Science and Research committee  Yes.

Science and Research committee  In fact, there are labs, but they are underfunded, and their facilities are insufficient. In addition, the staff who use them aren"t properly trained. This is particularly true in Nunavik. I don't really know what the situation is in Nunavut, but the fact remains that drinking water is a major problem for northern communities.

Science and Research committee  There are indeed PFAS. There are now rare earth mines and nickel mines, which can release radioactive elements. So we need labs that are much better equipped and staff who are better trained to analyze water.

Science and Research committee  Absolutely.

Science and Research committee  Right. Having instruments is one thing, but using them properly and optimally is another.

Science and Research committee  That's a great question. It takes a long time to build up a research tradition. Training doesn't happen overnight. A great deal of effort has been invested in the creation of the Nunavik Research Centre and other centres such as the Aurora Research Institute and the Yukon Research Centre.

Science and Research committee  That's a great question. Shoreline erosion is also impacting towns as small as Tuktoyaktuk. It's critical for the people who live there. When we talk about climate change, we often talk about warming, but also about losing biodiversity. However, every time we lose biodiversity, we lose chemodiversity.

Science and Research committee  Absolutely. There are tons of data; it's sent out everywhere. The primary goal should be to work together. Financial support should make it possible to put all the data together, digest it and make it available to the communities, but also work with them to show them our results and explain that they too can play a role in finding solutions.

Science and Research committee  It would take me two hours again to answer you. We're very familiar with climate change. If you read Warwick Vincent's review, you will understand that these changes are not just happening in the Arctic. The current changes happening there are having an impact in the south, much more than people think.

Science and Research committee  What we don't have and need most is stable funding. We're having trouble maintaining and upgrading our stations, and sharing our data. A trip to the north to co-build can cost $15,000 to $30,000. The organizations' current research grants are not adapted to that.

Science and Research committee  That's a great question. It could take two hours to answer it, but I'll try to do it quickly. We've already talked a lot about coordination and funding, among other things. What we need but don't have in Canada is a clear long-term strategy. The key word is “continuity”. Money is often invested in one-off activities.

Science and Research committee  Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members of the committee. Thank you for giving me a few minutes to talk to you about the challenges facing the people of Canada's north in terms of science and research. My name is Normand Voyer. I'm a chemist and a full professor at Université Laval.