Canada could be entering a bleak period for R&D. The collapse of the financial markets here and around the world have created a climate of fear in which new or even continued spending on key research and innovation programs are in jeopardy.
Witness the paucity of new spending in the election platform of the Conservative Party — the most likely party to form the next government. Other than top-ups to aerospace and automotive assistance programs, there’s precious little new money to be found. That’s no wonder given the virtual elimination of federal surpluses via ineffective reductions on the GST and now possibly diesel fuel.
In contrast, Liberal commitments of massive increases to university research are contingent upon revenue generated by the party’s Green Shift carbon taxation scheme — a scheme reviled in many parts of the country.
The next government must focus instead on preserving budgets and spending money more effectively. Many research-focused agencies and departments have been subject to value-for-money audits, which will presumably result in reallocations. And the provincial initiative to develop a national strategy is a laudable one that the federal government should participate in (see page 4).
Canada isn’t the only nation facing tough choices when it comes to S&T. This country is perhaps better prepared to weather a severe economic downturn than those with massive deficits or few natural resources. The best the S&T community can hope for is a short recession and a government with the wisdom to preserve its research and innovation capacity
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