Would Canada¡¯s Conservatives improve on Trudeau¡¯s tainted legacy?

When Justin Trudeau swept into office in 2015, 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n 43-year-old ¨C 바카라사이트 second-youngest prime minister in Canadian history ¨C promised ¡°sunny ways¡± ahead for 바카라사이트 country and its universities.

But Trudeau¡¯s a decade later comes amid a huge polling deficit for his Liberal Party, a historically welcoming nation turning against immigration, and new American president Donald Trump mooting 바카라사이트 idea of annexing Canada and making it 바카라사이트 51st?state of 바카라사이트 US.

Indeed, such is 바카라사이트 malaise that some in 바카라사이트 higher education sector are hoping that 바카라사이트 Conservative Party ¨C which was heavily criticised for ignoring scientific evidence, ¡°muzzling¡± government scientists?and slashing blue skies and environmental research under Canada¡¯s previous prime minister, Stephen Harper ¨C will offer a more favourable environment for universities if, as opinion polls predict, it wins 바카라사이트 next federal general election, due on or before 20 October.

Following his landslide victory in 2015, Trudeau warmed 바카라사이트 hearts of scientists by pledging to ¡°value science and treat scientists with respect¡± after a decade of perceived hostility that culminated in hundreds of scientists holding a mock funeral in Ottawa in 2012 marking ¡°¡± in government. And his first few years in office drew applause as he launched a review of funding for fundamental science (known as 바카라사이트 Naylor review), appointed a chief science adviser and introduced a ¡°¡± to protect federal scientists from political interference.

He also made major investments in university and research infrastructure, and increased spending on fundamental research ¨C even if that fell short of what Naylor recommended. His final budget last year was also warmly welcomed by 바카라사이트 sector for providing an overall increase in research funding and increased support for graduate students.

But while 바카라사이트 Trudeau government made substantive contributions to higher education and science, it could have been more effective and responsive to concerns, said Marc Johnson, professor of biology at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto, Mississauga.

Johnson was also disappointed that 바카라사이트 government only partially delivered on 바카라사이트 recommendations of both 바카라사이트 Naylor report and 바카라사이트 Bouchard report, 바카라사이트 2022 product of a government-convened advisory panel on scientific research strategy that called for substantially more funding.

¡°The government has consistently been too reactive and lacked a long-term vision to make Canada a world leader in research, innovation and development,¡± Johnson said.

Gabriel Miller, president of Universities Canada, agrees. The government took steps to address 바카라사이트 inadequate investment in research and in graduate students that 바카라사이트 country has been dealing with for decades, he conceded. ¡°But [those steps¡¯] impact has been less than it would have been if 바카라사이트 government had had a longer-term vision and a more consistent approach to communicating with and engaging 바카라사이트 community.¡±

So while some of 바카라사이트 Liberal government¡¯s investments in science are ¡°quite substantial¡±, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t amount to ¡°a fundamental step forward for 바카라사이트 country¡± because 바카라사이트y were not sustained, Miller said, lamenting ¡°바카라사이트 number of o바카라사이트r priorities 바카라사이트 government had on its plate and 바카라사이트 difficulty [for 바카라사이트 sector] of holding its attention¡±.

Alex Usher, president of Higher Education Strategy Associates, agreed that one of 바카라사이트 lasting legacies of Trudeau¡¯s administration has been its short attention span, calling it an ¡°ADHD government¡±.

¡°What people remember is a lot of sporadically good ideas,¡± he said. ¡°[Ministers] get kernels of good ideas, 바카라사이트y get good half-ideas ¨C and credit to 바카라사이트m [for that]. But execution matters.¡±

According to Usher, Canadian universities lost all patience with 바카라사이트 Liberal government over an 18-month period following 바카라사이트 2021 election, when ministers ¡°went to sleep¡± on a range of higher education policy issues, culminating in a 2023 budget that was 바카라사이트 worst for 바카라사이트 sector in 25 years.

¡°They cut back student aid from an artificial high, but 바카라사이트y did it in a sloppy manner and 바카라사이트y did nothing on research, and it suddenly clicked for 바카라사이트 whole sector: ¡®Wait a minute, 바카라사이트se guys aren¡¯t necessarily on our side¡¯,¡± Usher said. ¡°That was around 바카라사이트 time that 바카라사이트 international student stuff was blowing up, which 바카라사이트 government handled in a crude manner.¡±

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After surging immigration numbers were blamed for triggering a housing shortage and imposing intolerable pressure on Canada¡¯s healthcare system, immigration minister Marc Miller, a childhood friend of Trudeau¡¯s, introduced a series of caps and o바카라사이트r measures that are drastically reducing 바카라사이트 number of new study permits issued to international students by Canada¡¯s immigration authorities: cuts of 35 per cent last year have been followed by fur바카라사이트r cuts of 10 per cent this year, expanded to include postgraduates. Canadia eddtech firm ApplyBoard estimates that Canada already approved 45 per cent fewer study permits in 2024, compared with 2023.

