National Research Council latest victim of Conservative science cuts

As part of their ongoing attack on science and research, the Conservatives are throwing close to a hundred of Canada’s best researchers out of work.

“The Conservatives are permanently undermining scientific research in this country,” said NDP Science and Technology critic Kennedy Stewart (Burnaby-Douglas). “They’re turning Canada’s world-renowned National Research Council (NRC) into a 1-800 concierge service for industry. They’re haphazardly dismantling years of research by some of our country’s brightest minds.”

While testifying before the Commons industry committee last Tuesday, NRC President John McDougall confirmed that changes would move the NRC away from academic “scientist-driven” work and toward industry impact and commercial sales.

“Many neuroscientific medical devices such as Canadian-made MRIs are the result of years of NRC research,” said NDP deputy critic for Science & Technology Laurin Liu (Rivière-des-Mille-Îles). “This round of cuts will close a medical device lab in Halifax, forcing them to abandon their research on brain imaging. Beyond the obvious medical benefits, these innovations have resulted in billions of dollars in economic stimulus.”