Ecclectica: Letter from the Publisher

All the major federal parties released their policy platforms in full last week. AUCC staff reviewed the platforms looking for new higher education and research announcements since our survey, the results of which were sent to AUCC members on Monday, January 9. Given that the Conservative party is leading in public opinion polls, we thought it important to examine the Conservative party's commitments regarding higher education and research in relation to the commitments which were contained in November's Economic and Fiscal Update and largely reiterated in the Liberal party platform.

In the AUCC survey, the Conservatives stated they would work towards improving the percentage of GDP invested in research and development at Canada's universities and would look forward to discussing an increase in the funding level of the indirect costs program. This commitment is reiterated in their platform: "Increased promotion of basic and applied research, especially in science and technology, is an essential component of Canada's future economic well-being. It is unacceptable that Canada's expenditure on research and development, at 1.9 percent of GDP, is below all other G8 countries and well below the OECD average of 2.3 percent."

To address this issue, the Conservative platform promises to work with stakeholders in all fields of research and various industry sectors to explore expanding the Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credit to spur private sector R&D. It also promises to provide an additional $500 million through the granting councils over five years for university research, including indirect costs. Their costing projections do not refer specifically to any of the PSE investments proposed in the Economic and Fiscal Update. AUCC has requested but not yet received clarification of this key question from the Conservative Party. The Economic and Fiscal Update had proposed additional funding of $1.2 billion over the next five years for the indirect costs program and an additional investment of at least $425 million for the granting councils.

The Conservative platform is silent on the issue of future funding for the Canada Foundation for Innovation. However, their response to the AUCC survey did indicate that a Conservative government would ensure that CFI meets and maintains the 20 percent standard for funding of university research infrastructure. The Economic and Fiscal Update and Liberal platform promised a one-time injection of $500 million to sustain CFI's activities over five years.

The Conservative platform calls for an additional investment of $100 million per year over five years in measures to improve support for postsecondary students, including the enhancement of the Canada Student Loans program. This five year total of $500 million appears to include $400 million to implement the textbook tax deduction and raise the scholarship income exemption. The Economic and Fiscal Update had announced an additional $2.2 billion over four years for student aid as well as a further $110 million a year for five years for a low-income bursary.

The Conservative platform expresses support for the creation of an independent Canada Education and Training Transfer to the provinces to ensure dedicated funding for PSE and training. It does not specify an amount for that transfer. The update and Liberal platform promised a $1 billion federal-provincial trust fund to modernize and improve PSE infrastructure. They made no further commitments with regard to a dedicated PSE transfer. The Conservative platform is silent on the specific issue of PSE infrastructure.

The accountability section of the Conservative platform is also of interest to AUCC as it calls for provisions allowing the Auditor General and the Information Commissioner to audit any individual, organization or company that receives government grants or contributions. The platform also calls for limiting spending on federal grant and contribution programs to the rate of inflation plus population growth. Conservatives predict savings of $22.5 billion over five years by moderating spending on grants and contributions and in government departments and agencies.

To help you stay informed on all the party platforms, I have provided an updated version of the AUCC bullet point summary of party positions on higher education and research, with changes highlighted, as well as a more comprehensive party by party analysis that contains summaries of each party's platform, and the unedited relevant sections of each party's platform.

Postsecondary education positions taken by AUCC and the major federal parties during the 2006 election campaign:

ISSUE: Dedicated federal transfer to the provinces for postsecondary education.

One way for the federal government to ensure that Canadian universities have the capacity to provide high quality learning experiences to growing numbers of students is to provide more resources to the provinces through a dedicated transfer for postsecondary education. It might take the form of a trust fund to which the federal government would contribute and which the provinces would draw down as required.

Continue to work with the provinces, but make no specific commitment to a separate transfer.

In last November's Economic and Fiscal Update, announced a $1 billion trust fund to improve and modernize infrastructure at postsecondary institutions.

Create an independent Canada Education and Training Transfer. The Transfer will be funded at a base level and increased annually according to inflation and demographic growth.

An increase of $2.75 billion over three years in the Canada Social Transfer for Quebec. (This would mean an increase of roughly $11 billion over three years nationally)

Create a separate transfer for higher education and restore over $4 billion in postsecondary funding from cuts made in 1990's.

Universities incur at least 40 cents in essential expenditures for research dollar attracted. It is vitally important that theIndirect Costs program reimburse indirect costs of federally sponsored research that a minimum rate of 40 percent of the direct costs.