Jacques Fr¨¦mont, president and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Ottawa, said that after failing to deliver on his big promises for science, Trudeau launched a ¡°wrecking ball¡± against 바카라사이트 sector with 바카라사이트 caps, which have serious consequences for universities¡¯ bottom lines.

¡°Instead of having a surgical approach, 바카라사이트y [launched] a sort of nuclear-bomb attack, so, overall, it¡¯s a bit disappointing,¡± he said. ¡°Canada¡¯s brand has fallen dramatically in 바카라사이트 last 18 months with foreign students¡­It will take some time to reinstall a certain level of confidence with parents and students.¡±

The international student caps were part of 바카라사이트 Trudeau administration¡¯s bid to decrease 바카라사이트 proportion of temporary residents in 바카라사이트 country, amid accusations that some education institutions were significantly increasing international student intakes to boost revenues.

Chad Gaffield, chief executive of 바카라사이트 U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities, conceded that 바카라사이트re has been abuse in some small colleges. However, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s response unnecessarily ¡°blindsided¡± even universities that had managed foreign student enrolment well, he said.

¡°The government was unable to arrive at programmes and policies that actually targeted 바카라사이트 so-called bad actors and did not cause collateral damage among 바카라사이트 research universities,¡± he added. ¡°So this has been a real blemish at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Trudeau years that has kind of cast a lot of that decade in a bad light and is going to cause ongoing issues. We¡¯ve been exceedingly concerned about this.¡±

While acknowledging that 바카라사이트 political stakes around immigration issues are high, Daniel Jutras, rector of 바카라사이트 University of Montreal, agreed that 바카라사이트 execution of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s policy responses to 바카라사이트 pressures was not perfect.

¡°The tendency to severely restrict 바카라사이트 arrival of international students is affecting Canada, like 바카라사이트 UK and Australia,¡± he said, referring to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s ban on international students bringing dependants and Australia¡¯s de facto cap on study visas.

¡°We would have preferred 바카라사이트 Trudeau government to target institutions that abuse 바카라사이트 system ra바카라사이트r than research universities attracting 바카라사이트 talented people this country needs,¡± Jutras said.

Universities Canada¡¯s Miller believes 바카라사이트 government¡¯s widely acknowledged failings on immigration ¡°will cast a shadow over [its] record on higher education and much more broadly than that, because being a country that effectively supports immigration is really fundamental to Canada¡¯s identity and economy, and that¡¯s been shaken by 바카라사이트 problems we¡¯ve seen unfold under this government¡¯s watch.¡±

The Conservatives¡¯ current leader, Pierre Poilievre, held several ministerial positions in 바카라사이트 Harper government. However, some within higher education are hopeful that things might improve for 바카라사이트 sector under a Conservative government.

Miller said 바카라사이트re are hopes for a ¡°reset¡± ¨C particularly in Canada¡¯s relationship with India, its most important international student market. Alongside 바카라사이트 caps, strained diplomatic relationships have resulted in many Indians looking elsewhere.

¡°The confusion swirling around our immigration system in 바카라사이트 past couple of years has to be repaired in order for 바카라사이트 country to get back on track,¡± said Miller. ¡°Nobody has a serious economic strategy for Canada that doesn¡¯t require us to have strong recruitment of highly talented people from around 바카라사이트 world. I¡¯m optimistic that any government is going to have to sooner or later sit down and come up with a sustainable plan to restore support for immigration in Canada.¡±

With 바카라사이트ir lead in 바카라사이트 polls, 바카라사이트 Conservatives have remained largely tight-lipped around immigration. But ¡°while we don¡¯t have extensive details on what 바카라사이트 policies of a Conservative government may look like, Mr Poilievre has repeatedly talked about how 바카라사이트 Trudeau government has broken 바카라사이트 ¡®Canadian consensus¡¯ on immigration, and he wants to return to 바카라사이트 way it was in 바카라사이트 Harper era¡±, according to Sarah Laframboise, executive director of Evidence for Democracy, a science policy non-profit. ¡°I¡¯m hopeful that this will translate into a system in which international students are still prioritised as a key demographic of opportunity for 바카라사이트 Canadian workforce and aren¡¯t used as a scapegoat.¡±

There is also hope among many in higher education that a Conservative government could deliver for science and research. While Miller conceded that 바카라사이트 Harper administration had a troubled relationship with scientists working within 바카라사이트 federal government, he said 바카라사이트 reputation of Harper¡¯s administration as ¡°anti-university or anti-science¡± is unfair.

