Since the release of Budget 2023 we have learned that Minister Chrystia Freeland personally decided to remove funding for graduate students and postdocs from the budget, even though it was requested by ISED Minister François-Philipe Champagne.
Minister Freeland and her staff in the Ministry of Finance are currently working on a budget update for the fall, which will be completed in September. It is therefore a critical time to advocate for increased federal support for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
Send a letter
A physical letter sends a powerful message
You can use our template as is, or edit it to add your own thoughts. Sending a letter to Minister Freeland is always free.
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The letter can be sent free of postage to:
The Honourable Chrystia Freeland
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada
K1A 0A6
mm dd, 2023
Dear Minister Chrystia Freeland,
I am writing to request increased Federal funding to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Canada has not increased funding to Tri-Agency scholarships and fellowships in 20 years, and increases to research grants that support most graduate students and postdocs have been stagnant for five years. This stagnation in funding, compounded by soaring inflation, has forced most graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to live below minimum wage. The funding levels for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars is well below comparable funding in the United States and other G7 and OECD nations. As a result, many graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are moving abroad, seeking employment outside of research and development, or forgoing graduate school altogether.
The lack of Federal investment to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars is critically important to Canada. Most research at Canadian universities is done by graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, who work full time in pursuit of solutions to some of the greatest problems of our time, including developing cures for diseases, green technologies, cybersecurity, the use of AI in society, and much more. Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are the workforce driving innovation and discovery needed for a thriving economy.
I am also concerned that the lack of federal funding is making the pursuit of careers in research and innovation only affordable to the privileged few that have external financial support. Individuals from poorer backgrounds cannot afford to live on existing graduate student stipends that are below the poverty line. Building an inclusive, equitable and diverse society requires we make opportunities for all Canadians to benefit from, regardless of their economic background.
Canada’s success depends on attracting and retaining the top talent in the world. Investing in graduate student and postdoctoral scholars is critical for Canada to compete in the increasingly competitive market for talent in research, discovery and innovation.
I respectfully request that you increase federal funding to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at the earliest opportunity.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Title
Address
Make a call
Phone calls & voice messages have a big impact
Have some extra time? You can make an even bigger impact by calling Minister Freeland's Ottawa office at 613-992-5234 or her Toronto Constituency office: 416-928-1451
We suggest using the following script, and you can use our Learn More page for extra information.
I am calling to request increased Federal funding to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Canada has not increased funding to Tri-Agency scholarships and fellowships in 20 years, and increases to research grants that support most graduate students and postdocs have been stagnant for five years. This stagnation in funding, compounded by soaring inflation, has forced most graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to live below minimum wage. The funding levels for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars is well below comparable funding in the United States and other G7 and OECD nations. As a result many graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are moving abroad, or seeking employment outside of research and development.
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