Evidence of meeting #43 for Science and Research in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Executive Director, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir
First of all, there aren't 19 agreements with French-language universities.
Conservative
Executive Director, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir
There are 19 agreements with Canadian universities outside of Quebec, most of which are anglophone institutions. I think it's 11 plus eight.
I'm trying to organize my response.
Second, the mission of the Service d'aide à la recherche en français, the French-language research support service, is not to guarantee the success of a submitted application. That is the prerogative of the evaluation committees, and it depends, in particular, on discipline-specific requirements. The SARF's role is to enable a professor at an English-language institution who wants to carry out a project in French to submit their application in French, so they don't have to write it in English and then translate it, which would take twice as long.
The SARF is a team of three people. When we started, there was just one person. Our numbers are growing.
Is this a small number of applications compared to the total number of applications submitted to the three councils? Without a doubt, that is the case. I don't even have the exact figure. However, what we need to realize is that each of these applications would likely never have been submitted without the SARF.
Conservative
President, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir
If I may, I would like to give a simple answer to your question. When we say that the success rate is 30% for grant applications drafted by the SARF or for which the SARF has provided support, it is important to understand that the success rate with funding bodies is always below 30% across all universities in the country. One in five or one in six applications is funded.
President, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir
So, when we say we're reaching 30%, that's actually higher than what's found elsewhere.
President, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir
We are twice as successful as others in other contexts.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
That's fine. The aim was not to criticize your support service. It was much more a question of examining the eligibility criteria.
Is there a favourable assessment when applications are submitted in French?
Executive Director, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir
To answer the question briefly, I would say that the assessment committees are not unilingual. The committees assess grant applications in both English and French that relate to the relevant academic discipline, of course. This requires bilingualism on the part of the members of the assessment committee, because understanding a 25-page grant application is not the same as reading a newspaper article. Is the level of bilingualism always up to scratch? It is a question worth asking.
The problem has been observed across all three councils, and it is their responsibility to remedy it.
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
It is important to understand that…
I'll let you have a quick word, Mr. Maltais.
President, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir
The simplest solution to the question you are raising is that funding should be allocated to French-language applications within granting councils, in addition to an obligation. When we say 25%—
Conservative
President, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir
No, but if you want to achieve a growth target, that's the one. The other route—
Conservative
Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I understand.
Mr. Maltais, there may be another way: Perhaps we should prioritize French. If the government has the will and the intention to promote both official languages, including French, which is the most vulnerable, there may be a way to change the criteria to ensure we are more effective, as there is some catching up to do. However, I do not sense this in the process.
Can you confirm that for me?
Executive Director, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir
The report recommends a budget of $40 million, split into two amounts—$30 million and $10 million—for specific programs. Earlier, we spoke about students in particular. That needs to be done. If it isn't done, the system in its current state—which has been built up over several years, or even decades—will not be able to meet demand.
I don't think there is any ill will. A dedicated budget will solve a large part of the problem.
Conservative
Conservative
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I'll begin with Ms. Montreuil.
I have noted with interest that an increasing number of French-speaking researchers are working at English-language institutions, such as the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University. This is of particular interest to me, as I am from British Columbia. Furthermore, the quality of their research is exceptional, which comes as no surprise.
Despite this, I am struck by the preference given to English, and, even more significantly, by the fact that publishing in English is seen as a greater mark of excellence than publishing in French.
In your view, what explains this situation, and how can it be remedied?
Executive Director, Acfas – Association francophone pour le savoir
How much time are you giving me?
Liberal
Taleeb Noormohamed Liberal Vancouver Granville, BC
I have four minutes, but you may take one minute to answer the question.
