Investing in science will create new jobs and build a greener, more competitive, more innovative, more inclusive, and more resilient Canada.
Read our main recommendations here:
Category: Advocacy
2023 CAN Parliament Hill Day
CAN held its second in-person Parliament Hill Day in Otttawa on November 7, 2023. This presented an exceptional opportunity for a team of CAN advocates to meet face-to-face or virtually with members of Parliament, Senators, Parliamentary staff members and important senior civil servants to advocate for a increased support for the major federal funding agencies in Canada (Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and graduate student and postdoctoral fellowships and for making research on Brain and Mental Health a national priority. Continue reading
ThinkSci Outreach Program wins a CAN Advocacy Award
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience is proud to announce its support of the ThinkSci Outreach Program with a 2023 CAN Advocacy and Outreach award.
The “ThinkSci Outreach Program” is a workshop-based initiative organized and led by undergraduate and graduate students, with the goal of immersing high school seniors and 1st year CÉGEP students into the world of neurophysiology. Its long term goal is to reach local, regional and national underrepresented student communities in Canada. Continue reading
Investing in science will benefit all Canadians.
CAN is sharing with you the brief we have submitted to the House of Commons Finance (FINA), which is currently holding its consultations in advance of federal budget 2024. – our three recommendations are
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience recommends the following:
Recommendation 1: That the government double the budgets of the three main federal funding agencies: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for the benefit of all Canadians. This recommendation aims to bring Canadian investment in scientific research to a level commensurate to that of other G7 countries.
Recommendation 2: That the government of Canada double support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows by increasing both the value and number of fellowships awarded in the next budget. In conjunction with Recommendation 1, this recommendation will ensure our next generation of scientists have the means to participate fully in Canada’s knowledge economy.
Recommendation 3: That the government of Canada make research on the Brain and Mental Health a national priority by investing in research to understand the brain through well-established and trusted organizations in the field.
Read our full submission for the FINA pre-budget submission here: Continue reading
Brief submitted to study on Government of Canada’s Graduate Scholarship and Post-Doctoral Fellowship Programs
Read the brief submitted by the Canadian Association for Neuroscience to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research study on “Government of Canada’s Graduate Scholarship and Post-Doctoral Fellowship Programs”.
Canada needs to stop the brain drain
Advocacy opportunities – June 2023
Please find below several opportunities to provide written submissions to various studies being undertaken at Committee’s in the House of Commons. Providing a written submission to a study is a great opportunity to build awareness for the important work you are doing, and the need for the government to continue investing in science and research. Submissions should be no more than 2,000 words, including footnotes, graphs, and images. While CAN provides written submissions on behalf of the organization to many of these studies, individual scientists and researchers are welcome to do the same. Continue reading
CAN-ACN’s response to the 2023 budget
Response to the budget tabled March 28, 2023
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience joins its voice to the rest of the scientific community in expressing disappointment in the lack of support for science, research, and students in Budget 2023.
There are some questions left unanswered following this budget:
How can the government fail to recognize that fundamental research drives innovation and economic growth?
Two Members of Parliament visit the Trudeau lab at Université de Montréal
Dr. Louis-Eric Trudeau, neuroscientist at the Université de Montréal and his research team hosted on April 4 two federal MPs, M. Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Québécois, and M. Maxime Joncas-Blanchette MP for the Rimouski region and in charge of science issues at the Bloc. The goal was to discuss the funding of neuroscience and biomedical research in Quebec and in Canada and also the challenges of sharing research discoveries in French. Both expressed strong support for increased federal funding for research.
Lab visits are a great way to engage with elected officials and promote science in Canada – Congratulations Dr. Trudeau!
CAN submits a brief to the House of Commons permanent committee on Science and Research on “International Moonshot Programs”
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience joined its voice to a large coalition of Canadian stakeholders calling for the Canadian government to invest in a Canadian Brain Research Initiative, to make Brain and Mental Health Research a National Priority in Canada.
Read our brief, along with those of many other stakeholders, on the House of Commons website
https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/SRSR/StudyActivity?studyActivityId=11835988
Read CAN’s submission to the Minister of Finance pre-budget consultations
CAN made the following recommendations to the recent consultations on budget 2023 by the Minister of Finances:
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience recommends the following:
Recommendation 1: That the government of Canada increase investments in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for the benefit of all Canadians. We urge the government to adopt a four-year plan to double the budgets of the three main federal funding agencies (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) starting with a 25% increase in the next budget. This recommendation aims to bring Canadian investment in scientific research to a level commensurate to that of other G7 countries.
Recommendation 2: That the government of Canada increase its support for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows by 50% for graduate scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships to increase both value and number awarded in the next budget. In conjunction with recommendation 1, this recommendation will ensure our next generation of scientists have the means to participate fully in Canada’s knowledge economy.
Recommendation 3: That the government of Canada make research on the Brain and Mental Health a national priority by investing in research to understand the brain through well-established and trusted organizations in the field.