In recent years, we've seen the opposite occurring—the granting councils are moving away from positive measures.
In the early 2010s, a CIHR program for researchers in francophone minority communities was cancelled. It took about a decade before any semblance of an equivalent measure was established within CIHRs. Moreover, programs at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council have been phased out over time.
In the wake of the review of the Official Languages Act and the Action Plan for Official Languages, we feel we should ask that the granting councils bring back the positive measures. This would help ensure stable and fair funding of research in French, not to mention the applied research done at colleges. The programs are tailored for this type of research. It's not the same as university research.
Beyond the granting councils, we also call on other federal agencies. There's a need for evidence in all francophone minority communities and within federal agencies. Federal agencies must take positive measures to support community development. Without this evidence, the communities cannot make sufficiently specific requests, and government organizations are not properly equipped to make appropriate decisions.