Proposed funding for the indirect costs of research will rise to $510 million per year from the current $260 million per year. This represents an almost $1.2 billion in additional funding over the next five years. This would reach the 40 percent minimum given current funding levels.

Continue to fund the indirect costs of research and would look forward to discussing an increase in funding.

Invest an additional $500 million over the next five years supporting university-based research through the national granting councils, including the indirect costs of research.

Committed to an increase in funding for research, but made no specific commitments on indirect costs.

AUCC position:
Accessibility is clearly limited if academically qualified individuals are unable to pursue a postsecondary education because they lack the financial resources necessary to cover educational and living costs. It is essential now to review existing student assistance programs, including the new investments and measures announced in the past two years, to assess their impact and to ensure effective targeting to individuals most in need.

In the November 2005 Economic and Fiscal Update, committed $2.75 billion over five years to improve student financial assistance.

$550 million of the $2.75 billion will be used to expand the Canada Access Grant for low income Canadians for four years of study.

Part of the $2.75 billion will be used to lower interest rates on student loans in consultation with the provinces and students.

A new 50/50 Plan under which the federal government will pay for half of an undergraduate's tuition in their first and graduating years. The cost of this program is $600 million a year once fully implemented. It is unclear how much, if any, of the $2.75 billion will be used to help pay for this program.

An increase of funding for student aid, including the Canada Student Loans Program, by $100 million per year.· A tax credit of up to $500 to help cover the costs of textbooks.

Working cooperatively with the provinces to increase family income thresholds for student loan eligibility.

An exemption for the first $10,000 of student scholarship or bursary income from taxation.

Money the federal government wishes to spend on student aid should go directly to the provinces as they are the experts in this area.

Improve student financial aid by investing in a long term financial grants program.

Overhaul the Canada Student Loans Program to improve accessibility and reduce student debt.

Targeted investments for under-represented groups, such as low-income individuals, Aboriginal Canadians and some recent immigrant groups, are necessary so that all segments of Canadian society fully enjoy the benefits of higher education.

The 2005 First Ministers Meeting with National Aboriginal Leaders committed $500 million for Aboriginal post-secondary education.

Assist Canadians living with disabilities to pursue higher education through the new Post-Secondary Education Innovation Fund.

Money the federal government wishes to spend on student aid should go directly to the provinces as they are the experts in this area.

Committed to a long term federal grant system that includes special grants for under-represented groups, especially Aboriginal youth.

Canadian universities have set a goal of having five percent of university students participate in an international educational opportunity. As a first step, universities aim to triple the number of students who participate by 2010 – moving from 6,000 to 18,000 annually. As well, we must offer prestigious scholarships to encourage top-flight international students to study in Canada.

In the 2005 Economic and Fiscal Update, proposed to invest $150 million over five years to improve access to international education, and to enable institutions to participate in international networks.

Create the Lester Pearson Scholarships to attract the best scholars from Canada's 25 development partner countries to study in Canada and to have top students study certain disciplines abroad. The cost of this program is projected at $60 million over 5 years.

Work cooperatively with the provinces to discuss the development of additional learning opportunities for Canadian students to study abroad and for international students to attend Canadian universities.

International students are an area of provincial jurisdiction and believe any federal funding for international students should be given directly to the provinces.

Work with the provinces and territories to give universities stable, long term funding which should allow universities to increase their support for international students.

The federal government has a major role to play in closing the gap with the United States in the production of graduate degrees. A 25 percent increase in graduate enrolments over the next four years would represent a reasonable short-term target in this regard. Achieving this will require significant federal investments both in support for students themselves and in the faculty and infrastructure that universities will require to educate more graduate students.

In the 2005 Economic and Fiscal Update, the Liberals committed an additional $210 million over the next five years to support a 50-per-cent increase in the number of Canada Graduate Scholarships.

The Conservatives will work cooperatively with the provinces to address this challenge, believing that an improved funding structure would increase both graduate and undergraduate capacity.

Graduate students are an area of provincial jurisdiction and believe any federal funding for graduate students should be given directly to the provinces.

Work with the provinces and territories to ensure stable, long term funding to build the infrastructure necessary to educate 25 percent more graduate students over the next four years.

