more useful details on Federal approach to research and education

[Richard Plant]

Hello again everyone:

Here's a brief and useful set of comments from the Canadian Consortium on
Research. Useful in the sense that unless we make our voices heard and our
presence felt, the current governments will continue their underfunding.
If you think your member of parliament or legislature can read, send a
letter. If you fear she/he cannot, then send something visually arresting
in a graphic design.

Richard Plant
Dept of Drama, Queen's University
and
Graduate Centre for Study of Drama,
University of Toronto

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 01 Mar 2000 11:27:03 -0400
From: Fedcan <fedcan at hssfc.ca>
To: @hssfc.ca

Please note, the Federation is a member of the Canadian Consortium for
Research.  It includes representative organizations from the physical,
natural, bio-medical and applied sciences and is chaired by Dr. John
Service, Executive Director of the Canadian Psychological Association.


The Canadian Consortium for Research

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 29, 2000
"Quite simply, we must ensure that, within our borders, we have a research
capacity that is constantly pushing forward the frontiers of human knowledge."
Paul Martin, Budget Speech 2000


GOVERNMENT FALLS SHORT

Ottawa - According to Dr. John Service, the Chair of the Canadian
Consortium for Research (CCR), the 2000 budget does not go far enough in
meeting the needs of Canadian students and researchers.  "While the budget
contains important initiatives that will strengthen Canada's research
environment; there are glaring problems that remain to be addressed".

The research community welcomes the continuation of the Canada Foundation
for Innovation and the establishment of the 21st Century Chairs for
Research Excellence.  There is also support for the range of program
spending on the environment.

However, the CCR's reaction to the Government's use of the Canada Health
and Social Transfer (CHST) as a vehicle to redress the needs in
post-secondary education is not positive.  The CCR views the announced
increase to the CHST as a symbolic gesture.  First, the increase is a
one-time only infusion of money which eliminates the possibility of
long-term planning.  Second, it does not restore the cash floor to previous
levels.  Third, the CHST envelope is divided amongst health, post-secondary
education, and social programs.  Most importantly, there is no guarantee
that any of the increase will be used by the provinces for post-secondary
education.

The Government's failure to address the historic underfunding of the Social
Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) is alarming.  For a number
of years, the CCR has encouraged the Government to take a balanced and
comprehensive approach to research funding: from basic to applied, and
across both disciplines and sectors.  The lack of adequate funding in any
of these areas, particularly SSHRC, seriously undermines Canada's entire
research capacity, affecting students and researchers alike.

Moreover, the apparent lack of support in this budget for research within
Government laboratories and national facilities is shortsighted.  There are
issues of national concern that cannot be properly addressed by industry or
the granting councils.

The Canadian Consortium for Research is a coalition of twenty-two
organizations representing 50,000 researchers and 400,000 students in all
disciplines across Canada.  The CCR's primary concerns are the funding of
research in all sectors and support for post-secondary education.
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For more information: Dr. John Service, Chair, Canadian Consortium for
Research 613-237-2144, ext. 22.