FREAK OF THE WEEK: Gary Goodyear, Canada’s science and technology minister

This week, the FredBlog shines its freaklight on Gary Goodyear, who can’t seem to decide whether or not he believes in evolution.

Here’s how it all started. Goodyear, who is not a blimp but a parliamentary minister, gave an interview with the national Globe and Mail newspaper. The interview was supposed to be about the federal government’s budget cuts targeting scientific research.

But then he put his foot in it when he refused to tell the newspaper’s reporter if he believes in evolution.

“I am a Christian,” is how he responded, “and I don’t think anybody asking a question about my religion is appropriate.”

Now, he wasn’t asked about his religion. No, as the minister responsible for science, he was asked about his views on science. He is the one who put this in a religious context.

Having geared the interview toward religion, the Globe and Mail then asked Goodyear if he is a creationist. Then he really had something to say – if you can understand him.

Here’s his quote: “I do believe that just because you can’t see it under a microscope doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. It could mean we don’t have a powerful enough microscope yet. So I’m not fussy on this business that we already know everything. … I think we need to recognize that we don’t know.”

So is he referring to his faith? Goodyear would only say that the interview was going off topic.

Frankly, if he thinks we don’t have a powerful enough microscope to see what we can’t see, maybe the government should be putting funds into building said microscope, rather than cutting funding for research!

And I’m so glad he’s not “fussy” about “this business.” I hate it when a government official is “fussy” about the issues he’s in charge of. Don’t you?

After that mess, Goodyear was in full damage control. So he went on television the next day to say that he does indeed believe in evolution, at least as he defines it.

And how does he define evolution? "We are evolving every year, every decade. That's a fact, whether it is to the intensity of the sun, whether it is to … walking on cement versus anything else, whether it is running shoes or high heels, of course we are evolving to our environment.”

So evolution is not really about apes developing over a very long time into human beings, but about your feet getting used to walking in high heels. Thanks for the science lesson, Mr. Goodyear.

This is the man responsible for the federal government’s science strategy? And this comes at the same time U.S. President Barack Obama finally reversed George W. Bush’s draconian funding ban on stem-cell research.

Americans, however, shouldn’t get too smug. Remember, ALL of the Republicans who ran for president in 2008 do not believe in evolution.

Of course, Canada’s ruling Conservatives are doing what all good conservatives do – blaming the media. In a closed-door meeting, the party – led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper – was reportedly trying to figure out how to handle media “traps” targeting “Christian” politicians. (Oh, that darn liberal media.)

Instead of blaming the media, maybe the Conservatives should admit the truth – that Goodyear is a bonehead who shouldn’t be deciding the government’s policy on science.

Then again, maybe Goodyear proves that evolution didn’t happen. After all, HE certainly hasn’t evolved.