Ford bringing back the war on science

May 16, 2019

TORONTO — Mike Schreiner released the following statement after funding cuts to stem cell research:

“The Ford government appears intent on reviving Harper’s war on science, which put a chill on cutting-edge research and led to a steep decline in informed policy-making in this country.

People in the knowledge sector are being targeted by Ford’s cuts because this is a government that does not see value in research and innovation.

In addition to cuts to stem-cell research, think tanks like the Mowat Centre and Gambling Research Exchange Ontario are shuttering their doors because the province is no longer supportive of high-quality research.

And the Premier is wrong if he says the private sector can just pick up the slack.

Governments have historically invested in pure research for the public good and to continue that investment is critically important.

By privatizing all of that investment, there is a risk of sacrificing the public good to private profits.

These cuts are short-sighted from an economic perspective because they say Ontario is not interested in the growing sectors of science, medicine and technology.”

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