CORRESPONDENCE

摘要

Your Editorial The other North American election' (Nature 455,263; 2008) draws attention to an apparent lack of urgency towards general science issues in the Canadian election campaign. This must surely reflect public opinion and therefore inadequate advocacy efforts by the scientific community. By comparison with the prominence given to science-related issues in the US presidential election, their marginalization in Canadian politics is noticeable . During the first 16 days of the election campaign's 37 days, there were only two direct pronouncements on scientific research: one by the Liberal leader on a single visit to a university and the other a mention of research and development by the prime minister during a visit to an industrial firm. That was the scale of attention to science by all main political parties: Conservatives, Liberals, New Democrats and Greens.