Mr. Speaker, I listened to the higher education part of the member's remarks with great interest, but I lost interest toward the end when he moved away from that.
I have great sympathy with his comment about his province being the cradle of higher education, and conceivably even of education in Canada. I understand exactly what he means. The role of the tiny yet high quality universities in the maritimes has been extraordinary. I am a great believer in cradle to grave education. I would ask the member, although it is not my main question: If he knows where the cradle of education is in Canada, in what region is the grave of education in Canada?
While I understood what he meant I became less sympathetic when he was talking about the role of the government in higher education. He did not mention the extraordinary increases in funding to granting councils, which provide money for research. For example, the old medical research council which funded most of the medical research has been changed. Its name has changed but, more significant, its budget having been increased for a number of years was doubled last year. The increases in the other councils were not that large but they were very large. He also did not mention the millennium scholarships or the Canada foundation for innovation, which has helped Acadia and other institutions with brand new money.
I would like to ask the member opposite about a couple of things which help small universities. One is the network of centres of excellence which has funded and refunded and is still being funded by the government for research across the country. What would his comments be on that?
I would also like to hear his comments on the point I made to the previous speaker that the Canada foundation for innovation extended some research moneys to community colleges, I know there are many of those in the maritime provinces.