Science and Research Committee on Sept. 22nd, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I call this meeting to order.

I would like to welcome everybody back to the committee. I hope everyone had a good summer.

Welcome to meeting number 43 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research. We are meeting today to commence our study on the report of the external advisory panel on the creation and dissemination of scientific information in French.

Today’s meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders. Members are attending in person in the room and remotely using the Zoom application.

Before we continue, I would ask all in-person participants to consult the guidelines written on the cards on the table. These measures are in place to help prevent audio and feedback incidents, and to protect the health and safety of all participants, including our amazing interpreters. You will notice a QR code on the card, which links to a short awareness video.

I would like to make a few comments for the benefit of the witnesses and all of the members.

Please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking. For those participating by video conference, click on the microphone icon to activate your mic, and please mute yourself when you're not speaking. For those on Zoom, at the bottom of your screen, you can select the appropriate channel for interpretation: floor, English or French. For those in the room, you can use the earpiece and select the desired channel.

I would like to remind witnesses that committee members may ask questions in either French or English. If you will need interpretation, please take a moment now to prepare your earpiece and select the listening channel you need in advance in order to take full advantage of the time allotted for questions and answers.

As a reminder, all comments should be addressed through the chair. For members in the room, if you wish to speak, please raise your hand. For members on Zoom, please use the “raise hand” function. The clerk and I will manage the speaking order as best we can, and we appreciate your patience and understanding in this regard.

With that, I would like to welcome our witnesses for today.

We are joined by Acfas, the Association francophone pour le savoir and Martin Maltais, president by video conference. We are also joined by Sophie Montreuil, executive director. Our second witness for today is from the Association of Canadian University Presses. We have David Larsen, president.

Welcome to this committee. You will have five minutes for your opening remarks, and then we will start with the rounds of questioning.

We will start with Mr. Maltais, the president of Acfas. Please go ahead. You have five minutes for your opening remarks.

[Martin Maltais, President, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir]

Thanks, Madam Chair and members of the committee, for receiving us again today.

I am Martin Maltais, the president of Acfas and a professor at the Université du Québec à Rimouski. With me is Sophie Montreuil, our executive director.

For 103 years, Acfas has been advancing knowledge in French across the country. In its report, the external advisory panel mentions our French-language research support service, the SARF, exactly twice. Both times, it is in the diagnosis and never in the recommendations. It is this gap that we intend to bridge today.

On page 30 of its report, the advisory panel explains that the “action” taken to create the SARF is a “step in the right direction”. On page 52, it commends Ottawa’s decision to fund the SARF for the duration of the current action plan for official languages, which ends in 18 months, on March 31, 2028.

Both observations are accurate. However, between the assessment and the 12 measures outlined in the report, the SARF doesn't come up at all, and none of the measures mention it.

We certainly don't intend to correct the advisory panel's report. On the contrary, we publicly endorsed it in a press release the day after it came out. What we're saying here, in fact, is that its implementation can begin now using a mechanism that already exists.

Ms. Montreuil will explain what lies behind these two points and then propose two recommendations.

[Sophie Montreuil, Executive Director, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir]

The report notes that there is no monitoring mechanism to assess the impact of measures to encourage the submission of applications in French. However, at the Service d'aide à la recherche en français, or SARF, we have that data. In three years, there have been 19 agreements with institutions in six provinces, as well as 60 revised grant applications with an excellent 30% success rate. Behind these figures is a team of three and, above all, a network of 75 advisers and vice-presidents of research at partner universities, most of whom are unilingual anglophones.

The report also found that the initiatives of the three granting agencies remain fragmented. The SARF is precisely what connects them on the ground. In fact, we've just signed an agreement on it with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, or NSERC, and we will be entering into agreements with the other two councils in the coming weeks.

Another important point is that the francophone lens proposed in recommendation 1 is taking hold in the English-language universities of the Canadian network. We don't need to wait for the research in French support and promotion fund or the Secretariat for the Coordination of Research in French to be set up to collectively roll up our sleeves, because we're not starting from scratch. The federal government itself recognized the relevance of the SARF in a press release issued by Canadian Heritage on November 20, 2025.

At Acfas, we state loud and clear that the SARF is in itself a positive measure within the meaning of the Official Languages Act. It acts as an operator at the local institutional level, that is to say where the practices, processes and support mechanisms for research are actually structured.

Two measures can be implemented within the current structures.

First, a transitional budget allocation could be established for the three granting agencies, specifically for research in French, through two pilot programs: “Francophone Missions” for grants and “Emerging Talent” for graduate scholarships. Your committee can ask the three granting agencies right away which existing programs could incorporate a pilot component. These pilot programs could easily be carried out jointly with Acfas and the SARF.

