Hon. Claudette Tardif (Deputy Leader of the Opposition):

Honourable senators, this government is trying to prevent any criticism of its policies by silencing the organizations and agencies that compile information on very important spheres of our society.

The Canadian Council on Learning, which compiled and analyzed key information on education in Canada, based on OECD indicators, has become a victim of this government's policies. Earlier this year, we learned that federal funding for the CCL will cease. A few weeks ago, Dr. Paul Cappon, President and CEO of the CCL, indicated that the CCL will remain open but will once again need to reduce its activities until federal funding is reinstated. The organization's financial situation is so precarious that Dr. Cappon and his colleagues have agreed to continue working on a voluntary basis.

In an ever more competitive and global world, education is the key to our success. However, without reliable data, it is very difficult to develop a national strategy on education.

My question is simple: When will this government realize the importance of having scientifically reliable data in order to develop policies for the good of Canadians?

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