October 8, 2014 Simon Fraser University (SFU) and Evidence 4 Democracy (E4D) released a report that grades science-based federal departments’ communication policies for openness of communication, protection against political interference, right to free speech and protection for whistleblowers.

The John Maddox Prize rewards an individual who has promoted sound science and evidence on a matter of public interest.

This year, PIPSC will launch the next phase of our campaign - Why Public Science Matters. Part of the drive to highlight the importance of public science will involve gathering your stories about why you are passionate about your work, what you have achieved, and why your work is important to Canadians.

In June 2013, Environics Research conducted a survey of federal scientists to better understand how cuts to science and communication policies have impacted public science capacity as well as public health, safety and the environment. The following is a representative selection from over 1,000 comments anonymously posted by federal government scientists as part of the survey.

A specialist in Chinese traditional medicine, Jacquie Zeng protects the well-being and safety of Canadians by conducting scientific reviews of natural health products to ensure that they meet Canadian standards.

Tom Wright has been with the federal government for close to two decades. As veterinarians, biologists and research scientists, he and his CFIA colleagues protect the food safety of Canadians by ensuring that proper testing and monitoring procedures are in place, by providing information to decision makers, and by working with industry to prevent or eradicate disease in the Canadian food supply.

Réjean Simard has been with Transport Canada since 1987. He and his team evaluate the emergency plans developed by industry, and help ensure the safety and health of Canadians whenever major accidents and emergencies involving dangerous goods occur.

Randall Ridway has enjoyed a long and varied career as a geologist and engineer, both in the private and public sectors. He is currently working on the decommissioning of AECL’s Whiteshell facility in Manitoba.

Joan Muise is a project manager working with a team of dedicated professionals on the Sydney Tar Ponds Project. They are cleaning up the environmental damage left behind when the steel industry closed in that city a decade ago, ensuring the safety of public health as the area is turned into parkland.

Ian Gallant works in Ottawa as a Commerce Officer for the CBSA and conducts trade investigations under the Special Import Measures Act.

Jean-Bernard Bitchoka joined Health Canada in 2000. He tests medical instruments before they are brought to market to ensure that they meet national standards and that they pose no risk to our population.

Michael Gvildys has over three decades of experience as a government inspector in the field of consumer product safety. His mandate is to ensure that products imported, sold or advertised in Canada are safe for Canadians.

Dr JJ Kavelaars is Senior Research Officer at the NRC Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics and archive scientist with the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre, the worlds largest repository (by data volume) of astronomical imaging data. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Physics and Astronomy Departments at McMaster University and the University of Victoria.

Dr. Tom McElroy is very active in Canada and internationally on issues related to ozone. He is a co-inventor of the Brewer Ozone Spectrophotometer in use in 41 countries world-wide and is the designer of the 'double Brewer', the most accurate ozone measuring instrument in the Global Ozone Observing System.

Daniel Durand's was trained as an astronomer. He works at the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics of the National Research Council.

In a world of diminishing natural resources, melting ice caps, and industrial pollution, Peter Krahn serves as the “Horatio Caine” of Environment Canada—a sort of CSI who leads investigations with a team of scientists, engineers and prosecutors at his disposal.

Neighbouring the Victoria Airport, in Sidney, British Columbia, resides the internationally renowned Institute of Ocean Sciences (IOS) which is shared by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

Thomas Landry is a specialist in shellfish aquaculture, a sustainable industry that is critical to the economies of Canadian coastal communities.

When the issue is fraud or counterfeit documents, the call will likely go out to Samiah Ibrahim and her colleagues at the CBSA's forensics laboratory.

Carole Brodeur works at the Food Research and Development Centre located in the Agri-food Science Park in Saint-Hyacinthe, QC.

Phil Reynolds works at the Canadian Forest Service Great Lakes Forestry Centre in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. He has been engaged in climate change research for the past seven years.

In her work, Sonia Talwar collaborates with other levels of government and communities to achieve results on key issues like development and access to water resources.

Kofi Crentsil is a specialist in reactor thermalhydraulics. His work contributes to determining whether nuclear plants are safe to operate.

Rob Stephenson has had a long and rewarding career applying his research to assessing fish stocks and providing scientific advice on the fisheries.

How is climate change affecting our forests? Is acid rain changing the pH level in the forest soil and if so, by how much? Is using salt on our roads in the winter affecting the plant life along our highways?

On June 11, 2010, in Victoria, British Columbia, President Gary Corbett presented the Institute's 2010 Gold Medal to Dr. Richard Bennett in recognition of his leadership in influencing public policy and his global vision on the importance of air quality to human health.

Considering that countless alien bugs invade Canada annually, the best CFIA entomologists can do is try to identify intruders quickly and understand their behaviour.