Second, we could ensure the long-term sustainability of funding for the SARF by integrating it into the research in French support and promotion fund. Again, the SARF's funding ends in 2028. Its long-term funding must therefore be explicitly included in the support fund's programming.

The SARF will require $600,000 per year once the action plan for official languages 2023–2028 is completed. This is quite modest given the cultural shift that is currently taking place, thanks to the SARF, within Canadian institutions of higher education.

Our government is on the right track, even if its efforts are considered timid by our community. Its primary responsibility is to implement the recommendations made by 10 experts and 160 stakeholders in the research ecosystem.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thanks a lot.

We will now proceed to the Association of Canadian University Presses. I request the president, Mr. Larsen, to please go ahead.

You will have five minutes for your opening remarks.

[David Larsen, President, Association of Canadian University Presses]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

It's an honour and privilege to be invited before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research on behalf of the Association of Canadian University Presses for its study of the report of the external advisory panel on the creation and dissemination of scientific information in French.

The Association of Canadian University Presses welcomes the report of the external advisory group on the creation and dissemination of scientific information in French and in particular the recommendations set out in the chapter on scholarly communications in French.

The report highlights “an unequivocal finding: in Canada, as elsewhere, English has come to dominate scholarly communications.” It says, “To secure the future of research in French, it is not enough to produce that research; the research must also be made visible, discoverable and accessible.” It also states that “a coordinated and sustainable strategy is required for the Canadian scientific Francophonie to regain its vitality and place in the international dissemination of knowledge. Such a strategy would serve to address the three challenges—normative, financial, and organizational—[that were] identified” in the report.

The report notably underscores the challenges related to the funding of scholarly publishing and insufficient support available in Canada for the translation of research. Among other measures, it highly recommends increasing funding for the awards to scholarly publications program administered by the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Grants from the program have not increased for the past 20 years. It also recommends funding a national scholarly book translation program and establishing a scholarly publishing support program that includes grants specifically designed for university presses operating in minority-language contexts.

There is, as well, an identified need for dissemination platforms that bring together French-language scholarly publishers to improve content discoverability. Improving websites, metadata management and search engine visibility requires dedicated funding. Additionally, while open access is laudable and widely pursued, publishing business models still fundamentally depend on revenue generated through book sales.

Canadian scholarly publishers serve Canadian scholars in their reach of domestic and international audiences with exceptional world-class books that present the world with the best of Canadian scholarship. Our publishing programs are committed to the highest standards of peer-reviewed publication. We strive to maintain our place at the international forefront of technological development and adoption; however, technological developments are evolving at an exponential pace, creating an urgent need for funding, training and public policy support. The cost of producing scholarly books continues to increase year after year.

There is a lack of government funding specifically dedicated to scholarly book publishing. Given the significant financial challenges currently facing Canadian university presses, ACUP calls on the Government of Canada to move quickly to implement the recommendations of the external advisory panel.

The Association of Canadian Presses is the national voice of Canada's French- and English-language scholarly publishers. The association represents 18 members, three bilingual presses, four French-language presses and 11 English-language presses. ACUP promotes the exchange of ideas on scholarly publishing in Canada and serves as a vital source of publishing expertise and support for learned societies, post-secondary institutions, governments, researchers, the media and the public.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Mr. Larsen.

With that, we will now start our first round of questioning with six minutes each. We will begin with MP Baldinelli.

Please go ahead for six minutes.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

It's good to see all my colleagues. Hopefully everyone had a good summer.

Before we begin, Madam Chair, I want to convey our collective good wishes on this side, our sense of relief and, more importantly, our support to you and your family following what you had to endure this summer. We're very glad that you're here and that you and your family are safe and doing well. Also, by the way, congratulations on your son's wedding. Finally, we're glad that you're here and chairing this meeting today.

To begin, I'm going to go to our witnesses.

I'm going to go to Acfas, Mr. Maltais.

First of all, thanks to the analysts for preparing an excellent brief.

What you quickly realize after going through the brief is that a lot of reports have been prepared and recommendations made touching on the need to improve support for research and scientific research publications in French, including from this committee.

Acfas appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research in October 2022 as part of its study on the support for research and scientific publication in French. During this appearance, the president of Acfas stated this:

...there is a lack of confidence in the granting councils in Canada. There is also a lack of financing for scholarly journals, scientific activities in French and groups that provide leadership in these communities. And last, there is a lack of recognition.

Mr. Maltais, were you the president at the time? Was this your quote, or was that the quote of a predecessor of yours?

[Martin Maltais]

No, I fully stand by that quote.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

The reason I ask is simply that most of the members on this committee are new and did not participate in that study a few years ago. For our benefit, can you please explain why the president of Acfas lacked confidence in the granting councils in Canada at that time?

[Martin Maltais]

You're framing the question around the lack of confidence in the granting agencies. However, it must be understood that we have a very good relationship with these organizations.

