Current Issues

Updated September 28, 2004

CFBS Fifth Annual Strategic Planning Meeting
Saturday, November 15th, 2003
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
MacDonlad Room, Lord Elgin Hotel

Executives or representatives of the life sciences research community, granting councils, CIHR Institute Directors, CFBS societies have in the past been involved in the Strategic Planning Meeting and were again invited to attend the 5th Strategic Planning Meeting.

The 5th Strategic Planning Session attracted 24 delegates on November 15th to discuss issues of concern to the Life Sciences Community. In addition to representatives from the member Societies CSNS, STC, CAANCB, PSC, CSBMCB, CSZ, CCUBC, CSEP, CSI, we were pleased to have the participation of delegates from NRC, CIHR, NSERC, Enivronment Canada, CIHR Institute for Infection & Immunity and Department of Fisheries & Oceans.

1. A review of current policies
   a) related to the Government’s Innovation Strategy- promoted during the past year;
   b) CFBS’ approach in its dialogue with “decision-makers”, and
   c) eliciting comments and suggestions, from delegates, regarding future issues.
   
2. Changes that have occurred in the organization of scientific meetings coordinated by CFBS



3. The Federation’s efforts to provide a broader range of services to the life sciences community.

During 2003 CFBS in speaking on behalf of the Life Sciences community focused on the following topics that are relevant to a healthy research environment in this country. CFBS recognizes the many positive actions that have been enacted by the Federal Government in initiating their “innovation strategy”. The approach that CFBS has taken this year has been to develop policies that, it believes, will better position the Government in achieving the goals of its “innovation strategy”.

A) Allocations to Granting Agencies

In the case of NSERC this agency has seen a dramatic increase in the demand on its funds from new grantees, resulting from retirement of university faculty members and from the appointment of outstanding individuals recruited through the Canada Research Chairs Program – a situation also faced by CIHR.

The problem, presently, faced by the granting agencies is two-fold and relates to the level of their allocations, to respond to this increased demand, and secondly, how the allocations from the Federal Government to these agencies are made.

The budget-allocations to the granting agencies must be spent at the end of each fiscal year for which they are allocated. At present, no carryovers are allowed. CFBS has, in discussions with “decision-makers”, proposed two options
1) to allow carryovers of up to 10% and/or
2) during a period in which the budgets increase to a defined level that agencies be provided with funds on a three-year rolling average- recognizing the current demands on CIHR and NSERC budgets. Allowing either or both these proposals would allow greater flexibility in forward planning and reduce some of the major yearly fluctuations in available funds to be dispensed to grantees.

Discussions with both the Auditor General’s and the finance office revealed that there was precedent for both of these options. What was also emphasized during these interchanges was that the Government is anxious to see value for the investments that they have made. Following a CFBS meeting with Peter Adams, Caucus Chair, these two options were placed on the agenda of the summer session of the caucus for postsecondary education and research for discussion.

B) Indirect costs of research:

At present this program provides funding to eligible universities/institutes at the level of 20% of direct costs. After three years the program will be evaluated and decisions made whether to increase/continue the program. To ensure continuation of the program it is imperative that there be transparency in how these funds are used by the receiving institutions. Members of the life sciences community have been encouraged to speak with the administrative officers of their institutions to suggest that they act to ensure transparency.

C) Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP):

Messages From the Floor

Karen Brown (Environment Canada), Serge Labonte (Department of Fisheries and Oceans), Richard Isnor (NRC), Mark Bisby (CIHR) and Norman Marcott (NSERC) were asked how CFBS and its member societies would fit into the Government’s vision for health and environment issues. The basic question raised was “does the federal government have the monitoring, surveillance capacity to ensure a safe environment for Canadians?” and if not how can CFBS help to ensure that it does? K. Brown pressed for more partnerships and better coordination of investments to better define the environmental agenda. From the Environment Canada perspective the major strategic areas, she noted, included ecosystem effects of GMO’s, wildlife disease strategies, invasive species and water.
Labonte (DFO) pushed the idea of joint chairs, such as the one recently established at the University of Windsor, as the only mechanism that DFO has to impact significantly on university science funding.

R.Isnor stated that NRC is moving to a “bio-agenda” which will touch all areas that are key to Paul Martin’s innovation strategy, including research, commercialization and even foreign policy. One way of pushing this agenda is via changes to the business tax credits so that some of this could specifically assist in training HQP to assist in building bio-capacity. In general the external groups were very positive towards the idea of a “bio-agenda”.
Mark Bisby (CIHR) indicated that CIHR is trying to persuade the government that different agencies need to work together in regulating environment. Regarding partnerships Bagi Singh (Director) reported that the CIHR Institute for Inftection & Immunity is working in a Research Coalition for Safe Food & Water with 16 other organizations.

B. Sells mentioned recent efforts by members of Health Research Advocacy Network (HRAN) and others to organize a Leaders’ Forum to consider the current state of Health Research and to consider how better coordination can be achieved to encourage more effective delivery of quality science, health care and economic benefits for Canada. A similar type of coordinated effort is also required to deal with the situation under the heading of Environment.

Scientific Meetings:

During the past several years CFBS has changed its meeting format. In doing so it has focused on specific themes with a view of developing a greater in-depth program and attracting a larger international involvement among the participants while, at the same time, displaying the excellence in Canadian life sciences. The CFBS summer meeting has been renamed “Northern Lights Summer Conference” to reflect these changes. In addition has proposed establishing a series of “boutique” conferences much along the line of a Keystone or Gordon Conference. They would be smaller meetings with a very focused theme and would be “Northern Lights Winter Conferences). The scientific program would be created by individuals from societies and/or research Institutes. Coordination of the meeting would be performed by the CFBS office. This would help CFBS to raise the funds it needs to continue its advocacy work. A number of groups have already expressed interest in this approach and we are hopeful to initiate the first winter session in 2005.

Communication

Finances

IUBS

Final Comments

This year’s session witnessed a lively exchange of ideas. One strong message emanating from the discussions was the emphasis on the value of partnerships in achieving desired goals.