Science and Research Committee on Oct. 1st, 2025

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

My first question is for Ms. Thompson.

What are your thoughts on DEI in the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council?

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

Rather than provide my personal thoughts, I'll provide you with some information about how we implement the policies and the practices.

As others have stated, we do consider having a wide variety of perspectives brought to the table and consider the strengthening of science through the consideration of EDI in research design. To give a very quick example, there have been studies, for instance—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Was this brought forth by the government? Was this an initiative the government asked you to implement in your research council?

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

The priorities were identified by the government, yes.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

The priorities...by the government, and then you were asked to carry it out. Okay.

You said that a variety of perspectives is part of the mandate. Do you agree that diversity of viewpoints is important, then?

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

I won't state if I personally agree with it, but certainly our organization is carrying out the policies.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Right. Therefore, it falls under the gambit of what you described as a variety of perspectives.

There was a study that was done, which was submitted as part of this study, and it states that 88% of all Canadian faculty in universities are left-leaning and that 12% are right-leaning. Do you see an issue with that?

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

I won't comment on that personally.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Okay, but you just said that you want to promote diversity of viewpoints—

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

We do, so—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

—or a diversity of perspectives.

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

Sure. I'm not a researcher myself, but there is evidence that considerations of EDI in science result in stronger science, and we've heard about usability of science and why that's important.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Do you think that if there was more representation of right-leaning views—it wasn't 12%; it was a little higher than 12%—it would make the research better, then?

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

I can't comment on that. As other colleagues have said—

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

You just said that you want more diversity, and now you're saying you can't comment on having more diversity—

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

I can't provide my personal opinion on it.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Okay. What does your organization think if a viewpoint—

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

As colleagues have mentioned—

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

All questions should be directed through the chair. Let's have one person at a time, please. Otherwise, it becomes a problem for the interpreters.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

I'll rephrase the question. If there were more right-leaning views, do you think that would meet the stated objectives of your organization?

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

It's always about the merit of the application and the excellence of the proposal.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

It's all about merit, but then you said that a diversity of viewpoints matters too. How do you reconcile that?

[Anne-Marie Thompson]

A diversity of viewpoints matters in the research design and the usability of the science outcomes.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Okay. I think we're hitting a wall here.

My next question is for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. I'm looking at some of the funding of some of the research examples. All of this research is funded by taxpayers. All of these positions are funded by taxpayers. Indirectly, it's accountable to the Canadian taxpayer. I'm seeing here $75,000 for a research project entitled “Text Complexity of German Children's Books”.

How does that give value to taxpayers in Canada? When we're facing an inflation crisis, a cost of living crisis and a border crisis, it's money that could be redirected to.... How do we explain to Canadian taxpayers that it is money well spent?

[Ted Hewitt]

As you said, it's public money. It's taxpayer money. Within Canada there's a diversity of viewpoints and a variety of interests. As a federal agency, we look to fund those interests—