHathaway, Eli York, andDavid Cheng Bottom (left toright): Susan Lin, AsmaBashir, Samantha Baglot,Amy Smith, and Anne LiuMissing from the photo:Aarthi Gobinath, Jill Dosso,Katelyn Hudak, Ellen Koch,Samantha Feldman, NailaKuhlmann, Blair Jovellar,and Matt Sacheli

2 - Building a team of neuroadvocatesNeuroscience research has the potential toimprove the lives of all Canadians.How to convince non-scientists to advocate for research with us?

3 - Competing with other government prioritiesThe government of Canada has identifiedits priorities as helping the middle classthrive, and boosting the economy.How can we make health research part ofthese priorities?

4 - Framing our messageInsider knowledge is needed to frame ourmessage in a way that will resonate withmembers of Parliament, Ministers and theirstaff.What is the best way to presentneuroscience research to touch the mindsand the hearts of elected officials?