(Alexandre Dastos) — A Quebec bloc’s proposal put forward on Wednesday to encourage the House of Commons to denounce all forms of discrimination and that competence and science as the first criterion considered for awarding grants from university research, cannot pass due to a lack of support from the Liberals and the National Party.

Disappointed with this setback, but the MPs of the bloc confirmed that they will return to power so that Excellence remains at the forefront of the analysis network in terms of university research.

The Liberal MPs and their colleagues in the National Party rejected our suggestion that the first criterion for awarding scholarships for university research should be competence. It made sense though! Universities are well placed to develop their own policies that promote equality, diversity and inclusion among the pool of qualified applicants. By making grants to its program based on adherence to its ideologies, Ottawa steps in and directs the recruitment of researchers: it is nothing more and nothing less than a recruitment programme! Rep. Maxime Blanchett Junkas, spokesperson for Innovation and Science, condemns this.

“The way it is currently organized, the Federal Research Chairs Program triples Quebec’s exclusive jurisdiction over education. This program interferes with the recruitment process; undermines the university’s autonomy by placing conditions on funding; and it restricts academic freedom as scholars must demonstrate Their commitment to the theories of the program when completing their applications Make no sense Our universities have proven themselves: let us trust them and fund scientific research according to scientific potential At Bloc Québécois we intend to continue working to ensure that skills take precedence in awarding research chairs, advises Mr. Blanchette-Joncas .

Photo: Representative Maxime Blanchett Juncas. (photo courtesy)