Science and Research committee  If we adequately supported graduate students through funding, grants and scholarships, we'd be able to alleviate a lot of the stress that comes hand in hand with housing and counselling, for example not having mental health support and access to that. Again, if students were funded properly, they'd have less financial stress and be able to afford the cost of living, such as rent, all the utilities that come along with that, and groceries.

Science and Research committee  I want to answer that question with statistics, so I will follow up with the committee clerk to ensure that you have the information needed.

Science and Research committee  It could be, so I will follow up with the committee clerk all that I can gather for you. Thank you.

Science and Research committee  Yes, you raised some great points. It's great to see an alumnus with us today. Students are not being paid appropriately, and not all students receive funding. I was very lucky to receive funding, but a lot of other students in my faculty do not, and I know a lot of other students across Canada do not have the funding.

Science and Research committee  Yes, students are under stress because our social supports here in Canada are underfunded. Specifically in my province, they are very underfunded. I'm in Newfoundland and Labrador, as mentioned earlier. The wait-lists, as well, are so high for students to get counselling, so that creates barriers—that there are not enough counsellors.

Science and Research committee  Yes, I am aware that there was no increase.

Science and Research committee  That's a great question. I'd be happy to elaborate. I think that it's important. Again, I really want to acknowledge that I am not an international student, but I am voicing the concerns that I have heard from international graduate students. I think they'd be able to increase the available grant and scholarship opportunities by making them available to all, not just to Canadian citizens or people who are permanent residents.

Science and Research committee  I definitely do. You raised some great points that need to be addressed, in my opinion. Students are working a lot of hours to try to make a living for themselves and to afford the cost of living, because inflation has made the cost of everything so high. These low wages that we're seeing in scholarships and grants are keeping these individuals in precarious financial positions that are preventing students from really dedicating their time and effort to their studies.

Science and Research committee  Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I come to you from Newfoundland and Labrador. The island of Newfoundland is the unceded traditional territory of the Beothuk and the Mi'kmaq, and we acknowledge Labrador as the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Innu of Nitassinan, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut and the Inuit of NunatuKavut.