News Release
from
House of Commons
Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology
Study on Canadian Science and Technology
Ottawa, March 18, 2008 -
On February 7, 2008, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry,
Science and Technology adopted a motion to conduct a study into Canadian
science and technology.
Science, research and development underpin Canada’s position
in the knowledge economy, where strength depends on capacity to innovate
and stay ahead of the technological curve. Canadian government policies
have aimed to foster world-class research programs in universities
and research institutes and to encourage business investment in research
and development. The 2007 science strategy “Mobilizing Science
and Technology to Canada’s Advantage, reiterates these goals.
The Committee believes that it is important to hear from Canadians
on this topic. Its aim is to hear witnesses representing a variety
of sectors and regions in Canada. The Committee will also be accepting
briefs on this topic from groups and individuals who will not have
the opportunity to appear before the Committee.
The Committee welcomes briefs on the themes of:
1. Science advice to government;
1. Commercialization, venture capital and intellectual property;
1. Federally funded research performed in government and higher education;
and
1. “Big science” projects and Canada’s position
in global science and technology.
In order to present a brief to the Committee on this topic, the document
must be submitted to the Committee’s mailbox at INDU@parl.gc.ca
by no later than 18 April 2008, and must be a maximum of 5 pages in
length.
At the conclusion of the study, the Committee will present a report
to the House of Commons outlining its findings and recommendations.
The Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology is composed
of 12 parliamentarians representing four political parties. It is
chaired by Mr. James Rajotte, M.P. for Edmonton-Leduc.
Canadian Federation of Biological
Societies
A Brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee
on
Industry, Science and Technology
Study on Canadian Science and Technology
Prepared by:
Dr. Gabrielle Adams
CFBS Executive Director
Submitted on 16 April 2008
The Canadian Federation of Biological Societies (CFBS) represents
11 national life science societies and associations with members from
industry, government and academic sectors. The Federation is the voice
of research scientists in a broad spectrum of biological and biomedical
disciplines. The CFBS is also a member of the Partnership Group in
Science and Engineering (PAGSE) and the Canadian Consortium for Research
(CCR). The goal of CFBS is to promote the development of science and
technology policies that will enable Canada to be competitive and
meet the challenges of the 21st century.
The CFBS is responding to the invitation of the House of Commons
Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology to hear from
individuals and organizations to facilitate its study into Canadian
science and technology in four theme areas. This brief will address
issues under the four themes: federally funded research performed
in higher education institutions and in government; Canada’s
position in global science and technology; commercialization; and
science advice to government.
CFBS Recommendations:
- Harmonize the various components of the federally funded research
enterprise at higher education institutions; i.e. better balanced
support for top-notch personnel, students, training, infrastructure
and fundamental, applied and targeted research
- Re-invest, in a systematic way, in government’s own research
infrastructure
- Increase investments in international science partnerships
- Speed up implementation of policies to enhance private sector
investment in R&D
- Implement a mechanism for independent S&T advice to Government
from the scientific community
The Federal Government’s S&T Strategy, Mobilizing Science
and Technology to Canada’s Advantage, recognizes the importance
of science and engineering to our continued economic prosperity and
quality of life. It provides a sound science and technology framework
and the basis for policy decisions and investments by Government.
The CFBS is in overall agreement with the directions set out in the
S&T Strategy and with the implementation steps the Government
has announced in the Budget Plan 2007 and the Federal Budget 2008.
The CFBS is especially pleased with the Government’s initiatives
to support higher education and to attract and retain top level personnel
through the new Canada Student Grant Program, the Vanier Scholarships
for doctoral students, funds to help Canadian students to study abroad,
the Research Chairs Program and the new Canada Global Excellence Research
Chairs. Over the past several years, the Government has significantly
increased funding to the federal granting councils which has given
a marked impetus to university research in Canada. However, in recent
years, this funding has not kept pace with other initiatives introduced
by Government and has been largely targeted to specific priorities.
Although the identified priorities are important, the Government must
take care with respect to the balance in funding for the whole research
enterprise and to sustaining high-level funding for science and technology
in Canada.
Higher Education Institutions
As stated above, the CFBS welcomes the Government’s initiatives
with respect to investing in the training, attracting and retaining
of highly qualified personnel. Top-notch creative scientists are
the backbone for an innovative and competitive industrial sector
and for supporting the elements of “public good” (e.g.
health, environment, safe food and water) that are essential to
the high quality of life in Canada. However, to have in place
the full spectrum of components necessary for effective innovation,
there needs to be a balance between the funding of fundamental,
applied and targeted research.
