Who can MPS trust in the age of misinformation?

Decisions must be based on science, says Kimberly Girling.

With the House of Commons sitting on Dec. 5, new cabinet ministers will be preparing themselves for the new Parliament. The job of politicians is not an easy one. Our elected officials are expected to be informed on a wide range of sometimes rapidly developing issues. They’re met with pressures from citizens, their parties and numerous outside interest groups.

Access to robust, credible evidence is critical to bring new MPS up to speed, and ensure they’re equipped to make informed decisions for Canada. In an age of misinformation, and faced with difficult time and attention demands, knowing what information to trust isn’t easy.

A new report by Evidence for Democracy sheds light on this challenge. Based on oneon-one interviews with MPS, the study investigated where MPS get information, and how they evaluate and use that information in their work. The report indicates that, while MPS want to find and use the best available research and evidence, they face challenges putting this into practice.

The study indicated that MPS have a huge wealth of information sources that factor into their decision-making process. But as is the case for all of us, knowing what information is credible is sometimes difficult. So how do MPS decide what to trust?

MPS have a number of tools to gauge credibility. Ninety-four per cent of MPS relied on the Library of Parliament, a service in which members can ask questions and get timely, non-partisan, confidential information specific to their needs. They liked to talk directly to experts and scientists, asking specific questions at the source. They also rely on peers, family and friends to help them find and evaluate information for trustworthiness.

But even with good tools at their disposal, evidence-based decision-making isn’t easy. Fifty-nine per cent of MPS discussed challenges of navigating information sources that are biased, or spun to influence their thinking. MPS are overloaded with information, timecrunched, and often must make decisions quickly and under pressure. This is further complicated when decisions involve contentious topics, where there might be conflict within the research community, a prevalence of misinformation, or strong feelings and pushback from constituents or from their party.

While it’s still too early to predict, the structure of our new government could introduce new challenges. While Navdeep Bains has retained his spot leading the newly named Innovation, Science and Industry Ministry, conspicuously absent in this new cabinet is a dedicated Minister of Science. With the former science minister mandated to support science and evidence-informed decision-making, this loss could make it even more crucial that MPS are equipped to find, evaluate and use research and information.

So, what can we do?

The MPS we interviewed identified a number of solutions to make it easier for them to access strong evidence. Improving direct access to researchers and accessible science could help. While MPS preferred to talk to experts, they often don’t know where to find them, suggesting a need for more searchable databases of scientists across Canada for parliamentarians. Many MPS urged scientists to increase their presence on the Hill, building relationships with elected officials and staffers. As well, it’s important for scientists to frame their work in a way that makes it accessible and policy-relevant.

There are solutions for parliamentarians, too. The report makes a strong case for bolstering research capacity in the House of Commons: for example, via increased support for the Library of Parliament or MP research staff. As well, orientation for parliamentarians could include training on scientific literacy and misinformation, or better overviews of how to find experts.

MPS aren’t expected to be scientists. But in the face of complex challenges and an information environment that is increasingly polluted, there’s more we can do to make sure they’re equipped to find and use the information they need.