CAN was pleased to participate in SfN’s advocacy reception, on October 22, 2019, in Chicago, during SfN’s annual meeting. View our poster here:
Category: Advocacy
Poster-CAN-Advocacy-sfn19Science should be an election issue – read our Op-Ed in Le Devoir
Read an Op-Ed signed by the Presidents of CAN, Katalin Toth, and of the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences, Tarik Moroy, this morning in Le Devoir. Scientific research is important for all Canadians – it is how Canada can face the issues and challenges we face today. Political leaders should commit to supporting science today.
Read our op-ed here (in French):
https://www.ledevoir.com/opinion/idees/564375/la-science-n-est-pas-un-enjeu-electoral-mais-elle-devrait-l-etre
The Liberal Party answers CAN’s questions about science support
We have received a response from the Liberal Party of Canada to our five questions about science support.
- Is your Party committed to fully implementing the report of the Fundamental Science Review (Naylor report) with additional financial investment into open competitions to maintain Canada as a forefront leader in research innovation and research discoveries?
Our Liberal government believes in evidence-based policy and in science and in the Canadians behind the next big ideas. After a decade of setbacks and cuts to science under the Harper Conservatives, our government is rebuilding Canadian research and supporting our country’s greatest minds. We unmuzzled our scientists, brought back the long-form census, and re-instated the position of the Chief Science Advisor. Continue reading
Green party responds to our questions for candidates in advance of the federal election
Last July, CAN sent five questions to the Liberal, Conservative, NPD and Green party in advance of the upcoming federal elections, which we have summarized below. Read our full questions, with context, here.
The Green Party of Canada responded first. The questions were submitted to Mrs. Amita Kuttner, Shadow Minister of Science and Innovation for the Green Party of Canada – her response is copied here: Continue reading
Invitation to join the #VoteScience Campaign
CAN is proud to support the #VoteScience campaign, and invites all scientists to participate!
#VoteScience
Advocating for Science in the Canadian Federal Election
Science doesn’t usually get a lot of attention during elections, and we think that needs to change. We need your help to send a message that Canadians care about science.
Learn how to get involved on the votescience.ca website
Questions for candidates in advance of the federal election
July 2019
Read the questions we have sent to the four main parties in advance of the upcoming federal elections: Continue reading
Advocacy Training: Be an effective advocate for science: Be involved & Tell your story
SfN and CAN join forces to bring you advocacy training that explains:
- Why advocacy matters
- How you can make an impact
- How informing lawmakers can advance neuroscience priorities
- How the Canadian budget process works
- How SfN and CAN can be your resource
- How to plan a #neuroadvocate activity
Speakers:
Michael Heintz, Director of Advocacy & Training at Society for Neuroscience
Melanie Woodin, Chair of the CAN advocacy committee
Julie Poupart, CAN Advocacy Officer
(you are free to use / reuse this content – please acknowledge the Society for Neuroscience and the Canadian Association for Neuroscience if you do).
Other CAN-ACN Resources
2018 Advocacy archives
CAN participation in the advocacy reception at SfN18
CAN President Jaideep Bains was invited to present CAN Advocacy efforts at the advocacy reception at SfN18 in San Diego, California.
CAN advocacy officer Julie Poupart presented a poster on Neuroscience advocacy strategies in Canada. View the poster here:
Opportunities to participate in #yourbudget2019 consultations of the the FINA committee of the House of Commons.
The permanent committee on Finances of the House of Commons of Canada have announced dates of the in-person consultations in advance of Budget 2019.
These are great opportunities to highlight the importance of increased funding for health research in Canada, and supporting the next generation of scientists.
The first is in Ottawa, Sept 26th at 6:45. Details here.
Other dates include
- 1 October: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
- 2 October: Saint John, New Brunswick
- 3 October: Québec City, Quebec
- 4 October: Oshawa, Ontario
- 5 October: Toronto, Ontario
- 15 October: Whitehorse, Yukon
- 16 October: Victoria, British Columbia
- 17 October: Edmonton, Alberta
- 18 October: Winnipeg, Manitoba.
http://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/FINA/news-release/10008777
Exact locations and hours are posted on the FINA committee website a few days in advance.
http://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/FINA
2018-08-03: Read CAN-ACN’s submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance for the consultations in advance of budget 2019, calling for increased investment in the three main granting councils of Canada and in the next generation of Canadian scientists.
https://can-acn.org/documents/2018/CAN-FINA-submission-final-20180803.pdf
SfN feature on CAN advocacy
Read an article in SfN’s Neuroscience Quarterly on CAN’s advocacy efforts: http://www.sfn.org/news-and-calendar/neuroscience-quarterly/summer-2018/can
Science Policy Session at CAN2018 in Vancouver
https://can-acn.org/science-policy-session
Response to budget 2018
Read our response to budget 2018 here:
https://can-acn.org/budget2018
Read our letter to Ministers Duncan, Morneau and Trudeau here:
https://can-acn.org/documents/2018/CAN-budget2018-thankyou-final.pdf
Read our thank you letter to our members:
Thank you to CAN members and colleagues
Participate in online budget consultations launched by the Finance Minister
https://www.budget.gc.ca/2019/prebudget-prebudgetaire/index-en.html
Deadline is Jan 29th, 2019
2017 Advocacy archives
Release of the Report of the Standing Committee on Finances (FINA)
Use this link to view the report of the FINA committee, released after the budget consultations of the Fall 2017.
http://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/FINA/report-21/
Recommendation 50
Use the Fundamental Science Review (the Naylor Report) as a framework for long-term support of science and research. In particular, the government should invest in investigator-led research, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, applied sciences research institutions, as well as in agricultural research. The government should also expand access to the Canadian Graduate Scholarship program.
