Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'm going to address you in French, the language of the minority, one of the two official languages of this country, and the language of my nation. I'm proud to speak to you in French before this important committee.
The science community was paying careful attention to the government on Tuesday when it released the 2023 budget, which I have looked at. I have it in front of me where, on page 126 of chapter 3, , it talks about modernizing Canada's research ecosystem. I went looking for various numbers—I even had to put on my glasses which, as you know, I take pride in wearing—and noticed that the budget did not mention any investment in science, Mr. Chair. Actually, there is a number, and I'll tell you what it is: zero. What makes this number amazing is the fact that you can turn it upside down and it's still zero. It's a bit like this government; you can look at it from every angle but the end result is always zero.
There are zero dollars, Mr. Chair to support Canada's science ecosystem, despite the recommendations that were made to the government in the report it commissioned, called the "Report of the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System". Oddly, it was released on March 20, just a few days before the budget, just late enough to make sure there wouldn't be enough time to include its recommendations.
I'm going to tell you about the first recommendation, which was discussed by Mr. Gaffield, who is with us today. It would involve an increase of at least ten percent annually for five years to the granting councils' total base budgets.
Mr. Chair, zero plus zero is still zero. This government did not deem it appropriate to set a priority on recommendations from its own report.
The past speaks to the future: these recommendations had previously been made in the 2017 Naylor report. That was six years ago. I have a great deal of respect for the people on this committee and for the experts who gave testimony, but when the government doesn't pay attention to what is already known, it's difficult to say something new. It's hard to think of anything else.
Mr. Chair, I'd like to address this subject concretely, but I felt that this preamble would be helpful to those watching us, because the future and the development of our scientific communities depend on it.
My first questions will be for Mr. Gaffield.
Mr. Gaffield, it's a pleasure to see you again today. I'm going to read the motion I introduced to the committee today. To reassure my colleagues, my purpose is not to debate it, but simply to hear your expert opinion as representatives of universities and the U15 network. Here it is:
That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(i), the committee invite the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry to testify about the 2023‑2024 federal budget, at the latest on Thursday, April 27, 2023, and for one hour.
Mr. Gaffield, what do you think of the idea of asking Mr. Champagne, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, to come here before the committee to explain why the government has completely failed to invest in research?