For the sake of Canadian competitiveness and to make it possible for university faculty to maximize their research contributions, the federal government must ensure that university-based research is funded at internationally competitive levels through the federal research granting agencies.

In the Economic and Fiscal Update of November 2005, the Liberals committed to increase the annual budgets of the granting councils by $85 million, starting in 2006–07. Increasing the budgets of the three granting councils by at least $425 million over five years.

Invest an additional $500 million over the next five years supporting university-based research through the national granting councils, including the indirect costs of research.

The Bloc believes the best way to fund university research and research infrastructure is through transfers to the provinces.

The international standard for supporting research infrastructure is 20 percent on top of the direct costs of research. To retain top researchers in an internationally competitive environment, and to ensure that they will be fully productive, it is essential that CFI be able to meet and maintain this international 20 percent standard.

In the Economic and Fiscal Update of November 2005, the Liberals committed $500 million for the Canada Foundation for Innovation to continue its research and development over the next five years. This level of support comes close to, but does not reach 20 percent at current levels of investment in federal research.

The Conservatives will ensure that the Canada Foundation for Innovation meets and maintains the 20 percent standard for funding of university research infrastructure.

The Bloc believes the best way to fund university research and research infrastructure is through transfers to the provinces.

The NDP state they are committed to innovation and investment in all areas of education including improvements in research infrastructure funding.

$160 million over five years to support large-scale facilities that bring together university researchers and innovative companies.

$180 million in new support for the National Institute for Convergent Technologies to be established in Markham, the National Centre for Biomedical Innovation, the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo and the University of Waterloo's Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC).

The Liberal platform has separate sections for postsecondary education and for research. The section on postsecondary education highlights a number of announcements made in November's Economic and Fiscal Update as well as the 50/50 plan for tuition announced on the campaign. Summarized here are the elements contained in the PSE section of the platform.

The 50/50 plan which will pay half of a student's tuition in the first and last year of their first degree or diploma program. A cost of $600 million per year once fully phased in. To be partially paid out of funds announced in the economic update.

Extension of Canada Access Grants for all four years of study, paying half the tuition of students from low income families.

Comprehensive review of student financial assistance, stated goals of the review includes lowering interest rates.

$1 billion Post Secondary Education Innovation Fund. This investment is in the model of a trust fund, similar to an AUCC proposal.

A $150 million over five years to both encourage more Canadian students to have an educational opportunity abroad and to bring top international students to Canada.

The section on research also highlights a number of announcements made in November's Economic and Fiscal Update. Summarized here are the elements contained in the research section of the platform.

Increasing the budgets of the three granting councils by at least $425 million over five years.

An almost doubling of funding for the indirect costs of research, meeting the 40 percent of direct costs mark.

An additional $500 million for the Canada Foundation for Innovation to support its activities over the next five years.

3,500 internships over five years to expose graduate students to private sector R&D, as well as a scholarship program for natural science, medical science and engineering students to pursue MBA studies.

$160 million over the next five years to support the creation of large scale integrated facilities that bring together university and private sector researchers to accelerate the commercialization of university-based discoveries.

It is unclear how the January 12th announcement of $180 million in new support for four advanced research and development initiatives fits into this platform, though comments in the press indicate this money is in addition to funds announced in November. The four institutes are the National Institute for Convergent Technologies to be established in Markham, the National Centre for Biomedical Innovation, associated with the MaRS discovery district in downtown Toronto, the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo and the University of Waterloo's Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC).

The Conservative Party plans to limit spending considerably in the federal government, this could affect a number of areas of concern to the AUCC and its members, specifically a Conservative government would limit the future growth of spending on federal grant and contribution programs and by federal departments and agencies (other than National Defence and Indian Affairs) to the rate of inflation plus population growth.

The Conservative Party is less specific on the announcements contained in their platform but still has separate sections for student financial aid and research. Here are the policy points on research and development in the Conservative Platform.

Invest an additional $500 million over the next five years supporting university-based research through the national granting councils, including the indirect costs of research. (It is unclear if this announcement is on top of the over $2 billion over five years the Liberals proposed in November's Economic and Fiscal Update, or instead of those proposed investments. The AUCC has contacted the Conservative Party asking for clarification on this, but no response has been given. Because the Conservative Party platform specifically names some Economic and Fiscal update commitments that it will honour, the AUCC is currently operating on the assumption that the Conservative platform is an alternative to last November's proposed increases.)

