StFX's Dr. Katie Aubrecht has been named a 2024 delegate to Science Meets Parliament, a non-advocacy program that offers scientists working in Canada an opportunity to learn about the parliamentary process and political decision making.
The program helps researchers build skills to communicate the value of science to policy and to become familiar with policy making, and it helps parliamentarians and policy makers to explore using scientific evidence in policy making.
"The intent is to support better reciprocal understanding and relationship building between the research community and decision makers," says Dr. Aubrecht, a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Health Equity & Social Justice and sociology professor whose research focuses on improving the quality of mental health care and self-perceived mental health and wellness of people living in rural communities who experience social and economic marginalization.
Dr. Aubrecht is one of the few social scientists named to the group and one of the few delegates from Atlantic Canada.
"This experience will provide me with an opportunity to learn about the culture of federal government decision-making from experts and expand my network," she says.
Science Meets Parliament is an initiative of the Canadian Science Policy Conference (CSPC) and is modelled after a similar event in Australia. Researchers had to be a Tier II Canada Research Chair or Banting Post-Doctoral Fellow to apply. The objective is to strengthen the connections between Canada's scientific and political communities, to enable a two-way dialogue, and promote mutual understanding.
The program involves virtual workshops, an orientation session in Ottawa, and meetings with MPs, senators, and Chief Science Advisor of Canada Dr. Mona Nemer, as well as observation of House and/or Senate committee meetings, attending Question Period in Parliament, and a networking reception.
Dr. Aubrecht is excited for the opportunity.
"As a sociologist, I recognize the importance of relationships and view this as an opportunity to begin to make connections. I hope to also learn about the procedures, norms and expectations guiding federal legislation. I was the appointed lead reviewer for the first independent review of Nova Scotia's Accessibility Act and this work fostered a curiosity about discussions informing legislative development at the federal level."
Dr. Aubrecht is also looking forward to mobilizing what she learns with StFX colleagues, students, and trainees, lifting others up and improving her research in the process.
Additionally, she says her participation can benefit parliamentarians in raising awareness of the valuable research at smaller institutions in rural environments in Atlantic Canada.
"It is essential that knowledge from communities across Canada inform Canadian laws and policies. A rural perspective is important, considering Canada has the highest rural population growth rate of all G7 countries."
Her interdisciplinary research addresses policy priority areas in mental health, health equity, disability/accessibility, aging, social and sustainable development, and is community informed and guided by equity science.
"There is a global crisis in rural mental health care," she says. "Humanitarian disasters have intensified mental health disparities. Policies and programs promoting accessible, high-quality, equitable, and socially just mental health care and sustainable social and economic development are urgently needed."
