[cmath] Don't leave Canada behind Campaign

[Concerned Researchers]

Dear colleague,

The following open letter to the Prime minister and the Leader of the
Opposition was already signed by hundreds of your colleagues across Canada.
The french version follows the list of signatures below. Please let us know
by answering this email whether you would like to sign it. You are also
encouraged to send your thoughts on the "DON'T LEAVE CANADA BEHIND CAMPAIGN"
to the Prime Minister at <pm at pm.gc.ca>  or/and to the Leader of the
Opposition at <Ignatieff.M at parl.gc.ca>



March 16, 2009
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper Prime Minister of Canada
The Right Honourable Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Opposition
Ottawa
Subject: Don't leave Canada behind


Dear Prime Minister, Dear Leader of the Opposition

U.S. President Barack Obama is taking advantage of the current financial
crisis to push his country forward in new directions by greatly boosting
funding to scientific research and education as a means to jump start
innovation in a new economy.  The scope of his vision is stunning, including
an increase of more than $15 billion in scientific research, and a promise
to double the funding for education in the next 10 years.  For more
details,  see
http://www.sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php?id=62

Our government has also tried to stimulate the research / university sector
in Canada, wishing to take important initiatives. At the heart of the plan
is a $2 billion dollars infrastructure fund for shovel-ready renovation
projects in post-secondary institutions, a fund that was actively solicited
by university presidents. There is also an additional $750 million for the
Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), and $87.5 million over three years
for doctoral scholarships. While these funding announcements are surely
welcome, we would like to share our concerns as to the potential effect of
some of these decisions, in particular in view of the bold and visionary
course taken by the Obama administration south of the border.

1. When the U.S. government is proposing to boost the funding of the
National Science Foundation (NSF) by 40% ($3 billion on top of its current
$6.9 billion), we see Canada’s "stimulus budget" cutting NSERC's by 5%. When
the U.S. administration is proposing to boost the funding of the National
Institute of Health (NIH) by 30% ($8.5 billion in addition to its current
$29 billion), our "stimulus budget" is cutting CIHR's by 5%, while
essentially ignoring the needs of Genome Canada. When US researchers are
being actively approached for ideas to use the stimulus money to think big
and to hire and retain their researchers, their Canadian counterparts are
now scrambling to identify budget cuts for their Labs, while worrying about
the future of their graduating students. Recent Tri-council grants
competitions, which were post stimulus budget, are already pointing towards
sharply lower success rates (by more than 20% in some disciplines), lower
start-up grants for young researchers, and negligible research funding for
smaller institutions and provinces.  These cuts are huge steps backward for
Canadian Science and we ask the government to immediately develop a
multi-year plan to significantly increase this country’s R&D investment
through our granting councils.

2. The infrastructure support for Canada's post-secondary institutions is
surely beneficial for their depleted budgets for deferred maintenance.
However, the federal support requires 50% in matching funds which few
institutions currently have. The net effect of this decision will be to
dictate priorities for universities and provincial governments too eager to
get the federal funds, and as such to divert further funds from teaching,
training and research. We therefore ask government to drop the requirement
of matching funds.

3. The CFI has provided a tremendous boost to certain aspects of Canada's
research infrastructure over the last 10 years. However, the constraints of
the program have left many important research disciplines out of its
potential beneficial impact. Moreover, similar matching rules continue to
apply to CFI projects, and as a consequence of the present lack of available
support from the private sector and from provincial governments, even some
of the already approved projects are being postponed and cancelled. At this
point in time, we believe that removing the matching requirements for
current and future CFI projects would be extremely beneficial for Canada and
its research infrastructure.

