Paul Hébert, Anne-Marie Thompson and Ted Hewitt made statements and answered questions.

Maxime Blanchette-Joncas moved, — That the committee requests the three funding councils, namely the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), as part of the study on the impact of federal funding allocation criteria on research excellence in Canada, to provide it with the disaggregated data of all submitted applications, whether funded or not, for all student and faculty funding programs from the master's level onwards for applications made between 2020 and 2025. That this data include (1) demographic data of applicants and collaborators, including applicants’ responses to the equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) questionnaire, (2) the institutions and departments of applicants, including the institutions of collaboration, (3) the language of the application, (4) all data regarding the type of application and project content (application year, grant program, discipline, title, summary, amount requested by the applicant), as well as (5) the identity of the evaluation committee, comments, opinions, scores assigned to applications for each criterion, and (6) the outcome of the application and the amount awarded. That the three funding councils submit all this data to the committee within 15 days following the adoption of this motion, in an Excel spreadsheet format.

Debate arose thereon.

After debate, the question was put on the motion and it was agreed to.

Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

At 5:37 p.m., the meeting was suspended.

At 5:46 p.m., the meeting resumed in camera.

It was agreed, — That the proposed budget in the amount of $38,300, for the study of the impact of the criteria for awarding federal funding on research excellence in Canada, be adopted.

It was agreed, — That the proposed budget in the amount of $55,250, for the study of antimicrobial resistance, be adopted.

It was agreed, — That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3), the committee undertake a study on how to best promote and grow private sector investment in research and development in Canada. That the committee dedicate no less than 4 meetings on that study. That the study examine ways to work with researchers and institutes to advance the commercialization of innovation emerging from research at Canadian Universities to build a stronger innovative economy in Canada. That the report be tabled in the House; and that pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request a government response.

It was agreed, — That, given a robust research ecosystem has significant and notable academic, societal, and economic benefits, given that federal investments can and should play a crucial role in science and research, and given the unique and evolving relationship between the federal tri-lateral funding agencies, the committee devote no fewer than 5 meetings to examine how the National Research Council (NRC), the National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) can collaborate with the federal government and the private sector to help modernize Canada’s research ecosystem, that the committee invite the Minister of Industry to appear for no less than two hours on this matter and that the report be tabled in the House; and that pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee request a government response.