Call to action: Budget 2018
Read our latest Call to action to encourage increases tri-council investments in Budget 2018:
Budget 2018
The Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau, has launched a new consultation for the 2018 budget, which is currently being drafted. We encourage you strongly to participate in this initiative, to convince the government that science funding can’t wait.
Consultation website:
read more about how to give your input on Budget 2018….
Read our latest advocacy reports
CAN-Advocacy-Report-SfN-2017-09_final
CAN-Final-Advocacy-Report-SfN-2016-2017-FINAL-2
#SupportTheReport
Visit the SupportTheReport.ca website to find resources and calls to action to support the implementation of the Naylor Report.
CAN participates in Canada’s Standing Committee on Finance pre-budget consultations
CAN representatives and members participated in the pre-budget consultations of Canada’s Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) in Montreal and Toronto on October 18th and 20th 2017.
CAN advocacy officer Jason Tetro, CAN member Melanie Woodin, and CAN Chief Operating Officer Julie Poupart all made statements to the committee, which can be viewed here: CAN participates in Canada’s Standing Committee on Finance pre-budget consultations
Canada’s Fundamental Science Review
Have you read the Naylor report yet? It is available on the sciencereview.ca website. We will work, with partners, to ensure it is implemented in policy.
#SummerOfScienceCAN
A step-by-step guide for researchers connecting with Members of Parliament, by the Association of Canadian Early Career Health Researchers
Read it here: http://www.acechr.ca/summerofsciencecan.html
Plan a visit to your MP to talk to them about the importance of implementing the Naylor report.
Canada-wide Brain Research Strategy Development
Canada needs a national brain research strategy, which could be implemented with additional government funding, in order to drive transformative outcomes in neurological and mental health for Canadians.
A presentation of the Canadian Brain Research Strategy (CBRS) was made at CAN2017 by Lynn Raymond and Yves DeKoninck, partnered with presentations from the Neurological Health Charities Canada (NHCC), the Canadian College of Neuropyschopharmacology (CCNP), and Brain Canada.
View the CBRS fact sheet here (PDF)
We are seeking feedback from the community on this proposal.
The CBRS website has been launched: http://www.canadianbrain.ca/
View the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/canadianbrain
March for Science, April 22 2017
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience is proud to endorse the March for Science, which is a call to support and safeguard the scientific community, and to reaffirm that science is a non-partisan, fact based endeavour that benefits the whole of humanity. (read our full statement here: March for Science, April 22 2017 )
CAN Presenting Canadian Neuroscience to MPs in Ottawa in February 2017!
CAN participated in a Neuroscience luncheon, organised with Research Canada for the Health research caucus on Parliament Hill on February 13th 2017. During this event, Beverley Orser and Charles Bourque delivered lectures to showcase great examples of how investment in basic research can and does lead to improved treatment strategies.
View a short report about the event here (with link to pictures)
View the event flyer: Neuroscience Research in Canada luncheon. Sponsorship opportunities are available for this event – reach out to us if your institution would like to participate.
If you would like to inform your Member of Parliament about our event, you can
Use this tool to find your MP.
Read our statement from January 31st 2017:
Science as a uniting global force: A statement by the Canadian Association for Neuroscience
Letter from January 4th 2017
Dear CAN Members,
The federal budget for 2017 is being finalized right now. We encourage you to send an email to Prime Minister Trudeau and Finance Minister Bill Morneau to urge them to increase the CIHR budget. As you know, Project Grants are expected to have a 7-8% success rate unless the CIHR budget is significantly increased by the current government. It is very important to let the government know about the dire situation our labs are facing. These emails do matter! Please, send your letter and encourage your colleagues to do the same.
You can use this model letter that you can modify and send.
Please, send your email to these addresses:
Prime Minister’s) email:
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau
justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members/Justin-Trudeau(58733)
Finance minister’s email
The Honourable William Francis Morneau
Bill.Morneau@parl.gc.ca
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members/Bill-Morneau(88992)
Please also consider signing the petition launched by the Canadian Society of Molecular Biosciences:
The double-double: Investment in scientific excellence and job creation
After the important investments into infrastructure and equipment we now encourage the federal government to take the third and most important next step: enable our researchers to use their equipment and facilities by providing them with the necessary operating funds. On behalf of Canadian scientists, we request a doubling of the budgets for open operating grants of CIHR and NSERC by the end of the first mandate of the Liberal government.
View the petition on the CSMB website, and add your name:
https://www.csmb-scbm.ca/advocacy/Petition.aspx
Happy New Year!
Katalin Toth, Chair of the CAN Advocacy Committee and
Freda Miller, President of the Canadian Association for Neuroscience.