Governor General Stirs up Controversy
Our new Governor-General, Julie Payette, has stirred up some controversy with her talk at the Canadian Science Policy Centre on November 3rd, 2017. Some are of the opinion that she has insulted a large swath of Canadians. There is an alternative reading of her comments: that instead of serving pablum, usual by individuals at this level of governance, she has served some raw meat. That, instead of innocuous prose, she gives us hard facts that many prefer not to think about. First: that all evidence collected over the last 150 and more years has supported the truth of evolution. Creationists, at best, suggest that intelligence started evolution several million years ago. Second: the seasonal changes in day length, temperature, and weather, with consequent changes in mother’s activities and diet, will have effects on a developing fetus. That a star constellation on the day of birth could have any influence is ludicrous, albeit entertaining. Third: at best, religions are based on the limited information of centuries ago, and with careful interpretation our inherent ethics, can be found there. At worst, religions are scams: Scientology comes to mind as one.
