Thank you for your question.
I'd like to point out that funding for post-secondary education is a provincial responsibility but that much of research funding is federal. I'm referring here to research grants that are the domain of the federal government and the federal granting councils.
I'm aware that tough decisions have to be made. That's why we're talking about research and innovation because, in the long run, they contribute to the country's capacity for innovation and thus to our economy. Ultimately, when we support our researchers properly, they're able to create private sector businesses and non-profit organizations.
We know that researchers used to stay in the academic sector, but that's no longer the case. Once they complete their doctorates, researchers can establish organizations or private companies, for example. That would be a major boost to the country's economy.