4. The funding of an additional 500 doctoral scholarships is great news for
a country that is committed to have ``the best educated, most skilled and
most flexible workforce in the world". However, it seems this funding is
coming at the expense of the highly qualified personnel (HQP’s) that could
have been recruited more efficiently by our senior researchers through their
Tri-Council grants. We believe that a more efficient strategy for ensuring a
successful HQP policy is to give our leading researchers the flexibility to
manage the selection, recruitment, and support of their own graduate
students through their peer-reviewed research grants, and via
well-established leveraging procedures with the universities and the private
sector. We also regret that the $17.5-million assigned to SSHRC for graduate
scholarships have been earmarked towards students in business and finance.
As Alain Dubuc writes in La Presse:  ``En boudant certains domaines de
recherche, nos universités vont perdre leur pouvoir d'attraction. Et bien
des jeunes talentueux iront ailleurs.
(See
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/opinions/chroniqueurs/alain-dubuc/200903/06/01-833827-apres-les-artistes-les-chercheurs.php)

5. President Obama is proposing to double federal funding for education over
the next 10 years, and pledging to “restore science to its rightful place”
with billions in new investments. To advise his government, he has appointed
leading scientists to his cabinet and as his advisors (including a Nobel
laureate as energy Secretary). The Obama administration has also involved
the directors of NIH and NSF in federal budget discussions about the future
of research. We need a similar approach in Canada, where top research
scientists and humanists can help shape directions in Ottawa for research
funding.

A new economy is coming out of this crisis and research and development will
be the lifeblood to that new economy. We call upon you not to let Canada be
left behind.

