(Longueuil) If he is re-elected, François Legault plans to create 20 new research chairs in Quebec studies, at a cost of $40 million, in order to reverse what he considers to be a lack of interest on the part of universities for the subject.
Posted at 2:08 p.m.
This is with the aim of “better knowing, promoting and defending the particularities of the Quebec approach”, in terms of language, culture, economic and social development, among others.
The CAQ leader made the announcement on Monday at the Georges-Dor library in Longueuil, in Marie-Victorin – a riding won by his party in a by-election.
The CAQists have observed a decline in this field of research in Quebec universities since the 1990s. According to them, it is necessary to curb this “loss of expertise”.
A CAQ government would launch calls for projects and the proposals would be evaluated by an independent committee. The Chief Scientist and the Fonds de recherche du Québec would be responsible for implementing the program and granting the funds. A chair would be entitled to a maximum of 1.5 million over three years.