The Conservative are slightly more detailed on their proposals for student financial aid. Here are their commitments from their platform:

Invest $100 million per year in measures to improve support for postsecondary students, including the enhancement of the Canada Student Loans program.

Work with the provinces to increase family income thresholds for student loan eligibility.

Exempt the first $10,000 of student scholarship or bursary income from taxation.

Provide students or their parents with a federal tax credit on spending up to $500 per year on textbooks.

In cooperation with the provinces, remove postsecondary education funding from the Canada Social Transfer and create an independent Canada Education and Training Transfer

Another issue which may affect universities is foreign credential recognition. The Conservative Party wants to set up a Canadian Agency for Assessment and Recognition of Credentials.

The New Democratic Party is less specific on the announcements contained in their platform and group PSE and research together. Here are the policy points on postsecondary education and research in the NDP Platform.

A separate transfer fund for PSE in return for a binding commitment from the provinces to lower tuition and increase access.

Investing in a long term, stable system of grants to make postsecondary education more affordable.

Because the Bloc is not running to form government, their policy proposals are less specific and very focused on Quebec. The Bloc has released a short position document and some statements in it are relevant to postsecondary education and research. Here are the points of Bloc policy relevant to PSE and research:

Demanding an increase of $2.75 billion over three years in the Canada Social Transfer for Quebec. (This would mean an increase of roughly $11 billion over three years nationally).

Demanding a place at the table for Quebec in international forums on education such as UNESCO.

Below are the unedited sections of each of the major parties' platforms relevant to post-secondary education:

If elected, a Liberal government will pay one-half of an undergraduate's first year and graduating year tuition (to a maximum grant of $3,000 in any year).

This new 50/50 Plan will be available to any student pursuing a first degree or diploma from an accredited university, community college or other post-secondary program in Canada.

Qualifying students will be those who commence their undergraduate educations beginning in 2007–08.

Students will have the choice either to opt in to the new plan, or to draw benefits from the existing Tuition Tax Credit and Education Expense Deduction.

The Plan will be delivered through the Canada Student Loan Program (CSLP). Currently, the governments of Quebec, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut do not participate in the CSLP, so we would work with them to arrange alternative payments.

By providing a first payment at the beginning of a student's post-secondary education, the 50/50 Plan provides families and students with the incentive to begin undergraduate studies. The second payment provides an additional incentive for students to complete their programs. Since the 50/50 Plan will be available only for study in Canada it also gives young Canadians a further incentive to support schools in this country. The 50/50 Plan is expected to have a net cost of roughly $1.9 billion through 2010–11 and of $600 million per year when fully phased in—by which time it will support an estimated 750,000 students each year. This bold new initiative is testament to the overall commitment of a Liberal government to improve Canadians' preparation to succeed in a world where advanced skills and learning will be of ever greater importance.

In the 2004 Budget, the Martin government created the Canada Access Grant to make post-secondary education more accessible for children from low income families – generally, those with incomes below $35,000. The Grant paid half of first-year tuition, capped at $3,000. This benefited more than 20,000 students. A Liberal government will extend the Canada Access Grant to be available for up to the full four years of undergraduate study. This extension will cost approximately $550 million over the next five years and will benefit a further 55,000 students. (A student qualifying for a Canada Access Grant cannot also receive the new 50/50 grant.)

A Liberal government will review Canada's system of student financial assistance, in collaboration with the provinces and territories and other partners, to ensure its continued success in making post-secondary education accessible. We will identify areas where support is needed, and ensure that students from middle-income families and students with dependents do not face insuperable financial barriers. The review will examine a range of potential measures such as grants, loans, and ways to improve debt management, including reduced interest rates.

A Liberal government will provide $1 billion to help modernize and improve post-secondary infrastructure, including in teaching hospitals. The fund will, for example, support acquisition of equipment; improve access for students with disabilities; enhance learning environments in northern and Aboriginal institutions. Provinces and territories will have the flexibility to draw down these funds on a per capita basis.

To create new opportunities for Canadians to study abroad and for more foreign students to come to Canada, a Liberal government will provide $150 million over five years to assist with the extra financial cost that international study entails. This initiative will contribute to our objective of positioning Canada at the heart of global networks.

A Liberal government will increase by 50% the support currently being given to the most promising master's and doctoral students in science, engineering and other disciplines. More students with advanced degrees will be needed to keep Canada at the cutting edge of innovation.

