For early-career researchers, we have some efforts with the tri-agencies around USRAs, which are the undergraduate research stipend awards that they give for undergraduates. We also have some with post-docs. For example, I'm pleased to see that post-doctoral fellows can now at least get mat leave. They didn't in the past. More needs to be done to include racialized persons in the research programs. I know there's push-back against the Canada research chairs program and CFREF, both of which incorporate equity, diversity and inclusion.
I've researched those for 20 years, and I will say to you, one of the things that impresses me most about Canada is that we have made an effort to ensure we have equitably distributed those research chairs across equity-deserving groups. Persons with disabilities remain chronically under-represented; I should say that.
By having that diversity among research chairs, it highlights the intersection between diversity, excellence and quality that's a hallmark of the Canadian research ecosystem. I want to say that again. It's a hallmark of the Canadian research ecosystem. It's something we should be proud of—that we are trying to be as inclusive as possible compared with many other places in the world.
That said, I think those we leave out highlight why we have a gap in productivity and innovation, because there are too many racialized people who are engineers driving cabs, who are doctors as lab technicians, and who are underemployed and underskilled. They could be contributing to our research ecosystem if their credentials were recognized, which is a big issue for us, and if they were properly paid commensurate with their education. I'm sure Stats Canada will tell you the 2021 census data shows that racialized minorities are over-educated compared with the average but are still underpaid and underemployed. The big thing is—