CIHR’S BERNSTEIN REWARDED WITH FEDERAL HONOURS FOR DOING GOV’TS “DIRTY WORK”

OTTAWA, July 11, 2002 (LSN.ca) – Dr. Alan Bernstein, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research president who pre-empted the government and Parliament by unilaterally issuing stem cell guidelines in March that gave the go-ahead to human embryo research, has been rewarded with two federal honours. Bernstein was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) in mid-June, and on July 4 was named an Officer of the Order of Canada.  Last March, Bernstein’s CIHR unilaterally issued stem cell research guidelines that broke the parameters set by a parliamentary committee. The committee had voted in December that any research using embryos should be conducted only as a last resort. CIHR ignored this distinction and pre-empted the long-awaited announcement of federal guidelines.  At the time, opposition MPs criticized CIHR’s pre-emptive action: “Today’s announcement by the CIHR circumvents the parliamentary process,” said Rob Merrifield, a health critic for the Canadian Alliance. “It’s the slipperiest thing I’ve ever seen as far as bringing forward legislation [is concerned]. I think Anne McLellan sent the research scientists out to do her dirty work.”  The awarding of two patronage plums to Bernstein so close on the heels of his actions in March lends credence to Merrifield’s criticism. Contacted today, Merrifield told LifeSite: “It’s disturbing that Allan Rock would appoint Dr. Bernstein to the Board of the Canada Foundation for Innovation.  Bernstein showed poor judgment at the CIHR and as a reward, he receives another prominent federal appointment. Clearly, Bernstein doesn’t have a monopoly on poor judgment.” Disturbing yes, but “It’s really not surprising that the government is rewarding Bernstein because he did their dirty work ahead of the tabling of Bill C-56,” said Merrifield.  For the Governor General’s press release announcing Bernstein’s appointment as OC see: https://www.gg.ca/media/appointments/archive-2002/20020704_e.asp   For previous LifeSite coverage of the CIHR’s pre-empting Parliament see:  https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/apr/02041502.html