The CSEE Council is alarmed by recent Federal initiatives that do not fully appreciate that a vibrant economy and healthy population depend critically on the generation of knowledge and the education of future scientists. Council has, and will continue, to advocate our position to government, and to collaborate with other organizations concerned about science funding and government science policy. Our advocacy activities include the following:

* A letter to Prime Minister Harper from CSEE President Doug Morris responding to the January 2009 budget.

* A letter to Prime Minister Harper from CSEE President Doug Morris (January 2008). This letter documented the serious funding shortfalls in NSERC Discovery Grants in the broad areas of ecology, evolution, and environment, and called for an immediate increase in funding for the Discovery Grants Program. The letter was copied to all Federal party leaders, to the Ministers of Finance and Industry, and to the President of NSERC.

* A brief to the Senate committee on social affairs, science, and technology through our association with PAGSE (Partnership Group for Science and Engineering, January 2008).

* Face-to-face meetings with Dr. Suzanne Fortier, President of NSERC, and Ms. Isabelle Blain, Vice-President, Research Grants and Scholarships, and with NSERC team leaders and program officers (November 2007). These follow similar meetings with Ms. Blain and NSERC officials in autumn 2006.

* A statement on the teaching of creationism as science by Graham Bell (October 2007).

* Letters in support of basic research to NSERC's review panels (Solicited submission to the International Review panel of the Discovery Grants Program; Solicited submission to the Grant Selection Committee (GSC) Structure Review panel) (September 2007).

* A letter to Dr. Fortier stressing the funding crisis felt by ecology and evolution (March 2007).

Council will continue to press government for increased support of fundamental research, graduate students, and the Discovery Grants Program at NSERC. We urge all members of the CSEE to champion the pursuit of knowledge and to inform their Members of Parliament, students, colleagues, and administrators that Federal funding allocations are not being directed effectively to advance knowledge and understanding.

A brief summary of the February 2008 budget impact on science and universities is available on the Canadian Federation of Biological Societies’ website. This document, and a similar one posted with it from the Canadian Consortium for Research, notes that funding of basic research must be increased if Canada is to meet the objectives of the Government’s innovation strategy. These statements echo the recommendation to Prime Minister Harper that, to begin redressing recent shortfalls, the Government must invest an additional $15 million dollars annually in the Discovery Grants Program.

CSEE Council