Sincerely,

Margaret Ann Armour, Chemistry, Order of Canada (University of Alberta)
Tom Archibald, Chair of Mathematics (Simon Fraser University)
Alejandro Adem,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Ali Arya, Information Technology (Carleton University)
Peter Abrams, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (University of Toronto)
Jim Arthur, Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Marshall Agueh, Mathematics (University of Victoria)
John Beamish, Chair, Physics (University of Alberta)
Jason Barton, Medecine (University of British Columbia)
Robert Benkoczi, Math and CS (University of Lethbridge)
Edward Bierstone,  Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Xiaotao Bi, Chemical and Biological Engineering (University of British
Columbia)
Yaacov Ben-David, Biophysics (University of Toronto)
Herman Brunner,  Mathematics (Memorial University)
Margaret Beattie,  Mathematics (Mount Allison University)
Peter Borwein,  Mathematics (Simon Fraser University)
Anne Bourlioux,  Mathematics (Universite de Montreal)
Hans U. Boden, Chair, Math and Statistics (McMaster University)
David Brydges,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Martin Barlow,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Michael Bennett,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Kai Behrendt,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Mark Bauer (University of Calgary)
Vijay Bhargava, Electrical Engineering (University of British Columbia)
Hichem Ben-El-Mechaiekh,Chair, Mathematics (Brock University)
Sydney Bulman-Fleming, Chair, Mathematics (Wilfred Laurier University)
Sandra Barr, Acting Head, Earth and Environmental Science (Acadia
University)
W. Kendal Bushe, Mechanical Engineering (University of British Columbia)
Sherryl Bisgrove,  Biological Sciences (Simon Fraser University)
Mary Berbee, Botany, (University of British Columbia)
Jeff Babb, Chair, Mathematics and Statistics (University of Winnipeg)
Charlyn Black, Health Services and Policy Research (University of British
Columbia)
Maxim R. Burke, Chair, Mathematics and Statistics (University of PEI)
Susan Baldwin (University of British Columbia)
Chris Bose, Mathematics (University of Victoria)
Patrick Brosnan,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Michelle Boue (Trent University)
Fred Bunnell  Forest Sciences (University of British Columbia)
John Bowman,  Mathematics  (University of Alberta)
Walter Craig,  Mathematics (McMaster University)
John Carter, Applied Science and Engineering (University of Toronto)
James R. Cordy, School of Computing, Queen's University
Rustum Choksi,  Mathematics (Simon Fraser University)
Dan Coombs,  Mathematics  (University of British Columbia)
Clifton Cunningham, Mathematics  (University of Calgary)
Mohamed Cheriet, Engineering (École de technologie supérieure, Montreal)
Marilyn Chapman (University of British Columbia)
Eric Cytrynbaum,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Jingyi Chen,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
K. Carriere Cough, Statistics, (University of Alberta)
Richard Craster,  Mathematics  (University of Alberta)
Vladimir Chernousov,  Mathematics (University of Alberta)
James Colliander,  Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Christina C. Christara, Computer Science (University of Toronto)
John Clague, Earth  Sciences (Simon Fraser University)
Laura Cowen, Mathematics (University of Victoria)
Paul Deguire directeur, mathématiques et de statistique (Université de
Moncton)
Karl Dilcher, Chair, Math. and Stats. (Dalhousie)
Lawrence M. Dill (Simon Fraser University)
Martin Davy, Mechanical Engineering (University of British Columbia)
Henri Darmon,  Mathematics (McGill University)
Rob DeWreede, Botany (University of British Columbia)
Gregory Dudek, Chair, Computer Science (McGill University)
Carl J. Douglas, Botany (University of British Columbia)
Dan Dumont, Director, Molecular and Cellular Biology (University of Toronto)
Guy Dumont (Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British
Columbia)
David Dunlop, Physics (University of Toronto)
Juergen Dingel (School of Computing, Queen's)
Mauricio Drelichman,  Economics (University of British Columbia)
Ivar Ekeland, Math Economics (University of British Columbia)
George Elliott, Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Kadriye Ercikan, Education (University of British Columbia)
Yousry Elsabrouty (The University of Calgary)
Yousry A. El-Kassaby, Forestry (The University of British Columbia)
Neil Emery, Director, Environmental & Life Sciences (Trent University)
Robert Evans, Economics, Order of Canada (University of British Columbia)
Roderick Edwards (University of Victoria)
Ian Frigaard,  Math and Mech. Engineering (University of British Columbia)
Don Fraser, Statistics (University of Toronto)
Sylvia Fuller, Sociology (University of British Columbia)
Richard Froese,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Don Fisher (University of British Columbia)
Eugene Fiume, Computer Science (University of Toronto)
James J. Feng, Chemical & Biological Engineering (University of British
Columbia)
John Friedlander, Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Jorge Filmus, Molecular and Cellular Biology (University of Toronto)
Nassif Ghoussoub,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Randy Goebel, Computing Science (University of Alberta)
Dan Gibson, Earth Sciences (Simon Fraser University)
