Most people would agree that Canada’s research funding organizations should not be excused from a strategic review of their activities. Reviews of this nature are an essential component of ensuring that any publicly funded enterprise remains on a clear and productive path towards its stated objectives.
However, you’ll incur a firestorm of opposition if you reduce the overall funding of these same bodies, as the Harper government found when it tabled the recent Budget. The research and business communities both nationally and internationally have expressed their opposition to such a move, especially at a time when our neighbour and largest trading partner is boosting its research support.
Whether this government’s serious misstep on the S&T and research files is the result of error or poor judgment, the result is the same. Canada’s international reputation and ability to compete is being undercut by short-sighted policy.
But the situation isn’t hopeless. Indeed, it can be quite easily fixed and it doesn’t have to wait until the next Budget rolls around. This government can boost the funding of the granting councils and other under-funded organizations and they’ll likely get the support of the other parties on whom they rely to govern.
The lack of Liberal, NDP and Bloc opposition to the research cuts contained in the Budget was disappointing, although some consideration must be given to the environment of economic crisis in which the documents were prepared. The research community has been shortchanged and righting this wrong in short order is the only sensible solution.
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