Canada announces research safeguards against foreign influence

Under the enhanced research security policy, coming into effect this year, the Canadian government has announced the Research Security Centre, research security funding stream, “Safeguarding Your Research” portal. and access-free research security training courses and guidance on conducting open-source due diligence.

In addition, Canada has published a list of sensitive technology research areas and named research organisations (connected military, national defence or state security entities) which researchers should not have ongoing affiliations if they are interested in applying for government funding.

Sensitive technology research areas include advanced digital infrastructure; advanced energy; advanced materials and manufacturing; advanced sensing and surveillance; advanced weapons, aerospace, space, satellite technology; artificial intelligence; big data tech; human-machine integration; life science tech including biotechnology, medical and healthcare, quantum science, robotics and autonomous systems.

The list of named research organisations includes entities from the People’s Republic of China, Iran, and Russia.

The lists are expected to be reviewed regularly to address risks to national security, however, researchers are encouraged to do their own due diligence when collaborating on sensitive research.

Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Health Mark Holland, and Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc also announced a joint statement on 16 January regarding the changes.

“While Canadian-led research is defined by its excellence and collaborative nature, its openness can make it a target for foreign influence, increasing the potential risks for research and development efforts to be misappropriated to the detriment of national security,” the ministers said.

VIEW ALL

“Our government is taking a key step in protecting Canada’s world-class research. We are introducing a series of measures to safeguard it, which include implementing the new Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern, launching Canada’s new Research Security Centre, as announced in Budget 2022, and supporting post-secondary institutions with a total investment of close to $50 million through the Research Support Fund.

“The Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern will provide alignment across the federal research ecosystem when it comes to research grant applications submitted by a university or affiliated research institution to the federal granting councils (Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Canada Foundation for Innovation).”

“Recognising that threats evolve and can come from anywhere in the world, both lists will be regularly reviewed to keep pace with the latest developments in research.

“Although the policy will come into effect in spring 2024, the government of Canada may immediately take research affiliations into account as part of research funding decision-making processes, should risks be identified.

“By working together, we can ensure that our groundbreaking research and discoveries support Canadian innovation, while also protecting our national security. Protecting Canadian research is our top priority.”

People’s Republic of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning, who was questioned on the Chinese organisations listed under the new national security concerns, said sci-tech exchange and cooperation between China and Canada are two-way and mutually beneficial.

“The Canadian government has gone after some universities and research institutions of China under the pretext of so-called national security risks,” she said during a regular press briefing on 17 January.

“This seriously undermines sci-tech exchange and cooperation between China and Canada and is not conducive to improving and stabilising the bilateral relations. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this. 

“The relevant policy of Canada is short-sighted and unwise and hurts others as well as itself.

“We urge Canada to abandon ideological bias and Cold-War mentality, stop overstretching the concept of national security, stop politicising sci-tech cooperation issues and using them as a tool, stop setting up barriers hindering normal sci-tech exchange and cooperation between China and Canada, and create conditions and atmosphere for the improvement and growth of bilateral relations, instead of doing the opposite.”