The End of Basic Research in Canada.

The last federal budget saw a shut out of key national scientific agencies, such as Genome Canada. With no new funding from the federal government, these national agencies will cease to exist or be unable to support any new projects, which will also lead to the closure of many labs or see another brain-drain to the US.

Basic Research investigating climate change, physiology and molecular biology to name a few, not only build a body of knowledge in a particular field but directly feed into industrial innovation and medical breakthroughs. "fruit fly", mice and nematode research are relevant to research in human disease, because at the molecular level, we share similar systems, genes, metabolites and proteins. Using model plant systems to study biochemistry and physiology speeds up research and the development of new technology in crop science and agriculture.

Unfortunately, the Conservatives who formed Parliament/government in the last election are not willing to invest in this, instead re-directing funds into industry, such as automotives, animation etc. Science Minister Goodyear emphasized that they want Canada to put things on the market. But science is not a cash cow, particularly not in the long run, you need to fund both fundamental research and industry to keep technological advancements going.

If you have time, check out the online petition that's already been signed by close to 2000 professors and principal investigators across Canada, from all it's post-secondary institutions:
Don't Leave Canada Behind and CBC's comprehensive article on the crisis emerging for scientific research in Canada.

It doesn't look good to be honest. The government has already made it very clear in it's budget and the direction of research funding that it will not support basic research. At best, we can hope that they will be voted out of government in the next election. At worst, we will see the closure of many top scientific research labs and the loss of top scientists and students to other nations more willing to invest in research, like the USA, or Australia. Should this happen, Canadian institutions that have continously made it to the top 100 lists of international rankings will be history. It's extreme, but already there is no funding flowing to new projects.

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I thought it couldn't get any worse with Sarah Palin, and her total misunderstanding of basic scientific research, but it looks like the Canadian government just took the prize.