Andrew Granville,  Mathematics (Universite de Montreal)
Pengfei Guan,  Mathematics (McGill University)
Sunny Gupta (Queen's University)
Ling Guan, Electrical Engineering (Ryerson)
Sean Graham, Botany (University of British Columbia)
Dmitri Goussev (Gusev), Chair, Chemistry (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Stephen Gustafson,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Terry Gannon,  Mathematics  (University of Alberta)
Dana Grecov, Mechanical Engineering (University of British Columbia)
Veronique Godin,  Mathematics (University of Calgary)
J. Scott Goble, Education (University of British Columbia)
Maria E. Gallego, Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University
Charles Gale, Chair, Physics (McGill University)
Ed Grant, Head,Chemistry (University of British Columbia)
Ian Graham, Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Jacques Hurtubise, Chair, Mathematics & Statistics  (McGill University)
Hedley  David, Medecine (University of Toronto)
Viqar Husain, Chair, Mathematics (U.New Brunswick)
Stephen B. Heard Chair, Biology (University of New Brunswick, Fredericton)
François Huard, Head, Mathematics (Bishop's University)
Steven Heine, Department of Psychology (University of British Columbia)
Nicola J Hodges, School of Human Kinetics (University of British Columbia)
Felix Herrmann, Earth and Ocean Science (University of British Columbia)
Dr. Holger Hintelmann, Chair, Department of Chemistry (Trent University)
Craig Heinke, Physics (University of Alberta)
Shahadat Hossain, (Math and CS, U of Lethbridge)
Anita Hubley, Education (The University of British Columbia)
Alexander Holroyd, Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Yoram Halevy, Economics (University of British Columbia)
Reinhard Illner,  Mathematics (University of Victoria)
John Innes, Forestry (University of British Columbia)
Victor Ivrii,  Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Andrew Irvine (University of British Columbia)
Slim Ibrahim (University of Victoria)
Sebastian Jaimungal, Statistics  (University of Toronto)
Lisa Jeffrey, Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Daniel James, Physics (University of Toronto)
Robert Jerrard, Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Ramesh Krishnamurti: School of Computing Science, SFU.
Rachel Kuske, Head, Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Young-June Kim, Physics  (University of Toronto)
Young-Heon Kim,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Niky Kamran,  Mathematics (McGill University)
Kalpdrum Passi, Chair, Mathematics & Computer Science (Laurentian
University)
Boualem Khouider,  Mathematics ( University of Victoria)
Kalle Karu,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Maria Klawe, Computer Science (President of Harvey Mudd)
Patrick Keeling, Botany, (University of British Columbia)
Jennifer Klenz, Botany, (University of British Columbia)
Leslie R. Kerr, Biology/Psychology (Trent University)
Faqir Khanna, Physics  (University of Alberta)
David Kaminski (Math and CS, U of Lethbridge)
Don Krug, Education (University of British Columbia)
Raymond Kapral, Chemistry (University of Toronto)
Anthony Lau,  Mathematics (University of Alberta)
Robert K. Logan, Physics (University of Toronto)
Michael Lamoureux,  Mathematics (University of Calgary)
Yue Xian Li,  Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Victor Leung, Electrical Engineering (University of British Columbia)
Victor G. LeBlanc, Directeur, Chair, Mathematics (University of Ottawa)
Wenyuan Liao (University of Calgary)
Mark Lewis,  Mathematics (University of Alberta)
James Lewis,  Mathematics (University of Alberta)
Anthony Lau (University of British Columbia)
Aaron Levin (University of Alberta)
Alexander Litvak,  Mathematics (University of Alberta)
Paul Lasko, Chair,  Biology (McGill University)
Sheldon Lin, Statistics (University of Toronto)
Hoi-Kwong Lo, Electrical and Computer Engineering (University of Toronto)
Wendy Lou, Biostatistics (University of Toronto)
Ben Liang, Electrical and Computer Engineering (University of Toronto)
Bill Langford, Mathematics (Guelph University)
Marcelo Laca (University of Victoria)
Alan Mackworth, Computer Science (University of British Columbia)
Bojan Mohar,  Mathematics (Simon Fraser University)
John Meech, Mining Engineering and Director of CERM3 (University of British
Columbia)
Richard G. Miller, Biophysics and Immunology (University of Toronto)
Greg Martin, Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Robert McCann, Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Andre Marziali, Director, Engineering Physics (University of British
Columbia)
Franklin Mendivil (Acadia University)
Akos Magyar, Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Brian Marcus, Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Barrie McCullough (University of British Columbia, Okanagan)
Robert Moody, Mathematics (University of Alberta)
Orson Moritz, Ophthalmology (University of British Columbia)
Patrick Martone, Botany, (University of British Columbia)
Peter Minev, Mathematics (University of Alberta)
Amy Metcalfe, Education (University of British Columbia)
Jim Mattsson (Simon Fraser University)
Bill Milsom, Head, Zoology (University of British Columbia)
Eckhard Meinrenken, Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Sharon Morsink, Physics (University of Alberta)
Bonny Norton, Education  (University of British Columbia)
Asish Mukhopadhyay: School of Computer Science, University of Windsor