Our new generation of scientists needs the support to pursue
creative ideas and open new lines of inquiry which will ultimately
lead to new applications, technological innovation and market
advantage for Canada. Basic, curiosity-driven scientific investigation
provides the ideas, knowledge, data and skills that feed applied
research. However, in recent years, increases in funding to the
three federal granting councils, Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council (NSERC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research
(CIHR), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
(SSHRC), have not kept pace with the much-needed increases in
students and personnel in the university research community. In
the 2008 federal Budget, the increases allocated to the granting
councils were targeted to specific priority areas. These targeted
areas are important. However, the money available to the granting
councils for basic operating grants is stretched thin, with many
excellent, highly-rated applications going unfunded. Those research
proposals that do receive money are often funded at levels below
the required amounts.
In addition to the situation with respect to operating grants
for fundamental research, in spite of the modest increase in the
2008 Budget, there is also still a shortage of money for the indirect
costs of research. This shortfall impedes universities from providing
adequate infrastructure support to their research staff or forces
them to divert much-needed funds from their undergraduate programs
to fill the gap.
All-in-all, the Government should examine the whole of the federally
funded research enterprise at academic institutions and harmonize
its various components in order to have a system that functions with
the utmost effectiveness for greatest impact.
Government Departments and Agencies
In addition to its support of university research, the Government
must also re-invest, in a systematic way, in its own research
infrastructure. Government departments and agencies perform research
in specific areas of public good such as standard setting, food
and drug safety, public security, response to pandemics, climate
change and energy supply. It is of utmost importance to have this
essential, independent and high quality research capacity within
government maintained and supported at adequate levels. The level
of support has been gradually eroding over the last several years
and the 2008 Budget was silent with respect to the needed reinvestment.
It is recommended that the Government complete its on-going review
of departments and agencies as quickly as possible and take concerted
actions to strengthen its own research capacity in critical areas.
Scientific research has become a very global enterprise, with individual
scientists collaborating world-wide and working in research teams
across the globe. This has great benefits in terms of sharing ideas,
expertise, facilities and resources and being able to engage in large-scale
projects beyond the capability of any one country. Canadian researchers
have world recognition in many areas and are looked upon as ideal
partners in international partnerships. However, in many instances,
negotiations of partnership agreements prove embarrassing and break
down because Canada does not have adequate dedicated funds to match
financial offers for the collaborative effort put forward by other
countries. The Federal Government is urged to increase investments
in international science partnerships in order to claim “world-class
excellence” as promoted in the S&T Strategy and to benefit
from the added knowledge base offered by such R&D collaborations
with other countries.
The current economic climate and the relative strength of the Canadian
dollar have caused serious difficulties for Canada’s manufacturing
and exporting sectors. The Government has introduced some measures
in the 2008 Budget to encourage innovation to create greater market
advantage in the most vulnerable of these sectors. There are some
modest changes also to the scientific research and experimental development
(SR&ED) tax credit program to help companies with their R&D
efforts. However, the Federal Government needs to provide greater
incentives to encourage Canadian companies and multinationals within
Canada to build greater research capacity within their own operations.
This is clearly the goal that has been outlined in the Government’s
S&T Strategy. A strong national scientific research infrastructure
and the availability of highly trained, creative scientific personnel
will certainly be one of the foundations for greater private sector
investment in S&T in Canada. Having a stronger in-house research
capability within Canadian firms will increase their productivity
and competitive advantage. It will also increase their receptor capacity
for knowledge and technology transfer through partnerships with academic
and government institutions for enhanced innovation and wealth creation
for Canada. The S&T Strategy provides a framework and some policy
commitments to improve the business environment and the climate for
private sector innovation. It is imperative to conduct the reviews
that were outlined in the S&T Strategy in an expeditious manner
and to implement the right policies for the rapid and vigorous growth
of private sector investment in R&D in Canada at levels above
the OECD average.
The Government’s S&T Strategy outlined a new structure
for obtaining S&T advice in a more integrated fashion, with a
system of innovation approach, representing private, academic and
government interests. The previous advisory bodies were replaced by
the Science, Technology and Innovation Council to give advice to Government
on S&T policy issues and to give regular assessments of Canada’s
performance with respect to other countries. The Council of Canadian
Academies has the mandate to provide in-depth, independent, expert
assessments of the state of science in areas of interest for public
policy issues. Both of these bodies receive their work assignments
from Government. It is not clear at this point, how the scientific
community can transmit its opinions and concerns effectively to Government
on important issues that are outside of matters referred to the two
advisory bodies for attention. It is essential that there be a mechanism
for such proactive input to decision-makers by the scientific community
if Canada is to remain at the forefront of rapid scientific advances
and reap their benefits for innovation.
The CFBS welcomes this opportunity to present its brief to the House
of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology.
It congratulates the Committee on its decision to conduct a study
into Canadian science and technology.
- Harmonize the various components of the federally funded research
enterprise at higher education institutions; i.e. better balanced
support for top-notch personnel, students, training, infrastructure
and fundamental, applied and targeted research
- Re-invest, in a systematic way, in government’s own research
infrastructure
- Increase investments in international science partnerships
- Speed up implementation of policies to enhance private sector
investment in R&D
- Implement a mechanism for independent S&T advice to Government
from the scientific community
