Public Health president can’t answer what “decolonizing science” means

A senior health official struggled to explain the meaning of “decolonizing science” when pressed by Conservative MP Matt Strauss during a parliamentary committee meeting.

A senior health official struggled to explain the meaning of “decolonizing science” when pressed by Conservative MP Matt Strauss during a parliamentary committee meeting, despite it being a core objective of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

PHAC released its strategy for 2024-25 to 2029-30 in December of last year. In it, the agency stated it was “strongly committed” to “address health inequities” and to decolonize science.”

During a parliamentary health committee, Strauss, who is a doctor and former health official, confronted Hamzawi to see if she could define the term and whether she believed that PHAC was currently “colonized.”

“That essentially reflects the core, the importance of health equity in the work that we do,” Hamzawi said in response. “So making sure that we reflect the importance of reaching all Canadians and take an anti racist lens to the work that we do, that’s how I would interpret that.”

Asked for an example of colonization in science, Hamzawi reiterated that “health equity” was a key priority for the agency.

“There are some populations that are more impacted than others, or indigenous populations, or we have specific programs for black Canadians,” she said. “There are a number of populations that need additional support to ensure that they receive access to health care.”

The document further states PHAC must take “meaningful action against racism in science” to achieve scientific excellence.

Strauss asked Hamzawi if fact-science was currently racist and what actions the agency had taken against such racism. Hamzawi replied the statement reinforces an “anti-racist lens” to the agency’s work, citing different sunscreen advice for people with differing skin tones as an example of racist science.

Strauss also scrutinized PHAC’s commitment to “diversifying its science workforce,” questioning if it meant hiring scientists from “diverse academic disciplines working on diverse problems with diverse methods,” or simply hiring based on race.

Hamzawi responded that it meant both, to meet “obligations for employment equity” and to have scientists from various “disciplinary streams.”

When asked if “employment equity outcomes” was a euphemism for quotas, Hamzawi replied, “not quotas.” However, when Strauss revisited the issue, Hamzawi conceded, “they’re not,” admitting the terms were indistinguishable.

The Conservatives inquired whether the DEI quotas included religious minorities, but Hamzawi stated they are not specifically named in the Employment Equity Act. She later clarified that women, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and visible minorities are included.

Just last week, author and academic Gad Saad testified in front of a science committee calling diversity quotas an “affront to research excellence.” He said “there is no conceivable reason” why having a different gender, sexuality, or skin colour would improve scientists’ capacity to make scientific discoveries.

Strauss also asked Hamzawi if PHAC’s tax-funded “Healthy Canadian Podcast” had been cancelled. The podcast’s last episode on YouTube was eight months ago and only received four likes. Hamzawi said she was not familiar with any podcasts being discontinued.