A Not so Gentle Reminder. (May 9, 2009)

With the Australian budget being brought down this coming Tuesday, and the dire portents of cuts to come, a glance to our Canadian fellow member of the Commonwealth of Nations may be instructive.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government is cutting funding to basic research to help pay for his "stimulus package."

A report in the Toronto-based Globe and Mail by Anne Mcilroy states that Lebanese-born University of Montreal immunologist Rafick-Pierre Sékaly expects to at least double his budget by relocating together with 25 of his research group to the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute in Florida where he will become its research director.

Professor Sékaly told the Globe and Mail: "I hope it will trigger some kind of movement that will foster a deep soul searching and investment," explaining that he is leaving in part because of federal cuts in science funding and hopes his departure will be a wake-up call.

He went on to say that the move to the U.S. was also motivated in part by his concern for the talented young researchers who are part of his team. They are starting their careers and are anxious about their futures here [in Canada]. He believes that they will have far more opportunity in the U.S., where "President Barack Obama included $10-billion for medical research in his economic stimulus package".

In contrast Mr Harper's government has cut funding for basic research in its stimulus budget by trimming Can$148-million from the three agencies that fund university-based research.

According to Professor Sékaly:  "Right now, the funding is not there. They are going to fund you, but they are going to fund you at levels that will not allow you to be highly competitive. If you are not highly competitive, you are done." And he adds that many universities have instituted hiring freezes, which makes it difficult for young scientists to get jobs. He believes that Canada risks losing almost a complete generation of fresh talent to the United States, where Mr. Obama's commitment to science is a dream come true for researchers.

In Professor Sékaly case much of his research budget already comes from U.S. sources, including the National Institutes of Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. However, he told Ms Mcilroy he expects that once he moves he will be able to attract even more support, up to Can$10-million a year.

In the case of Professor Sékaly some 20 of his research group will need to remain in Montreal and, therefore, he expects to spend up to one-third of his time in Canada.