Canada Takes a Look at its Space Politics

“This isn’t rocket science,” says MP Marc Garneau of Canada’s political needs as he launches his bid for party leadership (Credits: AP).

On November 29, a Canadian aerospace review panel released a report on the state of the Candian Space Agency (CSA). One day earlier, Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau had launched a campaign to become the country’s opposition party leader, and eventually prime minister.

The juxtaposition was coincidental, but one can’t help but wonder whether a prime minister who has himself travelled to space three times – aboard the Space Shuttle on STS-41G, STS-77, and STS-97 – might not pay a little more attention to his nation’s space agency than your ordinary politician.

The aerospace review panel’s report indicates that the extra attention is sorely needed. CSA needs focus, a clear plan, ministerial level annual reviews, and diversified contracting practices. Even MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), which is practically synonymous with Canadian space at this time, is anxious for change. MDA, who has provided much of Canada’s state-of-the-art robotic technology for the past four decades, complains that the government’s funding delays have been disruptive to their business, causing them to lay off employees in the middle of major projects.

While a hypothetical Liberal Prime Minister Garneau might wish to change CSA’s direction, one thing he likely won’t have much control over is the money allocated to the agency. Like most governments, Canada’s is in a phase of spending cutbacks, and increased spending on space does not appear to be in the cards.

Garneau could achieve the distinction of becoming the first spacefarer to hold executive office. There are a handful of astronauts-turned-legislators in the United States, Russia, Italy, and the Czech Republic. Garneau himself is an active member of Parliament and is by no means assured of taking over Liberal Party leadership. The race for that position is expected to be contentious, with the frontrunners being Justin Trudeau, son of a well-liked prime minister, and Garneau himself.