However, what must be understood is that, across the country, the current issues go far beyond the mere idea of a linguistic or cultural struggle. The broader issue concerns the reality in Canada, where approximately 23% of the population is French-speaking, while the proportion of francophone scientists is well below 23%. In fact, it's currently below 21%, according to the latest analyses. This means that measures must be taken—in terms of the allocation of funds for scientific research—to prioritize scientific output in French and to increase the number of francophone scientific researchers in the country. This is a fundamentally economic issue that affects prosperity, particularly in the current context of strategic repositioning on the international stage.

Under the current structure, and given the discretion of research funding agencies, the Government of Canada must take steps to direct certain funds allocated to scientific research through guidelines that guarantee funding for research and scientific output in French exceeds 23% across all fields of scientific research. We're saying that this figure should be above 25% to gradually bring the target closer to 23% and generate benefits for the Canadian economy. Currently, scientific output in French in Canada falls short of this level.

So it's not just a cultural or linguistic issue. It's a fundamental issue for the country's economy and prosperity.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

Thank you for that.

In fact, I want to go back, because the report written and tabled by this committee three years ago touched on issues with the tri-agencies. Since that time, and with some of the concerns you've expressed right now, has the government taken steps to address some of those issues? Have those funding issues over that three-year period been addressed and addressed to your satisfaction?

[Sophie Montreuil]

May I continue, Mr. Chair?

[Martin Maltais]

Yes, if you want, go ahead.

[Sophie Montreuil]

The answer is yes, because the three granting agencies have officially committed to supporting Acfas and its French-language research assistance service. We signed an official agreement with NSERC last May, and we will sign official agreements with the other two agencies in the coming weeks. We have already been working closely with all three agencies for several years, ever since the SARF was created.

There is one other point I want to add to your background information. Since 2023, a significant game changer has occurred in Canada: the new Official Languages Act, which came into force in June 2023. You're familiar with the act, including part VII, which establishes new obligations for all federal government bodies, including granting agencies, of course. These bodies are now required to implement positive measures to counteract the decline in French-language research and, above all, to avoid implementing any negative measures.

Is this why the three agencies have accelerated the pace of change? That may well be, but we're seeing these changes in concrete terms.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

Thank you for that. That was going to be my follow-up question.

You mentioned that you had reached—

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

We have to move forward.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

I'll come back.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Yes, I'll come back to you.

Mr. Baldinelli, I really appreciate your support and concern. Thank you for the call you made that day. It was very heartwarming to see the love and support coming from all our colleagues. Thank you.

We will now proceed to MP Deschênes-Thériault for six minutes.

Please go ahead.

[Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

My first question is for the Acfas representatives.

The Service d'aide à la recherche en français, or SARF, which receives part of its funding from the federal government, has been under your responsibility since it was established.

I'd like to know how the SARF serves as a concrete tool for supporting research in French and, more broadly, how funding an initiative like the SARF actually helps ensure the viability of French within Canada's scientific research ecosystem.

[Sophie Montreuil]

I can start by answering the first question, and then you can continue, Mr. Maltais.

[Martin Maltais]

Go ahead, Ms. Montreuil, no problem.

[Sophie Montreuil]

That's kind of you.

On the issue of being a concrete tool, I'll go back to a few figures I mentioned in my speech.

The SARF was officially established on May 12, 2023.

It's been a little more than three years now.

This is a new and unheard of service. There's nothing like it anywhere else in Canada or abroad. However, I'll tell you where things stand three and a half years later, and you'll agree that things have happened very quickly. In our opinion, that's because it's meeting a need. Three years and a few months later, we have 19 partnership agreements signed with Canadian universities across the country, except in Quebec, because this service is not intended for Quebec universities. The majority of these universities are English-language: Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan and others. We have negotiated agreements to support francophone researchers at English-language universities. We have successfully entered into 19 agreements. This demonstrates that institutions are committed to supporting their French-language scientific communities and taking meaningful action.

I've cited a few figures, but I can provide further details. For example, 63 grant applications were reviewed by our small team before being submitted to the granting agencies, and they had a 30% success rate. We don't guarantee success. Obviously, that's the prerogative of the evaluation committees within the granting councils. However, we do guarantee to the partner university that their researchers are submitting quality applications in French.

[Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

So, if I understand correctly, this is a mechanism that truly supports research in French in English–language institutions across the country.

[Sophie Montreuil]

It does, in a very real and tangible way.

[Guillaume Deschênes-Thériault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

How do you see the existing SARF aligning with the other measures proposed in the report? I'm thinking in particular of the establishment of a secretariat.

In your remarks, you also mentioned a transitional budget allocation for the SARF.

Can you elaborate on those points, that is to say alignment and the transitional budget allocation, which you alluded to?