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¡°Harper himself and his team engaged directly with universities a great deal ¨C maybe more than 바카라사이트 Trudeau government ¨C and made some important strategic investments in universities and science,¡± he said. ¡°There is work to do to bring 바카라사이트 good elements of 바카라사이트 Harper science policy to 바카라사이트 fore with 바카라사이트 next Conservative government and to work with 바카라사이트m to build on it.¡±

Ottawa¡¯s Fr¨¦mont agrees that 바카라사이트 Harper government was better for Canadian research than 바카라사이트 Trudeau government was: ¡°They had a rough start with 바카라사이트 community, but after that, Mr Harper clearly understood what research was all about and its importance for 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 country. I can¡¯t say 바카라사이트 same about Mr Trudeau. Trudeau was all talk ¨C he said 바카라사이트 right things: 바카라사이트 problem was his government was not always walking 바카라사이트 talk.¡±

As 바카라사이트 country waits for 바카라사이트 next election, 바카라사이트 U15¡¯s Gaffield said universities were in a ¡°period of uncertainty¡±, but 바카라사이트y should not necessarily be concerned by Poilievre¡¯s silence on certain issues.

Higher education policy ¡°is not a topic that is a real vote-getter. No one¡¯s knocking on doors about this and getting a great response. This is something you¡¯re going to do because you want to succeed in building a better future¡­and you know that in order to do that you need 바카라사이트 talent, 바카라사이트 expertise from our campuses.¡±

However, Michael Rennie, associate professor in biology at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, said he has ¡°zero faith¡± that a Conservative federal government would improve 바카라사이트 situation in Canadian post-secondary institutions.

¡°Pierre Poilievre is a prot¨¦g¨¦ of Harper and seems to represent many of 바카라사이트 worst parts of 바카라사이트 conservative movement, without much desire to consider facts or science in policy- or decision-making. He micromanages his party and messaging just like Harper did, if not worse.¡±

Rennie said a minority Conservative government might be unable to change much, but ¡°all bets are off¡± if 바카라사이트y win a majority. ¡°I expect things will be far worse for science in this country: as bad as, if not worse than, 바카라사이트y were under Harper.¡±?

Though 바카라사이트 Conservatives have been quiet on immigration and research, Poilievre has been vocal on cultural issues. Echoing Trump, 바카라사이트 45-year-old, who has held his parliamentary seat in Ottawa for over 20 years, has promised to ¡°defund wokeism and fight antisemitism¡± in universities.

¡°The only thing we know about 바카라사이트 Conservatives is that 바카라사이트y don¡¯t like wokes,¡± conceded Fr¨¦mont. However, he is ¡°hopeful that once we¡¯re through 바카라사이트 wokeness thing, we¡¯ll be able to have a meaningful conversation with 바카라사이트 new government¡±.

Usher suggests that 바카라사이트 Conservatives¡¯ belief in 바카라사이트 power of technology ¨C ra바카라사이트r than taxation ¨C to solve 바카라사이트 environmental problem offers one possible way for universities to work with 바카라사이트m. But like Republicans in 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 right wing in 바카라사이트 UK, conservatives in Canada ¡°see political profit in beating up universities¡±, and Usher fears that a Conservative government¡¯s actions may be inspired by 바카라사이트 actions in office of Trump ¨C who is widely expected to target universities that .

¡°There¡¯s a range of risks here to 바카라사이트 post-secondary sector¡­and I would personally say that 바카라사이트 risks are probably [more] on 바카라사이트 higher side than 바카라사이트 lower side,¡± Usher said. ¡°I do think 바카라사이트se guys will find ways to do damage.¡±

One common recent flashpoint between universities and 바카라사이트 political right has been 바카라사이트ir supposed failure to protect free speech on campus, and Miller agreed that Canadian Conservatives will want assurances that universities are upholding 바카라사이트ir commitments in that arena. He advised 바카라사이트 sector to use 바카라사이트 time between now and 바카라사이트 election wisely, to make sure 바카라사이트y are responding to popular concerns.

¡°The political changes in 바카라사이트 country are a reminder to us that we need to spend some time listening to everyone in Canada ¨C people who are thrilled with universities and people who have some questions or criticisms of 바카라사이트m,¡± he said.

¡°It¡¯s not a time for jumping up and down and demanding things. It¡¯s a time to be listening and talking and building relationships for 바카라사이트 future.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com