The BC Humanist Association supports a science-based approach to public policy and we are generally skeptical of unproven ‘alternative medicines’ such as homeopathy. We are concerned by anti-science rhetoric surrounding debates over climate change, electromagnetic radiation (for example, Wi-Fi, Smart Meters, and cell phones), and genetically-modified foods. Recent reductions in funding to science, muzzling of public scientists, and the promotion of non-evidence based treatments threaten our society's ability to make informed decisions on the best available evidence.
We have signed Evidence for Democracy's Science Pledge and the Declaration of the Voices-Voix Declaration Coalition defending advocacy and dissent in Canada.
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Blog by The Conversation
· January 14, 2019
By Donna Strickland, University of Waterloo Since the announcement that I won the Nobel Prize in physics for chirped pulse amplification, or CPA, there has been a lot of attention on its practical applications. It is understandable that people want to know how it affects them. But as a scientist,...
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News
· April 26, 2018
The BC Humanist Association is welcoming legislation introduced by the Government of British Columbia today to regulate the sale and consumption of recreational cannabis but is expressing concerns at how some regulations may rely on pseudoscientific tests which put the civil liberties of British Columbians at risk. The BC Government...
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Blog by Ian Bushfield
· February 01, 2018
All schools and Provincial schools must be conducted on strictly secular and non-sectarian principles. The highest morality must be inculcated, but no religious dogma or creed is to be taught in a school or Provincial school. This section of British Columbia's School Act was written in 1876 and is, as...
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Blog by The Conversation
· August 09, 2017
When I first started doing experimental biology, I noticed that we only looked at males. I was in a fly lab — a very good one — and we could have looked at males or females, or both, but we didn’t. We collected female flies to mate, of course (flies...
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Blog by Katie Gibbs
· August 01, 2017
Canada is emerging from a decade in which our government systematically dismantled the research capacity of our nation. The Liberal government has touted their support for science and evidence-based policies. One of their first actions was to put together an expert panel to review how fundamental research is funded in...
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Blog by Ian Bushfield
· May 19, 2017
As Humanists, we want to create compassionate world using the best available evidence. Unfortunately, the policies that govern our pharmaceutical medicines rely on neither our compassion nor the best evidence. The AllTrials Campaign, which I worked with Sense About Science on from 2013-2015, calls for every clinical trial to be...
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Blog by Ian Bushfield
· June 24, 2016
Evolution is a fact. Evolution is so established as a scientific fact that I’m not actually going to spend time proving that here. Instead you can go read entire databases debunking anti-evolution myths. So it should be fair and uncontroversial to say that something like Biblical creationism, which offers an alternate...
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News
· May 16, 2016
As part of its commitment to freedom of expression and the importance of dissent, the BC Humanist Association has signed onto the new Voices-Voix Declaration. The 2016 Declaration succeeds the previous declaration which decried the muzzling of government scientists, political audits of charities and general advocacy chill. With the election...
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News
· November 16, 2015
The BC Humanist Association and Centre for Inquiry Canada have spoken out against events on Vancouver Island featuring alternative medicine proponent Brian Clement. Clement has been widely criticized for reportedly claiming that after attending his clinic people have been cured of a wide range of conditions including multiple sclerosis. Last...
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News
· September 29, 2015
We believe that all Canadians benefit when governments solicit, collect and use the evidence and expertise needed to make smart policy decisions that safeguard the health, safety and prosperity of Canadians. We support actions that invest in public-interest science; ensure open, honest and timely communication of scientific information; and make public...
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