The Coalition for Canadian Astronomy was formed within a few months of the release of the 2000 Long Range Plan (LRP) for Canadian astronomy: “The Origins of Structure in the Universe”, with the goal of securing federal funding to support the projects endorsed by the LPR.
The Coalition brings together representatives from the astronomical community (CASCA), academia and industry. On the academic side, the Coalition draws representatives from the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy (ACURA), which was formed at the very senior levels of university administration, bringing together 20 Canadian universities with astronomy programs. A partnership with industry was also sought, given the technical expertise that is necessary for the development of forefront astronomical facilities. Archived letters of support and official correspondence related to LRP 2000 can be found here.
With the help of Temple Scott Associates and the financial support of CASCA and ACURA, the Coalition is presently actively involved in promoting the 2010 LRP for Canadian Astronomy within the Federal Government. The Coalition, with the help of a newly established TMT Planning Committee, is currently focused on efforts to fund the Canadian contribution to the Thirty Metre Telescope.
Recent Coalition Documents:
- Statement from the Coalition to the Minister of Industry’s Office regarding Canada’s new Space Policy Framework (10 February 2014)
Coalition Members:
- Don Brooks (co-Chair — Chair of ACURA Institutional Council)
- Roberto Abraham (co-Chair — President, Canadian Astronomical Society)
- Guy Nelson (co-Chair — CEO of Empire Industries, Ltd)
- David Halliday (President, Dynamic Structures Ltd)
- Ronald Holdway (Vice President, Government Relations, COMDEV International)
- Neil Rowlands (COMDEV International)
- TBD (ACURA Executive Director)
Coalition TMT Planning Committee:
- Don Brooks (University of British Columbia)
- Raymond Carlberg (University of Toronto)
- Gregory Fahlman (National Research Council of Canada)
- Laura Ferrarese (National Research Council of Canada)
- John Hutchings (National Research Council of Canada)
- Gilles Joncas (Université Laval)
- Vicky Kaspi (McGill University)
- Peter Martin (University of Toronto)
- Guy Nelson (Empire Industries, Ltd)
- Rene Racine (University of Montreal)
- Michael de Robertis (York University)
- Ernie Seaquist (University of Toronto)
- Greg Sivakoff (University of Alberta)
- Christine Wilson (McMaster University)
Archived Documents:
Reports from the Coalition:
- Supporting Canada’s Leadership Role in Astronomy: Untangling the Web of Public Financing (October 2006)
Coalition Newsletters:
Additional Documents:
