I believe the main reason for the imbalance is the funding model.
The university environment certainly focuses on excellence, and no one can challenge that excellence is essential in higher education.
However, excellence alone is not always enough. A critical mass of high-level researchers who can conduct their research in their respective languages is also essential.
It is therefore a dual issue. When 74% of Canadian government research grants go to 15 universities attended by barely half the country's students, the other half are condemned to lesser infrastructures and capacities.
And it's the regions, and the small and medium-sized universities in Canada that are often affected, which constitutes a major problem. You can't just say that people will always head for the major centres to continue their education. A quality and comparable university experience is needed across the country.
Not only that, but the situation is even more skewed in French-language universities. When you realize that of these 15 universities, two are French-language institutions and happen to be more successful in educating master's and doctoral students than the 13 English-language universities—which receive approximately 60% of Canadian government research grants—the language problem stands out.
Once it is acknowledged that the French language is linguistically disadvantaged, then it's impossible to simply address one aspect at a time.
Action that will have a positive impact on Quebec and on all francophone communities in Canada is needed.
Allow me to repeat that the issue is to create more collective economic wealth. Concentrating resources will not achieve the best outcomes. Excellence can only take you so far.
At a certain point, if all the money goes into the same pot, growth becomes impossible. What's needed is excellence surrounded by a critical mass of talent and skill. That's the key.