Raymond Ng, Computer sc. (University of British Columbia)
Adrian Nachman, Electrical and Computer Engineering (University of Toronto)
Carl Ollivier-Gooch, P.Eng.  (University of British Columbia)
Fergal O'Hagan (Trent University)
Peter Ottensmeyer, Medical Biophysics (University of Toronto)
Don Page, Physics (University of Alberta)
Anthony Peirce, Mathematics  (University of British Columbia)
Ed Perkins, Mathematics   (University of British Columbia)
Marion Porath  (University of British Columbia)
Roger Pierre, Directeur, Mathematiques et de statistique (Universite Laval)
Cindy Prescott, Forestry (University of British Columbia)
Arturo Pianzola, Mathematics  (University of Alberta)
Royann Petrell (University of British Columbia)
Peter Pivovarov (University of Alberta)
Daniel D. Pratt, Education (University of British Columbia)
Erich Poppitz, Physics (University of Toronto)
Ue-Li Pen, Astrophysics (University of Toronto)
Toniann Pitassi, Computer Science (University of Toronto)
Ian Putnam, Mathematics (University of Victoria)
Jeremy Quastel, Mathematics and Statistics (University of Toronto)
Christiane Rousseau (Universite de Montreal)
David J. Rowe, Physics (University of Toronto)
Daya Ram Gaur: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of
Lethbridge.
Andrew Rechnitzer, Mathematics  (University of British Columbia)
Dr. Jacqueline Rice (Math and CS, U of Lethbridge)
Cristian Rios, Mathematics  (University of Calgary)
Catharine Rankin, Psychology (University of British Columbia)
Chris Radford, Head Mathematics and Statistics (Memorial University)
Loren Rieseberg, Botany (University of British Columbia)
Dale Rolfsen, Mathematics   (University of British Columbia)
Wendy Roth (University of British Columbia)
Reinhard Jetter, Botany (University of British Columbia)
Volker Runde, Mathematics  (University of Alberta)
Omar Rivasplata (University of Alberta)
Peter C. Ruben, Director Kinesiology (Simon Fraser University)
Steven Rogak, Mech. Eng. (University of British Columbia)
Jeffrey Rosenthal, Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Jonathan Rose, Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering (University of
Toronto)
Nancy Reid, Statistics (University of Toronto)
Joe Repka, Mathematics  (University of Toronto)
William Reed, Mathematics (University of Victoria)
Gordon Slade, Mathematics  (University of British Columbia)
Stephen Strother, Medical Biophysics (University of Toronto)
Gordon Semenoff, Physics (University of British Columbia)
Mohamad Sawan, Engineering (Polytechnique, University of Montreal)
Viena Stastna (University of Calgary)
Fred Sack, Head of Botany (University of British Columbia)
Paul Stephenson,  Head, Mathematics and Statistics (Acadia University)
Raj Srinivasan, Chair, Mathematics (University of Saskatchewan)
Brian Seymour, Mathematics   (University of British Columbia)
Anne Scholefield, Education (University of British Columbia)
Jedrzej Sniatycki, Mathematics  (University of Calgary)
K D Srivastava, Engineering (University of British Columbia)
Philip Stamp, Physics (University of British Columbia)
Dominik Schoetzau, Mathematics  (University of British Columbia)
Paul L. Smith, Head, Earth and Ocean Sciences (University of British
Columbia)
Sudarshan Sehgal, Mathematics (University of Alberta)
Catherine Sulem, Mathematics (University of Toronto)
Theodore Shepherd, Physics  (University of Toronto)
Rashid Sumaila, Fisheries (University of British Columbia)
Vuk Stambolic, Medical Biophysics (University of Toronto)
Nicole Tomczak-Jaegermann (University of Alberta)
Peter Tiidus, Acting Dean, Science (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Phillippe Tortell, Botany, (University of British Columbia)
John R. Topic (Trent University)
Samy Torbey (Queen's University)
Allison  Tom (University of British Columbia)
Elisabeth Tillier, Genomics (University of Toronto)
Tai-Peng Tsai, Mathematics (University of British Columbia)
Derek J. Thorkelson, Chair, Earth Sciences (Simon Fraser University)
Mak Trifkovic (University of Victoria)
Bill Unruh, Physics (University of British Columbia)
Jennifer A. Vadeboncoeur, Education (University of British Columbia)
Stephanie van Willigenburg, , Mathematics  (University of British Columbia)
Andrew Vreugdenhil, Director, Materials Science (Trent University)
Frank Weichman, Physics (University of Alberta)
Rabab Ward, Electrical Engineering (University of British Columbia)
Brent Ward, Earth Sciences (Simon Fraser University)
Michael Ward, Mathematics  (University of British Columbia)
Jason Waywitka (University of Alberta)
Doug Wiens  (University of Alberta)
Eric Woolgar, Physics (University of Alberta)
Tony Ware, Mathematics  (University of Calgary)
Janet F. Werker, Psychology (University of British Columbia)
Shelly Wismath (Board of Governors' Chair in Teaching, Math and CS, U of
Lethbridge)
Shoshana Wodak, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics (University of Toronto)
Margaret Wyeth (University of Victoria)
Glyn Williams-Jones, Earth Sciences (Simon Fraser University)
Konrad Walus, Electrical and Computer Engineering (University of British
Columbia)
Reem Yassawi, Head, Math (Trent University)
Vlad Yaskin (university of Alberta)
Janet Ye, Mathematics (University of Victoria)
Nora Znotinas, Chair, Physics & Computer Science (Wilfrid Laurier
University)
Richard Zemel, Computer Science (University of Toronto)
Julie Zhou, Mathematics (University of Victoria)


