Parties diverge in key areas with their support for science, technology and innovation

Liberal, NDP support for LSVCCs a head scratcher

With the federal vote just days away, all of Canada's four recognized national parties have released full campaign platforms with science, research and innovation being given at least lip service but never approaching status as a top priority issue.

On many issues, the opposition parties are in sync, calling for greater science integrity and evidence-based decision making, restoring the long-form census and establishing a chief scientist for either Parliament or government in general. The Conservative platform does not mention any of these issues, instead directing new science, technology and innovation (STI) funding towards manufacturing and areas of research such as neuroscience and cancer.

Two parties — Liberal and NDP — make an expensive and somewhat bewildering commitment to restore the federal tax credit for Labour-Sponsored Venture Capital Corporations. LSVCCs were phased out in recent years over concerns that the foregone tax revenue was not producing the desired results. Many have long argued that LSVCCs distorted Canada's nascent VC industry with much of the money wasted on overhead and questionable investments (R$, May 15/07).

In the last issue of RE$EARCH MONEY, we collected the parties' STI commitments to late September (R$, September 24/15). In this issue, we'll examine subsequently announced STI commitments and the platforms of all four parties (three of which were only released in recent days).

The platforms include various levels of costing for commitments, with the NDP and Conservatives being the most detailed.

(The dollar figures below are over four years — FY16-17 to FY19-20 — unless otherwise specified).

Liberal Party

The Liberal Party has pledged to fund a new innovation agenda to the tune of $200 million annually with a focus on technology incubators and an "emerging national network for business innovation and cluster support", research facilities and small-business assistance. It would also dial back the influence of the Prime Minister's Office, appoint a chief science officer, restore the long-form census and commit to the use of accurate data in decision-making.

A centrepiece of its support of STI is $300 million annually over the next four years for clean technologies and clean tech manufacturing in the natural resources (forestry, mining, fisheries, energy and agriculture).

In the area of climate change, the Liberals commit to using scientific evidence and the precautionary principle with fish stocks and ecosystem management. It also pledges to restore funding for freshwater research and make new investments in the Experimental Lakes Area.

Other four-year STI commitments include

• $100 million annual increase to the annual budget of the National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program ($400 million);

• Agri-Food Value Added Investment Fund ($160 million);

• restoration of LSVCC tax credit ($605 million); and,

• water science and monitoring ($200 million).

Liberal Party Platform 2015.pdfpdf

New Democratic Party

The NDP, like the other opposition parties, expresses concern over the Conservative Party's use (or lack thereof) of science in policy formulation and decision-making. The NDP calls for an Office of the Parliamentary Science Officer at a cost of $12 million between FY16-17 and FY19-20.

The NDP also commits to immediately restore funding to AUTO21, a Network of Centres of Excellence that is now sunsetting after receiving the maximum funding under long-established NCE rules. It's unclear what impact this would have on other equally successful NCEs that have completed their full cycle of support.

Under the NDP, new funding would flow to R&D in several sectors including manufacturing, mining, forestry and agriculture.

Those commitments and price tags are:

• Increased granting council funding ($55 million over three years starting in FY 17-18);

• Community-based health research ($20 million);

• Manufacturing innovation and investment promotion ($160 million);

• restoration of LSVCC tax credit ($560 million);

• automotive sector innovation ($200 million)

• aerospace sector innovation ($200 million);

• agricultural research and innovation ($40 million);

• increased funding to Canadian Food Inspection Agency ($110 million)

• Forest product manufacturing, innovation and promotion ($105 million over three years);

• extension of the mining exploration tax credit ($150 million); and,

• restoration of the long-form census ($25 million in FY16-17, $5 million in FY17-18).

New Democratic Party Platform 2015.pdf

Green Party

There aren't many Green Party STI initiatives and the costing of the party's platform isn't broken down. But the Greens focus on federal science with a commitment of $75 million to add science capacity to the departments of the environment, health, fisheries and oceans and parks.

It also commits to restoring the long-form census and enacting legislation enshrining public access to legislation. Its centrepiece commitment is for a Canadian Sustainable Generations Fund encompassing labour, education, infrastructure, small business and communities.

Green Party Platform 2015.pdf

Conservative Party

Touting a strong economy, stable banking system and competitive tax regime, the Conservative Party stands on its STI record and directs new STI commitments to the automotive and other manufacturing sectors.

New funding includes an unspecified boost to its support of the National Optics Institute and up to $35 million in matching dollars to contributions to the Terry Fox Foundation.

Previously announced automotive pledges include $200 million for an Advanced Manufacturing Fund and $100 million for an Automotive Supplier Innovation Fund.

Other organizations such as the granting councils, NRC-IRAP and Brain Canada receive commitments of ongoing or renewed support, with no price tags attached.

Conservative Platform 2015.pdf

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