Science Meets Parliament 2024 (SMP 2024)

The Science Meets Parliament – British Columbia Program (SMP-BC 2025) is now complete and was a huge success! 25 SMP-BC delegates met with 47 MLAs, resulting in a total of 75 one-on-one meetings.

Overall, this unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience changed the ways that participating scientists think about parliament and pointed out the numerous ways that one can connect with parliamentarians. Science Meets Parliament is not an advocacy program – it is for strengthening the connections and mutual understanding between scientific and political communities.

SMP-BC was organized by the Canadian Science Policy Centre, and had the Honourary Patronage of the BC Lieutenant Governor, Hon. Wendy Cocchia, and support from the Speaker of the BC Legislature, the Hon. Raj Chouhan and championed by MLAs Nina Krieger, Scott McInnis, and Jeremy Valeriote.

Finally, thank you to our sponsors, the University of British Columbia and University of Northern British Columbia, for making this event possible.

CSPC is pleased to offer this program once again in the spring of 2025 to help strengthen the connection between the science and policy communities in British Columbia. The program provides an excellent opportunity for BC researchers to learn about the process of policymaking at the provincial Legislative Assembly.

The federal edition of the Science Meets Parliament program has been held four times since 2018, culminating with in-person events at Parliament Hill. The first SMP-BC event was held in April 2024 and brought over 30 emerging leaders from across BC to the Legislative Assembly for extensive engagements with MLAs. The program has been a great success, receiving positive feedback from both Science Meets Parliament delegates (federal and provincial) and participating Parliamentarians and MLAs.

SMP-BC Delegates

Participant MLAs

SMP-BC photos

SMP-BC was pleased to have the patronage of the Honourable Wendy Cocchia and the support of the Honourable Raj Chouhan

Hon. Wendy Cocchia

Lieutenant Governor

British Columbia

Hon. Raj Chouhan

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly

British Columbia

Special thanks to our sponsors

Get involved with SMP BC!

SMP Sponsorship Opportunities

ABOUT SCIENCE MEETS PARLIAMENT

The objective of this initiative is to strengthen the connections between Canada’s scientific and political communities in BC, facilitate a two-way dialogue, and promote mutual understanding. This program is designed to familiarize scientists with the intricacies of policymaking at the provincial political level, and encourage parliamentarians to incorporate scientific evidence into their policy decisions. This initiative is not a lobbying exercise, and Delegates are asked to avoid advocating for science funding or other support for a specific scientific program.

The Science Meets Parliament model is adapted from the successful Australian program held annually since 1999. Similar initiatives exist in the EU, the UK, and Spain.

CSPC’s program aims to benefit the political community, the scientific community, and the Canadian public.

Science Meets Parliament 2023
Orientation video

Benefits

Benefits to MLAs

Engage with emerging leaders in the BC science community that drive science and innovation
Learn from BC scientists about resources in Canadian research institutions available to MLAs
Receive direct answers to questions they may have on scientific matters or background issues
Discuss how training highly qualified personnel (HQP) in their research laboratories contributes to local and provincial innovation and economies
Build lasting connections with BC scientists from diverse regions and specialties

Benefits to Scientists

Learn about the legislative and political processes and the reality of being a parliamentarian
Understand how their research can be useful to MLAs to maximize its impact
Gain insights about how to effectively communicate research to MLAs
Share insights and experiences from ‘Science Meets Parliament – British Columbia’ with peers and students at respective research institutions.
Build lasting connections with MLAs and their staff

Benefits to British Columbians

Bring together and encourage mutually beneficial engagements between scientists and MLAs
Foster a conversation about relevant issues using scientific evidence
Empower scientists with tools and strategies to better engage with MLAs, strengthening the role of science for the public good
Promote equity and diversity in science and amplify a range of voices from across BC

Eligibility

The program will be open to three groups of researchers affiliated with a post-secondary institution in British Columbia:

Researchers holding a full-time independent investigator position (for up to 10 years, excluding eligible leave, from their initial appointment)
Indigenous and/or Black researchers holding a full-time independent investigator position
Postdoctoral fellows who currently hold a CIHR / NSERC / SSHRC Tri-agency Postdoctoral Fellowship and are affiliated with a post-secondary institution in Canada (Postdoctoral Fellowship status must be announced by November 8, 2024).

Former Science Meets Parliament delegates (federal or provincial) are excluded from application.

About 40 researchers from a diverse range of disciplines are expected to participate in Science Meets Parliament – British Columbia in 2025. In future iterations of this program, we hope to expand the application process further to include researchers from more career stages.

A multi-disciplinary committee will oversee the application and selection process, during which the diversity of disciplines, geography, and identities will be considered.

The application deadline has been extended to December 6, 2024.

You can apply for all Science Meets Parliament programs that you are eligible for (e.g., federal and BC or federal and ON) – if selected for both, you will be able to decide which program you would like to participate in.

Program

The program consists of about 6-8 virtual sessions as well as a two day in-person program in VancouverVictoria (currently tentatively scheduled for late April/early May 2025). To participate in the program, you must attend all scheduled events, including all virtual workshops and the in-person meetings at the British Columbia Legislative Assembly.

The Science Meets Parliament – British Columbia 2025 program will include:

An orientation session
Virtual workshops on evidence-based decision making, science communication and media, equity and diversity, policymaking in the Legislature, and policymaking in bureaucracy
Meetings with MLAs and staff members
Attending Question Period
Networking reception with MLAs and staff
Meetings with bureaucrats and public servants, to better understand policymaking at the non-political level of government

Mandatory requirements

Registration fee: Accepted delegates will be required to pay a registration fee of $1200 (independent researchers) or $800 (Postdoctoral Fellows), which includes admission to the program, breakfast, lunch, one dinner and an evening networking reception. All delegates will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs.
Scientists who attend this session are required to share their experience and insights from the SMP-BC program through a lecture at their host institution and/or an editorial in a CSPC featured editorial series.

Delegates are highly encouraged to publish about their experience in academic or news publications. Participants are also encouraged to publish pieces in other media on their research to engage the general public.

For more information, please contact sciencemeetsparliament@sciencepolicy.ca