Cher Premier Ministre, Cher chef de lʼopposition

Le président des États-Unis Barack Obama a profité de la crise financière
actuelle pour aiguiller son pays dans de nouvelles voies en augmentant de
façon
significative son financement de la recherche scientifique et de
lʼéducation, afin
de relancer lʼinnovation dans un contexte économique nouveau.
L'étendue de sa vision est formidable, y compris lʼaugmentation de plus de
$15
milliards pour la recherche scientifique, et la promesse de doubler le
budget
consacré à lʼéducation dans les 10 prochaines années. Voir la page web de
Nancy Pelosi:

http://www.sciencedebate2008.com/www/index.php?id=62

Notre gouvernement a formulé son propre plan pour tenter de stimuler la
recherche et tout le secteur universitaire au Canada. Au coeur de ce plan
est un
fonds de $2 milliards destiné aux institutions d'enseignement
post-secondaire
pour des projets prêts à la mise en chantier, un fonds qui avait été réclamé
par
les présidents des universités. Il y a aussi un supplément de $750 millions
pour
la Fondation Canadienne pour lʼInnovation (FCI), et $87.5 millions répartis
sur
trois ans pour des bourses doctorales.

Alors que ces annonces de financement sont certainement les bienvenues, nous
aimerions partager nos préoccupations en ce qui concerne lʼeffet potentiel
de
certaines de ces décisions, en particulier à la lumière de lʼapproche
audacieuse
et éclairée  quʼa choisie lʼadministration Obama aux États-Unis.

1. Pendant que le gouvernement US propose dʼaugmenter le financement de la
National Science Foundation (NSF) de 40% ($3 milliards en plus de son budget
courant de $6.9 milliards), nous constatons que le “budget de stimulation
économique” du Canada ampute de 5% le budget du CRSNG. Pendant que le
gouvernement U.S. propose dʼaugmenter le financement du National Institute
of
Health (NIH) de 30% (soit $8.5 milliards en plus de son budget courant de
$29
milliards), notre “budget de stimulation économique” coupe le IRSC de 5%,
tout
en ignorant à toute fin pratique les besoins de Génôme Canada.  Pendant
qu'on
invite les chercheurs scientifiques aux États-Unis à viser haut et loin dans
leurs
propositions pour utiliser ces nouveaux fonds, notamment pour recruter et
retenir
dans leurs équipes de recherche des chercheurs de calibre international,
leurs
collègues canadiens doivent s'atteler à la pénible tâche de gérer les
coupures de
budget dans leurs laboratoires, tout en se préoccupant de lʼavenir de leurs
étudiants aux cycles supérieurs.

Les résultats récents (c'est-à-dire après l'annonce du budget de
stimulation) des
concours de subventions des trois grands conseils de la recherche du Canada
pointent déjà vers des taux de succès plus faibles (par plus de 20% dans
certaines disciplines), des fonds de démarrage réduits pour les jeunes
chercheurs, et un financement négligeable pour les plus petites institutions
et
provinces. Ces coupures constituent un regrettable pas en arrière pour la
science
au Canada et nous demandons au gouvernement de se pencher immédiatement
sur un plan couvrant plusieurs années qui augmente de façon significative
lʼinvestissement en recherche et développement par les trois grands
conseils.

