page 8 October 28, 1985

 

by John Gushue
Science and Technology Writer
Canadian University Press

Although scientists on more than 30
campuses will receive research fund-
ing from military sources this year,
few of them will readily admit the
destructive applications of their work
once it is finished. Rather, they’ll
probably prefer to say their funding
was made available in the interests of
“basic research.”’

It’s an argument that other scien-
tists, like David Suzuki, have heard all
too often, and one they refuse to
accept.

“The vast majority of scientists are
in the business of building weapons to
kill people,’’ says the University of
British Columbia geneticist and host
of CBC’s The Nature of Things. When
he spoke to an audience of 4,000 at
the University of Waterloo recently,
Suzuki questioned the motives of the
scientific establishment for accepting
defence funds.

“Profit and destruction are too
much of the driving forces of the
scientific community,’’ he said.

Yet most defence contracts are
without any apparent malicious in-
tent, and researchers claim their work
is far removed from the nuts and bolts
of the North American military ma-
chine.

“The kind of work that is done now

is a long way from direct defense
application,’’ says Peter Brooks, of
the Department of National Defense’s
research and development branch.

Many peace activists are inclined to
agree with Brooks and other DND
representatives, but for very different
reasons.

“A lot of university research is
fairly basic and is not directly related
to a particular weapons system,’’ says
Ernie Regehr, research director of
Project Ploughshares, a national
peace organization. But ‘‘you have to
assume that research done by one
program is accessible to all others. All
scientific research is combed and
examined for possible military appli-
cation.’

 

 

 

“Profit and destruction
are too much of the
driving forces of the

scientific community”

 

Regehr, co-author of Canada and
the Nuclear Arms Race and a special-
ist in Canada’s arms dealings, be-
lieves research done for one purpose
could be easily used by the military
for another. The competitive nature of
research funding has led the military
““to more urgently look for the mili-
tary applications,’’ he said.

The Other Press

 

anadian campus conti

“It’s difficult to define research in
terms of its intended use,’’ says Don
Bates, a member of the McGill
medicine faculty and the McGill study
group for Peace and Disarmament.
He says researchers should bear in
mind the ethical considerations and
potential applications of their work.

Bates, also active in Physicians for
Social Responsibility, says the federal
government should be as concerned
about military research as university
sceintists. ‘‘The government ought to
offer no assistance for anyone seeking
to gain contracts,’’ he said.

Bates said all research contracts,
military and otherwise, must be un-
classified and done under public
scrutiny. ‘‘There’ should be no secret
research on campus,”’ he said.

John Hepburn, a University of
Waterloo chemistry professor, says
most research is done openly, and
that it is ‘‘classified research (the
peace movement) want to go after.’’

However, Hepburn says, ‘‘that in-
formation is almost impossible to
come by.’’

 

“Knowledge is not
political property”

 

Although Prime Minister Brian

Mulroney has closed the door on’

official federal participation in the
U.S. - sponsored Strategic Defence
Initiative, he has allowed Canadian
industries and researchers to compete
for Star Wars contracts. Some were
relieved he at least decided against
full participation.

“‘| give Mulroney credit for not
taking it on full force,’’ Suzuki said.
Hepburn however, is doubtful the
decision will mean a significant in-
crease in military traffic in Canadian
university laboratories.

“‘I’d be very surprised if there’s a
lot of research going on in Canadian
campuses,’’ he said. ‘‘There’s no one
area of science that we have a lead
on.’”

“It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if
there were contracts here and there
but | would be very surprised if there
were large numbers of them.’’

Before Mulroney’s decision was
announced, Hepburn was one of 600
faculty of U of W and at Guelph to
sign a petition condemning Canadian
participation in Star Wars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
   
   
   
  
   
  
    
  
 
    
    
  
    
  
 
 
   
  
    
  
   
   
   
 
   
 
   
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

 

 

wee

     

Col
Ar

ait 3 he Sy en
migeacs ies pet ies