Statement from Minister Champagne, Minister Duclos and Minister Mendicino on protecting Canada's research

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 14, 2023 /CNW/ - The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, made the following statement:

"Our government takes its responsibility to protect Canadian research very seriously. Canada's advanced research ecosystem is at the forefront of global discovery, but it can also be an attractive target for foreign state actors that pose a risk to our national security. We have made great strides in protecting Canada's research ecosystem, but with a constantly evolving threat environment, further action is needed.

"That's why, today, as another key step in securing Canadian research, Minister Champagne and Minister Duclos are requesting that the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Canada's federal research granting councils—the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, as well as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research—adopt a further enhanced posture regarding national security. 

"Grant applications that involve conducting research in a sensitive research area will not be funded if any of the researchers working on the project are affiliated with a university, research institute or laboratory connected to military, national defence or state security entities of foreign state actors that pose a risk to our national security. This enhanced policy will be implemented rapidly and in close consultation with our departments, Canada's national security agencies and the research community.

"This new action is one of many significant steps the Government of Canada is taking to protect our country, our institutions and our intellectual property. This includes guidelines developed in consultation with the Government of Canada–Universities Working Group to support due diligence on potential risks to research security, and the establishment of a Research Security Centre to provide advice and guidance directly to research institutions.

"Ministers have also written to Universities Canada and the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities urging them to follow similar guidelines for all their research partnerships, and more particularly those partnerships involving sensitive research areas. We will work closely with our university–sector colleagues to ensure these additional steps are implemented effectively.

"Protecting Canadian research is our top priority."

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Laurie Bouchard, Senior Manager, Communications, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry,[email protected]; Media Relations: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected]