research centre destroyed

Research Centre reports latest to be destroyed

Dave Mabell

LETHBRIDGE HERALD

dmabell@lethbridgeherald.com

For more than a century, Lethbridge researchers have been spurring improvements for Canada’s farmers. Over that time, they’ve created a wealth of reports and studies while working at the city’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Research Centre.

But last week, much of that material was consigned to a dumpster under orders from Ottawa. The Lethbridge centre has become the 16th casualty of a Conservative government war against science, according to the federal scientists’ professional organization.

“The Harper government continues to target government science at every turn,” warns Debi Daviau, president of the 15,000-member Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.

“It’s time Canadians understand the cumulative loss to federal science,” she says. The present government has priorities that are clearly out of step with both public scientists and the public interest.”

The loss of many decades worth of research findings will hamper Lethbridge scientists working on issues ranging from soil chemistry, bees and rangeland concerns, insect pests and greenhouse gases, Daviau says – along with studies on such key crops as canola, potatoes, wheat and beans.

Now the centre’s 48 scientists, 85 technicians and visiting researchers, she said, will have to try to search for any digital records or “hard copy” reports that remain.

READ MORE: http://lethbridgeherald.com/news/local-news/2015/08/25/research-centre-reports-latest-to-be-destroyed/