Liberals call for better provincial investment in Research and Development in upcoming budget

In our second pre-budget announcement, we called today for the establishment of a Manitoba Science, Engineering and Humanities Research Council with the aim of providing support for research and innovation in Manitoba. We believe that it is important that an initial priority be on environmental research.

See the full press release below.
And see the video on You-Tube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yRCsDiCvec


Investment in R&D key to Manitoba’s future
Manitoba has continuously fallen short in funding research and innovation: Gerrard

Winnipeg – Manitoba Liberal Leader Dr.Jon Gerrard today pointed to investments in innovation and research, with an emphasis on the environment, as being key elements to the future of our province and called for the establishment of a Manitoba Science, Engineering and Humanities Research Council, with a budget of $6 million per year, to support the growth of innovation and research in Manitoba to be included in the upcoming provincial budget.

“We are at a time when we face an environmental revolution and a need for urgent improvement in the stewardship of our environment,” said Gerrard. “Innovation is essential for meeting the environmental failures of the past and challenges of the future and we can no longer proceed blindly. We must invest in high quality university based research to guide decisions.”

The NDP have done a miserable job of fostering university based research. After eight years of relentless pressure from the Liberals there finally been an increase in funding for the Manitoba Health Research Council.

The Liberal plan calls for:

1) Priority on research to deal with Manitoba environmental failures - cleaning up Lake Winnipeg and mine tailings as well as reducing green house gas emissions in Manitoba.
2) Innovation and research is vital to the growth of communities and economies as well as for improvements in our social well being and in the delivery of social programs to address issues like poverty and the social well being of children.
3) Ensuring long run, high quality post-secondary education institutions in Manitoba
4) Under the Manitoba Liberal plan, 90% of dollars would be provided to research in post-secondary education institutions, while 10% would be provided for research done by small businesses.

This investment in environmental research and other areas will help position Manitoba at the forefront of innovation and in an increasingly global economy this is crucial for Manitoba to remain competitive. It is essential that the government provide an environment for innovation to flourish at our institutions of advanced education and in Manitoba businesses.

“Innovation is a driver of economic growth – creative cities draw creative people who in turn build businesses, create jobs and stimulate the economy,” Dr.Gerrard said. “The absence of innovation has the opposite effect – lower wages, brain drain and stagnant businesses.”

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For more information or interviews, contact:

Samantha Charran
Liberal Caucus Communications
(204) 228-6707
samantha.charran@leg.gov.mb.ca