Thank you. I'm happy to answer questions in French or English on any issues on research and innovation, but I'll do my presentation in French.
Honourable members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak to you about the importance of research funding for our collective future. I am the president of the Association francophone pour le savoir, or ACFAS for short. Established in 1923, the ACFAS has more than 5,000 members across the country in every sector of research—primarily in colleges and universities, but also beyond that realm. We are the largest multidisciplinary association in the country and the largest in the Francophonie, representing all fields. From art history to quantum physics, researchers in all fields are welcome in our association.
Since 1923, the ACFAS has been working to help the public understand the importance of research and its impact on our lives. Does research affect our lives? The answer is simple. From the moment we get up in the morning to the moment we go to bed at night, every object we use and every way in which we do things was discovered or made better by researchers. The urgent need to support research becomes clearer when we think about cancer treatments, climate change, or major technological breakthroughs that lead to explosive economic development. Research entails all of those things, but also, much more.
We enjoy better and richer lives thanks to students and professors in multiple disciplines who are building and sharing new knowledge and identifying the challenges of tomorrow. How are we able to do something as simple as get a glass of drinking water, like the one here in front of me? Obviously, we just pour it from a pitcher and drink, but we are actually able to do that thanks to years of chemistry, biology, public health, and engineering research.
How are we able to devise stay-in-school strategies? It is possible thanks to years of research in the fields of psychology, psychoeducation, education, sociology, and economics.
How are we able to adapt society to accommodate our aging population? It is only through years of research in demography, anthropology, labour relations, social work, psychology, and medicine.
How are we able to identify computer hackers trying to influence the outcome of our elections? It is thanks to years of studying cybercrime and operations research.
I could go on for ages. The ways in which research affects our lives and raises our quality of life collectively are infinite or, at least, indeterminate—if I were in the presence of mathematicians, they would demand precision.
Beyond all that, though, research helps us to understand and enrich the human experience. How is our cultural heritage similar to or different than that of our neighbours? How do we define justice or equity? How do social media change the nature of our friendships and social interactions? From literature, art history and linguistics to communications, political science and law, research gives us the tools to not only live better lives, but also flourish as individuals and as a society.
What can we do, then, to better support research in the country? It is important to note that Canada lags behind the OECD average when it comes to investments in research and innovation. Canada invests approximately 1.6% of GDP in research and development, even though the OECD target is 3% of GDP, on average. Some countries, including South Korea and Israel, spend nearly 5% of GDP on research and development.
We need to take immediate action in order to maintain Canadians' quality of life in the coming years. The ACFAS endorses the key recommendation set out by the expert panel on Canada's Fundamental Science Review in the Naylor report. The panel recommended a substantial increase of $485 million, over four years, in the base funding provided to the three granting councils that award research funding to colleges and universities. The granting councils are the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The recommended increase also applies to the Canada Foundation for Innovation, which provides our researchers with the tools they need to make research and innovation breakthroughs. This funding increase would give us the resources to make up much of the ground we have lost. If the funding is to be effective, however, it must be distributed to the various councils and agencies in a diverse and balanced way, to encourage greater diversity in research and innovation.
In conclusion, I would remind you that it is thanks to thousands of brilliant minds working across the country that small miracles, like drinking this water, are possible. I know that, when I drink it, I will be fine because thousands of researchers have worked to bring us this safe drinking water, and that applies to every sector of society. My example illustrates something very important. Funding is a practical response to a philosophical question. How do we improve the lives of our fellow citizens? I am here today to tell you that the answer is simpler than you might think. Investment in research is the best way to improve all facets of life for all Canadians across the country. I urge you to support a major and immediate reinvestment in research, because it is research that enables us to build our future, not just endure it.
Thank you.