Hon. Stan Kutcher: Senator Gold, the October 2022 report of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research recommended:

That the Government of Canada increase the number of scholarships and fellowships to graduate students and post‑doctoral researchers, increase their value by 25% to reflect increases in cost of living since their last adjustment in 2003 and index the amount to the consumer price index.

Will the Government of Canada implement this recommendation in the upcoming budget?

Senator Kutcher: Thank you very much, Senator Gold. Sadly, we are all aware of the number of panels and reports that have happened before with little action resulting from them. I’m hopeful that it won’t be the same with this one.

But that same report lamented Canada’s inadequate and globally lacking investment in fundamental research; we are way behind. It recommended:

That the Government of Canada review and increase its investments in fundamental research through increases to the budgets of the three granting councils.

Thousands of scientists from across Canada have called for a doubling of the funding for the Tri-Council. Will the Government of Canada heed those calls and provide that essential funding for the upcoming budget, or will we continue to languish behind other countries?