The federal government provides the base support for individual researchers at Canadian universities, colleges and research hospitals. Since 1997, Liberal governments have more than doubled the budgets of the research Granting Councils – NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC—to a total of $1.6 billion in this fiscal year. We will increase the budget of the Councils by at least $425 million over the next five years.

Research excellence requires not only direct funding for researchers themselves, but also a supportive environment of well-maintained facilities, good information systems, and support for the commercialization of research results. The Liberal government has been contributing to these indirect costs of university research and will almost double its support by allocating $1.2 billion to research-performing institutions over the next five years. This will bring federal support for indirect costs to a target level equal to 40% of direct federal research funding.

The creation of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) by the Liberal government in 1997 triggered a renaissance in basic research in Canada. Over the past eight years, the federal government has contributed $3.7 billion to the Foundation to fund leading-edge research facilities in universities and research hospitals. This investment has stimulated more than twice that amount in matching investments from provinces, the institutions themselves and other stakeholders. The CFI has been one of Canada's great success stories. Now that more than 80% of the federal contribution to date has been committed, a Liberal government will invest a further $500 million to sustain its activities over the next five years.

By exposing graduate students in engineering and the natural and health sciences to private sector R&D they will get a realistic appreciation of the process by which academic research gets converted to marketable products. At the same time, Canadian businesses can gain better access to the latest research knowledge from universities. To stimulate this process, a Liberal government will support 3,500 R&D Internships with private firms over the next five years. We will also create a scholarship program to support those who already have graduate degrees in engineering and the natural and health science to also acquire business and management training via MBA studies at Canadian universities.

Integrated facilities that bring together innovative firms and university researchers will promote collaboration and enhance private sector access to discoveries. One such example is the Medical and Related Sciences (MaRS) discovery district which has taken advantage of Toronto's concentration of medical research facilities by bringing together start-up firms with business service providers, venture capitalists, and laboratories. A Liberal government will provide $160 million over the next five years to support the creation of large scale integrated facilities that bring together university and private sector researchers to accelerate the commercialization of university-based discoveries.

Prime Minister Paul Martin Announces Investments in Canada's Innovative Economy

MARKAM, ON—Prime Minister Paul Martin today announced a new Liberal government will make significant investments to support the innovation process from start to finish, from nurturing Canadian ideas, to bringing ideas to market, to supporting Canadian industry.

"A 21st century economy is powered by highly skilled people having great ideas, then having the resources to turn those ideas into practical products and services so the rest of society can benefit from their research," said the Prime Minister.

The Liberal government will support the creation of large-scale integrated facilities that bring together university and private sector researchers to accelerate the commercialization of university-based discoveries.

Prime Minister Martin unveiled $180 million in new support for four advanced research and development initiatives:

·the National Institute for Convergent Technologies to be established in Markham;

·the National Centre for Biomedical Innovation, associated with the MaRS discovery district in downtown Toronto;

These integrated facilities bring together innovative firms and university researchers to promote collaboration and enhance private sector access to discoveries.

The proposed National Institute for Convergent Technologies in Markham will be a partnership involving the National Research Council (NRC), the town of Markham, York University, University of Waterloo, the Sunnybrook Hospital and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, and private sector firms including IBM Canada Ltd. and sanofi pasteur Limited. The new Institute would co-locate researchers and industry from the biomedical and information technology sectors to conduct research where these technologies converge and commercialize their discoveries into marketable products with an emphasis on new medical devices.

A second example is the National Centre for Biomedical Innovation which will be a partnership between NRC and the University of Toronto, located in the second phase of the Medical and Related Sciences (MaRS) discovery district. MaRS has taken advantage of Toronto's concentration of medical research facilities by bringing together start-up firms with business service providers, venture capitalists, and laboratories.

These two facilities will be the first NRC Institutes in the Greater Toronto Area and will build on the successful partnership model used to establish the NRC's National Institute for Nanotechnology in Edmonton, in collaboration with the University of Alberta. A Liberal government will provide, through new funding for the NRC, $80 million to support the operation of the two new Institutes over the next five years.
We will also provide two $50-million grants, for the Perimeter Institute and IQC, which it is hoped will leverage further support from the private sector and the Government of Ontario. There is a tremendous opportunity for Perimeter and IQC to become world-leading centres for quantum information processing, one of the world's most promising transformative technologies. The Perimeter Institute does cutting-edge research in theoretical physics, while IQC works on translating theory into engineering design practice. This is the type of research needed for Canada to make a real difference at the leading edge of 21st century technology.

