Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives continue to cut funding for science, people will not choose to stay.
The numbers speak volumes, and I would like to share some with the House. We know that investment in research and development in Canada amounted to 1.92% of our gross domestic product in 2009. That is almost one whole percentage point lower than the United States' total investment in research and development. It is also lower than the OECD average, which is 2.33%.
It is therefore clear that the Conservative government has nothing to be proud of when it comes to its record on research and development. Clearly, if the Conservative government continues to cut funding for science and basic research, Canadian scientists will continue to leave.