It’s been almost two years to the day since the government of Canada released its Space Strategy, one which was meant to offer an incremental way forward in lieu of a long term space plan. For some in the space community, including a few members of the sidelined Space Advisory Board, the government isn’t moving with the urgency they say is required.
The Canadian Space Agency is currently consulting with Canadians on a framework for Future Space Exploration. One of the submissions that was made public is from the Outer Space Institute which is co-directed by Aaron Boley, Canada Research Chair in Planetary Astronomy, University of British Columbia, and Michael Byers, Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law, University of British Columbia.
The signatories to the document include;
- William (Mac) Evans, former President, Canadian Space Agency, and former Chief-of-Staff to the Minister of National Defence; (Space Advisory Board)
- Ram S. Jakhu, Institute of Air and Space Law, Faculty of Law, McGill University;
- David Kendall, former Chair, UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and former Director General of Space Science and Technology, Canadian Space Agency;
- Paul Meyer, Adjunct Professor of International Studies and Fellow in International Security, Simon Fraser University, and former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament;
- Marie Lucy Stojak, Executive-Director of Mosaic-Creativity & Innovation Hub, HEC Montrรฉal. (Space Advisory Board).
The submission includes five recommendations. Each recommendation includes commentary which you read online (below) or download.
A. That Canada continues to strongly promote a multilateral approach to develop rules and best practices concerning space exploration activities.
B. That Canada urgently pursues a leadership role in multilateral diplomacy related to space resource exploration, exploitation and utilization before space resource exploitation is unilaterally conducted by states under national regulation.
This is a tough one. The U.S. and a few other nations are moving full steam ahead on national regulation. As well, there are some in Canada on the industry side that want Canada to adopt a similar approach of the U.S.
C. That Canada urgently develops its position on space exploration activities.
Of note, the commentary for this recommendations puts forward the Space Advisory Board to create a “White Paper or equivalent through a whole-of-government process and a nationwide consultation.”
D. That Canada significantly expands its scientific and technological contributions to space exploration, including in ways that help solve everyday challenges for Canadians.
E. That Canada, as part of this expansion of space exploration, develop a regular call schedule for Canadian-led deep space science missions, while continuing to contribute meaningfully to missions led by other countries.
This recommendation has been one that most, if not all, in Canada’s space community have advocated for over 20 years. In fact, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marc Garneau, the former astronaut and president of the Canadian Space Agency, was very vocal in 2001 when he advocated for a Canadian led Mars mission, saying Allons-y. The government ignored the call.