2. Le support aux infrastructures pour les institutions post-secondaires du
Canada est sûrement une très bonne nouvelle vu le manque de fonds criant
pour
lʼentretien de ces infrastructures. Cependant, le support fédéral requiert
un
cofinancement de 50% dont personne ne dispose en ce moment. Lʼeffet net du
principe de cofinancement sera de dicter les priorités aux universités et
aux
gouvernements provinciaux, trop impatients dʼutiliser ces fonds fédéraux, et

donc obligés de divertir à ces fins une partie des fonds normalement
destinés à
lʼenseignement, à la formation et à la recherche. Nous demandons donc au
gouvernement de retirer la clause de cofinancement.


3. La FCI a joué un rôle extraordinaire dans certains aspects du
développement
de lʼinfrastructure de recherche du Canada lors de ces 10 dernières années.
Cependant, les contraintes du programme ont empéché à toutes fins pratiques
un nombre important de disciplines d'en bénéficier. De plus, des règles de
cofinancement similaires à celles mentionnées ci-dessus continuent de
sʼappliquer aux projets FCI. Étant donné le manque présent de fonds
disponibles
du secteur privé et des gouvernements provinciaux, il y a même des projets
qui
avaient été approuvés qui sont maintenant reportés ou bien carrément
annulés.
Vu le contexte économique actuel, nous croyons que la suppression des
clauses
de cofinancement pour tous les projets FCI présents et futurs serait
extrêmement
bénéfique pour le Canada et pour son infrastructure de recherche.

4. Le financement de 500 bourses de doctorat supplémentaires est une
excellente nouvelle pour un pays qui sʼest engagé à disposer de “la main-
dʼoeuvre la mieux éduquée, la plus compétente et la plus flexible au monde”.
Cependant, il semble que lʼargent pour ces bourses a été en fait obtenu au
détriment des fonds pour la formation de personnel hautement qualifié, un
personnel qui aurait pu être recruté de façon beaucoup plus efficace par nos
chercheurs seniors en utilisant leurs fonds de recherche des trois grands
conseils. Nous croyons quʼune stratégie plus fructueuse en terme de
formation
de personnel hautement qualitfié est de donner à nos meilleurs chercheurs la
flexibilité de gérer la sélection, le recrutement et le support de leurs
étudiants aux
cycles supérieurs en utilisant à ces fins leurs fonds de recherche arbitrés
par
leurs pairs, et attribués suivant des procédures bien établies de
cofinancement
entre les universités et le secteur privé. Nous regrettons également que les
$17.5
millions que le SSHRC réserve pour les bourses aux cycles supérieurs aient
été
ciblés pour les étudiants en affaire et en finance. Comme lʼa écrit Alain
Dubuc
dans la Presse:
``En boudant certains domaines de recherche, nos universités vont perdre
leur
pouvoir d'attraction. Et bien des jeunes talentueux iront ailleurs."
(See http://www.cyberpresse.ca/opinions/chroniqueurs/alain-
dubuc/200903/06/01-833827-apres-les-artistes-les-chercheurs.php )

5. Le président Obama propose de doubler le financement fédéral pour
lʼéducation lors des 10 prochaines années, et il sʼest engagé à redonner à
la
science la place qui lui revient avec des milliards en nouveaux
investissements.
Pour conseiller son gouvernement, il a nommé des chercheurs du plus haut
calibre comme membres de son cabinet ou à titre de conseillers (y compris la
nomination d'un lauréat du prix Nobel en tant que Secrétaire à lʼénergie).
Lʼadministration Obama a également impliqué les directeurs de la NIH et de
la
NSF dans les discussions du budget federal en ce qui concerne le futur de la
recherche. Nous avons besoin dʼune approche similaire au Canada, qui
implique
les meilleurs scientifiques et humanistes dans la formulation des nouvelles
orientations pour le financement de la recherche.

Nous réclamons du gouvernement  de ne pas laisser le Canada à la traîne.
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