LRPIC report to CASCA board May 2018

     The core members and observers remain as in our December 2017 report.
We expect the usual observer rotation as the CASCA presidency changes. 
We also note that the membership listing on the CASCA website needs updating. 
LRPIC may be contacted by email at casca-lrpic@lists.casca.ca, which is kept current.
We also remind CASCA members of the LRPIC-discuss address
(lrpic-discuss@lists.casca.ca) for open discussions. 

     The chair attended the ACURA telecon meeting in January and 
discussed the activities reported in our December 2017 CASCA report.
The committee continues with monthly telecons, and ongoing email
exchanges as needed. We are currently in discussion with CASCA
on the details of the lunch-hour meetings for CASCA, where the overall
LRP status will be covered, as well as a look ahead to LRP 2020.
LRPIC will also meet at CASCA, and have attendance at the JCSA and
ACURA meetings, as usual. The LRPIC chair has been officially added 
as an observer to JCSA meetings and discussions.

The TMT and SKA projects have separate reports, and are also
noted in the GAC report.  LRPIC is involved and informed as these 
develop but we refer you to those reports for details. 

 As MSE moves forward, we are concerned that Canada have 
an official sponsoring body, as NRC currently is unable to
sign the SOU in the absence of any funding commitment. It
has been proposed that ACURA be asked to step up, and add this
project to their ongoing support and attention for TMT and SKA.
CFI appears to be a possible source of funding the Canadian share.
LRPIC chair will report to ACURA and include this message
on May 27.

We note the potential for overlapping funding needs for three
major LRP projects in the near future: TMT, SKA, and MSE. 
While timescales, amounts, and schedules are uncertain, it is
important to note that these are all of high priority in the overall
balance of the LRP, and should not be viewed as alternatives.
The spending for these projects will spread over a number of 
years, and there are different avenues of funding that may apply
to each of them. 

     LRPIC, along with industry, the SAB, the Globe and Mail, and 
other stakeholders, is concerned that the federal budget contained no 
reference (or funding) relating to the lack of a CSA space science program.
We are of course pleased at the other aspects of science support
in the budget. The committee has noted the advertised posting for
a science advisor to the CSA president (along with speculation as to
the politics behind it). We have encouraged a number of suitable
members of the astronomy community to apply, and look forward
to whatever insights emerge.  CSA expect the selection will be by 
late June.  

There have been recent interventions regarding space initiatives to the 
science ministries, including a letter from Nobel prize-winner Art McDonald.
The recent announcement that CSA cannot fund  the anticipated 
partnership in WFIRST, is a dramatic illustration of the problem. 
The SAB have been alerted and will meet with the minister 
Bains in May, and the Coalition has a meeting with Bains' office 
in June, so we hope these are opportinities for progress. 

We note progress with a CASTOR Science Maturation Study, that
involves collaboration with substantial groups in JPL and IIA, India.
Canada stands to play an important part in SPICA, which is now
one of 3 projects competing for the next M5 ESA mission.
Canada is involved in other studies and proposals for interntaional
space missions of great promise, making long-term funding commitments
our principal need.  The situation thus continues to be worrying, 
highly veiled, and lacking in scientific involvement in CSA's
decision-making.

LRPIC has encouraged workshops on OIR and space
astronomy as LRP2020 approaches. The idea is to host
meetings similar to the radio astronomy one held at McGill in
September 2017. CSA has expressed willingness to host the 
space astronomy meeting, but no arrangements are yet in place
for either.  We will continue to push for these, and to be involved.

LRPIC has also followed and discussed progress and 
issues with ngVLA, CCAT', JCMT, Athena, XARM, 
LiteBIRD, Ultrasat, Astrosat, and JWST, and are well
prepared to particpate in defining the way forward for LRP2020.

   Cheers from the LRPICers