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e-2447 (Science and technology)

E-petition
Initiated by Nicholas Tracy from Fredericton, New Brunswick

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:
  • The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) was created by the Government of Canada in 1977 to provide financial support for research by qualified scholars;
  • Until 1992, the SSHRC administered its research grants directly, and it was possible for self-employed scholars and scholars between academic employments to obtain research funding;
  • In 1992, the SSHRC decided it would cease to administer its own grants and co-opted universities for that purpose;
  • When universities took on responsibility for administration of SSHRC research grants, they restricted access to funding to scholars with university affiliation;
  • Ad hoc honorary academic appointments were used to provide continued access to funding, but these were patronage positions;
  • When universities enforce regulations limiting academic appointments to those scholars needed for teaching purposes, the original intentions of the SSHRC can not be fully realized; and
  • In June 2019, the SSHRC gave consideration to finding a process by which qualified but unaffiliated scholars could access funding, but voted not to create a sub-committee for that purpose.
We, the undersigned, the scholarly community of Canada, call upon the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry to require the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to honour and facilitate its original mandate to provide open competition for research funding for all qualified Canadian scholars regardless of university affiliation.
Open for signature
February 24, 2020, at 3:41 p.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
June 23, 2020, at 3:41 p.m. (EDT)
Photo - Jenica Atwin
Fredericton
Liberal Caucus
New Brunswick