A Crisis in Northern Research: National Task Force Report

(Whitehorse, Yukon, September 21, 2000) – In a report released today, a national Task Force urges Canada to rebuild its university-based northern research capacity in order to help Northerners cope with the unprecedented social, physical and environmental challenges currently facing the region. The report calls for new partnerships between universities and northern communities and the direct involvement of Northerners in research and training.

Canada’s newest governments face some of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change, rapid population growth, sustainable development, pollution and a myriad of social, health and educational issues. These all require the understanding and effective action that can only be founded on solid research.

Currently not enough of such research is being done. A lack of government funding and rising research costs have both contributed to Canada’s withdrawal from northern research in recent years.

“We no longer have the effective research presence in the North that we need to help safeguard this unique and sensitive environment,” said Task Force chair Dr. Tom Hutchinson of Trent University.

The Task Force proposes a five-point program to rebuild Canadian northern research:

• establish 24 university research chairs—12 senior and 12 junior—dedicated to northern research;
• create 40 northern graduate scholarships and 40 postdoctoral fellowships;
• support 70 strategic research projects of high social, industrial or environmental relevance (modelled on NSERC’s Strategic Projects program);
• build partnerships between northern communities and university researchers (modelled on SSHRC’s Community-University Research Alliance program); and
• provide funding for critical equipment, infrastructure and logistical needs.

“These measures will allow us to interest young researchers in the North, make sound policy decisions on northern issues, meet major international commitments in the circumpolar region and re-assert Canadian sovereignty in the North,” said Hutchinson.

The Task Force was created by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The Task Force’s findings were released today at the 51st Arctic Science Conference, in Whitehorse.

The Presidents of NSERC and SSHRC welcomed the report.

“Research is fundamental to economic, social and educational development in the North,” said SSHRC President Marc Renaud. “This is an important report that will be brought forward quickly to the federal government.”

“Both Councils are strong supporters of the proposed action plan and we have agreed to explore ways of funding parts of it from our existing budgets,” said Tom Brzustowski, President of NSERC. “However, full implementation will require substantial new funding from the federal government.”

The Task Force was made up of 17 members from the university, government and northern communities whose expertise covers the broad range of natural sciences, engineering and social sciences. It consulted widely with university researchers, federal government departments, and northern and Aboriginal communities and organizations.

The text of the report, From Crisis to Opportunity: Rebuilding Canada's Role in Northern Research, including policy recommendations, is available by following this link.

Backgrounder

Executive Summary in Inuktitut - (dowload nunacom font)

For more information, contact:

Dr. Tom Hutchinson, Chair, Task Force on Northern Research
In Whitehorse, on September 21-22, at (613) 859-2033
After those dates, at Trent University, (705) 748-1634 or thutchinson@trentu.ca

Garth Williams, SSHRC, at (613) 992-7018 or garth.williams@sshrc.ca

Arnet Sheppard, NSERC, at (613) 995-5997 or axs@nserc.ca