Mr. Speaker, the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada and the researchers it supports play a special role in our nation.
Today we speak of the global village, a concept created by Marshall McLuhan, a great Canadian. When discussing links between demography and society we commonly refer to the boom, bust and echo generations, concepts created by David Foot of the University of Toronto.
The work of these Canadians and of more than 18,000 Canadian researchers who work in the humanities and social sciences is a precious national treasure.
Their research advances our understanding of the histories, attitudes and values shaping human behaviour. It allows individuals, communities and organizations to better understand the major social and cultural transformations affecting them. It enables us to know ourselves.
The tragic events in the U.S. illustrated the essential contribution of the humanities and social sciences. We cannot go a day without the media quoting expert researchers in the fields of culture, religion, international relations or psychology. Let us support the humanities and social sciences.