"Since balancing the books in 1997, the Liberal government has built a solid foundation for innovation that I am pleased to build upon today," said the Prime Minister. "Canada is a leader in university research and innovation, and a Liberal government will make sure we continue to lead the world."

Basic Research: Nurturing Canadian Ideas
Since 1997, Liberal governments have committed $12 billion in new funding to support basic research. As a result, Canada is now far and away the G-7 leader in terms of university R&D, expressed as a share of the economy. To date, the Liberal government has focused its investments on the early stages of the innovation process, where the private sector tends to under-invest.

A Liberal government will maintain Canada's exceptionally strong commitment to basic research. To this end, we will:

·increase the budgets of the research Granting Councils by at least $425 million over the next five years;

·nearly double our support for the indirect costs of research, allocating $1.2 billion to research-performing institutions over the next five years to bring federal support to a target level equal to 40% of direct federal research funding;

·invest a further $500 million to sustain the Canada Foundation for Innovation in funding leading-edge research facilities in universities and research hospitals over the next five years; and

·provide $30 million in 2005–06 to sustain and strengthen the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research's international research networks, and to support new collaborations in such important fields as evolutionary biology and nanoelectronics with the leading researchers in emerging economies, such as China and India, over the next five years.

The Liberal government has also established a foundation of support for commercial innovation including the National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program for small businesses; supports for venture capital investment; Genome Canada; Sustainable Development Technologies Canada, and many others. A Liberal government will build on this by:

·Building "knowledge clusters": Liberal government will provide $160 million over the next five years to support the creation of large-scale integrated facilities that bring together university and private sector researchers to accelerate the commercialization of university-based discoveries.

·Connecting students and businesses: a Liberal government will provide $40 million over five years to support 3,500 R&D Internships with private firms. We will also create a scholarship program to help Canadians with graduate degrees in engineering or sciences to acquire business and management training at Canadian universities.

·Exposing graduate students in engineering and the sciences to private sector R&D will give them a realistic appreciation of the process by which academic research gets converted to marketable products. At the same time, Canadian businesses can gain better access to the latest research knowledge from universities.

·Stimulating private-sector investment: a Liberal government will create a new Transformative Technologies Program to stimulate greater private-sector investment in R&D, technology adoption, and improved commercialization performance. We will share the risks of innovation, and provide greater access to leading-edge technologies for small and medium-sized companies.

Limit growth of spending on grants and contributions and in government departments and agencies During the last five years, federal government departmental spending has grown to an unacceptable level. Far too much taxpayers' money is absorbed by the Ottawa bureaucracy or spent on ineffective or inefficient programs.

Limit the future growth of spending on federal grant and contribution programs and by federal departments and agencies (other than National Defence and Indian Affairs) to the rate of inflation plus population growth.

Maintain the currently projected growth rates for transfers to persons such as elderly benefits and Employment Insurance, and transfers to other levels of government for health, social programs, equalization, and municipal infrastructure.

Investing in research and development Increased promotion of basic and applied research, especially in science and technology, is an essential component of Canada's future economic well-being. It is unacceptable that Canada's expenditure on research and development, at 1.9 percent of GDP, is below all other G-8 countries and well below the OECD average of 2.3 percent.

Invest an additional $500 million over the next five years supporting university-based research through the national granting councils, including the indirect costs of research.

Recognize the success of the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit in spurring private investment in research and development, and work with stakeholders in all fields of research and various industry sectors to explore expanding this tax credit.

Support for students and families with students. The rising cost of postsecondary education puts a heavy load on Canadian students and their families.

Invest $100 million per year in measures to improve support for postsecondary students, including the enhancement of the Canada Student Loans program.

Work with the provinces to increase family income thresholds for student loan eligibility.

Exempt the first $10,000 of student scholarship or bursary income from taxation.

Provide students or their parents with a federal tax credit on spending up to $500 per year on textbooks.

In cooperation with the provinces, remove postsecondary education funding from the Canada Social Transfer and create an independent Canada Education and Training Transfer to ensure that there is dedicated funding for postsecondary education and training.

