Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank the committee for having me here.
I'm the director of graduate studies and student success at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique. INRS is an academic institution dedicated exclusively to research and graduate training. It's one of the 10 institutions that make up the Université du Québec network.
I'm speaking to the committee today in my capacity as president of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies, a national association that promotes excellence in graduate education and research. Our members include more than 60 Canadian universities and research institutes, as well as many stakeholders with an interest in graduate education.
The association recognizes that the federal government's significant investments in the university research ecosystem, past and present, have contributed significantly to the development of a research culture in Canada. However, the association continues to advocate that the three granting councils obtain the means from the federal government to increase the value of excellence awards and research grants. I must say that the members of the association were expecting a substantial increase in graduate and post-doctoral fellowships and research funding. They were therefore extremely disappointed by the 2023 federal budget and the lack of investment in Canada's university research ecosystem.
Despite numerous calls for action from researchers and student coalitions over the past few years, and against the recommendations of its own advisory committee on the federal research support system, the Government of Canada has decided to ignore Canadian graduate students, post-doctoral researchers and the broader higher education community in its 2023 budget. Federal funding for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows has been stagnant for almost 20 years. Indeed, since 2003, there has been virtually no increase in the value of master's or doctoral scholarships. Due to inflation, tuition increases, and cost-of-living increases, the current value of scholarships is at or below the national poverty line set by the federal government. The result is therefore damning, as under this system, we are keeping 3,000 of the nation's most talented young scholars below the poverty line.
A comprehensive 2016 study by the University of Montreal found that financial insecurity contributed to alarming rates of mental health problems among university students, from mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction, and an increase in chronic illness and suicide.
In order to address the significant problems associated with research funding in Canada, the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies recommends increasing the number of graduate student awards, significantly increasing the value of research excellence awards and, finally, significantly increasing the value of research grants. This last recommendation would allow faculty to increase the support they provide to students from their grants.
In conclusion, the members of the association remain convinced of the importance of graduate studies to better understand and solve the complex problems facing all Canadians. The availability of high-quality researchers and young scientists is particularly important to the fair, equitable and sustainable development of the country. To achieve this, it is essential that graduate students, post-doctoral researchers and the scientific leaders of tomorrow are supported in a decent manner.
I would like to conclude my remarks by quoting the Honourable François‑Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, in October 2022, in response to petition e‑4098, which was tabled in the House of Commons and dealt with funding for higher education:
The Government of Canada also recognizes the importance of investing in post-secondary research, and the critical role that federal scholarships and fellowships play in nurturing and sustaining Canada's top talent through support for career progression and increased financial security and independence.
Today, I want to say to the minister and to the members of the committee that we agree with the minister, but now is the time to act.