Guide to Participating in Yourbudget2018

Researcher's Guide to the #YourBudget2018 consultation with the Department of Finance

Every year the Government of Canada consults widely on what Canadians want to see in their federal budget.

Even if you have already submitted a brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance in August, we recommend crafting a submission for the Department of Finance. The following information relates specifically for the submission to the Department of Finance as part of their "#YourBudget2018" consultations.

What is a pre-budget submission?

Organizations and individuals submit written feedback detailing what should be included in the Federal Budget from their, or their organization’s, point of view. It provides fact, opinion, and recommendations in regard to where the government should spend their money. From trade unions, to universities, to lobby groups, to corporations - the Finance Committee and the Department of Finance receive hundreds of submissions each year.

Strong Science. Strong Democracy. Researcher's Guide to the #YourBudget2018 consultation with the Department of Finance

What should my submission to the Department of Finance look like?

Wherever possible, try to frame comments around the Department of Finance’s four stated priorities for the next budget: the Middle Class, Economy of Tomorrow, Lifelong Learning, Gender Equality.

It should be under 2,000 words and properly referenced.

Submit your comments via email, in PDF form to: and Finance Minister Bill Morneau

Copy the following Ministers on the email: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ; Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains ; Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan ; Minister of Health Ginette Petitpas Taylor

You can also copy your local MP. You can look up their email at: https://www.ourcommons.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members

Suggested subject for the email: “YourBudget2018 submission: I [or the name of your organization] support investing in fundamental research”

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Overview & timeline

Every February or March, the Finance Minister gives a statement and tables a “Budget Bill,” in the House of Commons. The Budget details, among other things, how the government will spend and tax over the next fiscal year, which runs from April 1 - March 31. The Finance Minister (almost) always buys new shoes on Budget Day. It's tradition.

A number of government bodies support the drafting of the Budget, including departments, which provide budgetary priorities, and the Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) who complete a round of pre-budget consultations and report these to the Minister of Finance. The Department of Finance also carries out consultations with Canadians after receiving recommendations from FINA.

A more in-depth look at the budget process is available on ourcommons.ca

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Some things you may want to consider as a researcher...

This is your opportunity to share your hopes for research, science, and evidence in Budget 2018. Consider these questions when forming your brief:

How would the Naylor Report’s recommended increase of $485-million over four years for investigator-led research impact the productivity and competitiveness of my research and industry?

What do I, or my organization, hope to see for government science? What facilities or programs are integral to the success of public science? How do they affect Canadians?

What kind of support do I want to see for Early Career Researchers, and how would this specific recommendation impact the future of the Canadian economy, gender equality, and the Middle Class?

Helpful hints:

Use their language. The government has stated its priorities. Show how your priorities fit with theirs, and use their language to demonstrate it.

Keep it short, and write in plain language. This has to be translated, and read among hundreds of submissions.

When you're done... Tweet at Minister Morneau (@Bill_Morneau) using the #YourBudget2018 hashtag. You can find some example tweets on our website : https://evidencefordemocracy.ca/en/content/have-your-say- budget-2018

Complete the Government #YourBudget2018 multiple-choice questionnaire at https://www.budget.gc.ca/2018/prebudget-prebudgetaire/index-en.html.

Be sure to focus on questions relating to research, innovation and discovery, especially those which provide multiple-choice options for science (for example, Question 2 in the “Economy of Tomorrow” section)

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