In an interview for the Globe and Mail, published Tuesday, the federal Minister for Science and Technology, Gary Goodyear, refused to answer a question about evolution. When asked if he believed in evolution he responded, "I'm not going to answer that question. I am a Christian, and I don't think anybody asking a question about my religion is appropriate."But the question wasn't about religion, it was about evolution. Clearly, the minister doesn't see the difference.
By the end of Tuesday, someone had obviously spoken to the minister about the matter. In an interview with CTV News he now states that he does believe in evolution. Does he?
Here is how he framed it,"We are evolving every year, every decade. That's a fact, whether it is to the intensity of the sun, whether it is to, as a chiropractor, walking on cement versus anything else, whether it is running shoes or high heels, of course we are evolving to our environment."
Minister Goodyear is talking about what is called phenotypic plasticity, the physiological accommodation to stressors from environment within an individual (Note: phenotypes are measurable characterisitics of an organism, e.g., eye colour, blood type or bone density). This is not evolution. Unfortunately, it seems that Jane Taber, who interviewed Minister Goodyear for CTV did not know this either because she failed to follow-up, or at least no follow-up is reported.
Evolution is the process by which gene frequencies within populations change through time. It gives rise to new phenotypes, new species, and whole new assemblages of organisms. It isn't a knee problem that arises from wearing the wrong shoes that lasts until a new pair of shoes are purchased.
Like so many politicians, Gary Goodyear has decided that words mean what he wants them to mean. I am doubting that this matter will remain "clarified" for very long.
Photo Credit: Sean Kilpatrick, The Canandian Press, Globe and Mail (on-line), March 17, 2009.
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