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SOURCE Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT)
OTTAWA, March 21, 2013 /CNW/ - The budget announced by today by the
Federal Government short changes post-secondary education, further
diminishes Canada's research capacity, and undermines training
opportunities, according to the Canadian Association of University
Teachers (CAUT).
"On the same day that some of Canada's world-renowned research projects,
like the Experimental Lakes Area, are in process of being dismantled
because of last year's federal budget cuts, the new budget makes
matters worse," said James L. Turk, executive director of CAUT.
"While there is an announced $37-million for Canada's three academic
research granting councils, this only restores half of what was cut
last year and comes with strings that seriously limit its usefulness
for advancing knowledge."
The budget specifies that 80 per cent of the restored money for the
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council must be spent on
collaborations between community colleges and private industry that
focus on company needs. Overall, the $37-million is described as being
for "research partnerships with industry."
"This means there will be no new money for the basic research on which
all scientific advancement depends," said Turk.
The transformation of Canada's National Research Council, announced in
the 2012 Budget, from a leading scientific agency into a body that
assists private businesses meet their company-specific needs is
accelerated by the allocation of an additional $121-million over the
next two years.
The Canadians Foundation for Innovation, which supports research
infrastructure, has been allowed to invest $225 million of accumulated
interest but given no new money.
The Budget continues the promised three percent increase in transfers to
provinces for post-secondary education, but this fails to cover
increased costs due to inflation and increased enrolment. According to
Turk, this will mean additional pressure for tuition fee increases and
program cutbacks. The principal additional allocation for
post-secondary education is $19 million over two years for marketing
certain fields the government deems important, $10-million for
international marketing to attract foreign students, and $13-million
for summer university-industry internships.
"While training is much ballyhooed in the budget, the reality is that
there is little new money for job training. The major announcement is
that 60 percent of the existing $500-million in training through Labour
Market Agreements will be transferred to a new program that will
provide trainees $5,000, provided it is matched by the province and the
employer - giving employers veto power over what training can be
obtained," said Turk.
All this comes at a time when there is still little information about
the effects of the cuts announced in the last Budget and when the
Parliamentary Budget Officer is in court trying to force the government
to make that information available.
The Canadian Association of University Teachers is the national voice of
68,000 academic and general staff at more than 120 universities and
colleges across the country.
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