An immigration plan that works for Canada
Canada has long welcomed hard-working, law-abiding men and women seeking freedom, democracy, and opportunity for themselves and their families. The Liberal record on immigration is to tolerate queue-jumping, set up special programs for foreign strippers, and hold up legitimate immigration applications in years of red tape. And they charge sky-high immigration fees to pay for their wasteful and corrupt spending on other departments of government. A Conservative government will stand up for a fair and sensible immigration plan that works for Canada.

Create a Canadian Agency for Assessment and Recognition of Credentials, to provide pre-assessment of international credentials and experience. We will work with the provinces and professional associations to ensure foreign-trained professionals meet Canadian standards while getting properly trained professionals working in Canada quickly.

Strengthen the power of the Auditor General
Over the past decade, the Auditor General has repeatedly blown the whistle on Liberal corruption. From the $250 million sponsorship program, to the scandalous waste and mismanagement of the $1 billion HRDC grants boondoggle, to the ineffective $2 billion gun registry, nearly every audit turns up more examples of Liberal mismanagement.

Allow the Auditor General to "follow the money" to end recipients by providing her with the statutory authority to conduct audits of the records, documents, and accounts of any individual, institution, or company that receives grants, contributions, or transfers under an agreement with the Government of Canada.

While most new job openings over the next 10 years will require some level of post-secondary education, they won't necessarily require a full four-year degree. That's why, in order to effectively address the looming skills shortage, access to all kinds of post-secondary education and training – university, college and apprenticeships—must be expanded.

To create practical, workable solutions that create better access to post-secondary education and training, Jack Layton and the NDP will work to:

A step at a time, as finances permit, restore the funding that was cut by Paul Martin to transfer payments for post-secondary education in the 1990s.

Offer provinces and territories a binding commitment to stable, long-term funding in this area through a dedicated transfer, in return for an equally binding commitment to better access and lower tuition fees—standards that will be monitored and enforced. In addition, New Democrats will work with provinces and territories to protect education and research from privatization.

Working on their education and future should not leave students in overwhelming debt—yet some graduates report crushing debt in excess of $100,000. Jack Layton and the NDP will work in the next Parliament to make education more affordable and training more available for young people by:

Re-investing in a stable, long-term federal grant system to make education and training affordable in every year of study, including special grants for rural and Aboriginal youth to ensure students can finish the programs they begin.

Overhauling the Canada Student Loans Program to create a comprehensive program designed to improve access and reduce the burden of student debt.

International competition for leading academics and researchers has never been higher—complacency will put us behind in our efforts to attract and retain the best and brightest. That's why—to help make sure Canada's universities continue to deliver world-class teaching and research and to keep it public—Jack Layton and the NDP will work to increase federal financial support for university-based research

Fighting against the fiscal imbalance, federal intrusions and demand a right of withdrawal with full compensation in all spheres relevant to its jurisdiction.

Demanding that the federal government gives Québec a place in international forums relevant to its jurisdictions such as culture, education or healthcare.

Demanding a raise of federal transfers for post-secondary education (college and university) and social programs of 2.75 billion $ over three years for Québec

Continuing to propose actions to answer to the effects of globalization by supporting research and development, Québec's state-of-the-art industries such as aeronautics as well as traditional industries such as textile and furniture

Le Bloc Québécois s'engage à continuer la bataille sur le déséquilibre fiscal de façon à ce que le gouvernement du Québec soit en mesure de financer adéquatement son système d'éducation.

Le Bloc Québécois va continuer d'exiger une hausse importante de l'effort financier du gouvernement fédéral consacré aux études postsecondaires par le biais de ses transferts au Québec et aux provinces.

Le Bloc Québécois réclamera du gouvernement fédéral qu'il se retire complètement du domaine de l'éducation et qu'il transfère au gouvernement du Québec sa part des sommes qu'il y consacre.

Le Bloc Québécois exigera l'exonération fiscale complète des bourses d'étude.

Le Bloc Québécois reviendra à la charge et déposera un amendement à la Loi sur la faillite et l'insolvabilité en vue d'abolir la clause discriminatoire envers les étudiants.

Le Bloc Québécois demande au gouvernement fédéral d'augmenter à 3000 $ le seuil de revenue donnant droit au remboursement des cotisations d'assurance-emploi et de transformer ce remboursement en une exemption de base annuelle.

Demanding that the federal government gives Québec a place in international forums relevant to its jurisdictions such as culture, education or healthcare.