Isabelle Buchanan

Advocate for place-based solutions to Canada’s biggest challenges, which support the region-specific mandates of public colleges and ensure local training needs are considered in policy development. Increase support to developing countries and other partner countries to build technical and vocational training capacity, strengthen skills development and education systems, and enhance Canada’s global education brand. Advocate for support for college-led research as a core component of federal research and innovation funding and policy. Discuss how colleges can support immigration programs, such as foreign credential recognition or international students, to meet Canada’s labour market needs, and share with officials impacts of policy changes on the college sector. Share with officials how colleges can support Canada’s training and workforce development needs to meet Canada’s biggest challenges. Share with officials the role of colleges and institutes in delivering high quality education for Canadians, and ensuring access to education for Canadians. Advance reconciliation through partnerships with Canada’s public colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, polytechnics, and Indigenous Institutes of Education. Promote the role and expertise of colleges in deepening Canada’s relationships with other countries. Promote the value of educational fair dealing in supporting colleges and institutes in their mandate to provide advanced skills and to enable them to better respond to the skills shortage. Increase investments and support to address colleges’ infrastructure needs to increase Canada’s training space and access in key high-demand fields that align with federal priority areas. Enable post-secondary institutions to obtain grants and loans to develop student housing projects, with additional supports for housing that supports students from vulnerable populations. Ensure Canada’s colleges and institutes have the necessary federal support to provide high-quality training for future healthcare professionals. Ensure the specific needs of institutions, including French institutions and those in minority linguistic communities, are taken into account when federal policies and programs are designed and delivered.

Arranging meetings and discussions with government officials with respect to assessment services, program design, and public sector workforce development. Arranging meetings and discussions with government officials with respect to the designation of testing organizations, to provide language tests to applicants for Canadian citizenship, permanent residence and visas.

Arranging meetings and discussions with government officials with respect to assessment services, program design, and public sector workforce development. Arranging meetings and discussions with government officials with respect to the designation of testing organizations, to provide language tests to application for Canadian citizenship, permanent residence and visas.

Infrastructure funding to support innovation, student housing and other capital projects. Support the Recruitment of World-Class Faculty and Staff Research Funding for the purpose of attracting talent including Tri-Council programs such as CRCs , scholarships and bursaries Mobilizing science and technology to Canada's Advantage Funding for research related infrastructure through CFI and other tri-council programs Support through programs and involvement in policy development with regard to the application of university research in the area of population health. Student assistance and financial support with respect to the Canada Student Loans Program, Federally Funded Internships, Federal Scholarships, and Federal Bursary Programs. Research funding with respect to growth to Federal granting councils Research funding with respect to allocation of funds for indirect costs of research International student recruitment and acceptance through Citizenship and Immigration policies Funding for infrastructure projects associated with universities through federal economic stimulus funding and the FedDev program.

Advocacy regarding the Government of Canada’s defence and research agenda, including policies, programs and regulations developed by the Department of National Defence, Defence Research and Development Canada and other relevant departments and agencies that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding the Government of Canada’s innovation and economic development agenda, including policies, programs and regulations developed by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and other relevant departments and agencies that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding the Government of Canada’s health research and life sciences agenda, including policies, programs and regulations developed by Health Canada and other relevant departments and agencies that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding immigration policies, programs and regulations related to international students, faculty, and highly qualified research personnel developed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and other relevant departments and agencies that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding housing strategy issues, policies and programs that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding Government of Canada training, employment and skills policies or programs, developed by Employment and Social Development Canada and other relevant departments and agencies, that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector with respect to their research and education activities. Advocacy regarding Canada’s research and development agenda, including research funding administered through the granting agencies and other federal departments and agencies, program design, and regulatory concerns related to research, including research security. Advocacy to ensure that proposals to develop or amend federal legislation, regulations, policies or programs that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary system reflect the needs of universities and support research and education activities, including communication with public office holders in the House of Commons of Canada, the Senate of Canada and relevant departments and agencies. Activities related to the operation of U15 digital initiatives including Cognit.ca and SecureScholar.

Advocacy regarding the Government of Canada’s innovation and economic development agenda, including policies, programs and regulations developed by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and other relevant departments and agencies that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding the Government of Canada’s health research and life sciences agenda, including policies, programs and regulations developed by Health Canada and other relevant departments and agencies that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding immigration policies, programs and regulations related to international students, faculty, and highly qualified research personnel developed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and other relevant departments and agencies that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding housing strategy issues, policies and programs that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding Government of Canada training, employment and skills policies or programs, developed by Employment and Social Development Canada and other relevant departments and agencies, that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector with respect to their research and education activities. Advocacy regarding Canada’s research and development agenda, including research funding administered through the granting agencies and other federal departments and agencies, program design, and regulatory concerns related to research, including research security. Advocacy to ensure that proposals to develop or amend federal legislation, regulations, policies or programs that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary system reflect the needs of universities and support research and education activities, including communication with public office holders in the House of Commons of Canada, the Senate of Canada and relevant departments and agencies. Activities related to the operation of U15 digital initiatives including Cognit.ca and SecureScholar.

Communicating with the federal officials on developing global partnerships, in education, in research and innovation, and in entrepreneurship activities 1) Communication with various designated public office holders to inquire on the status research funding programs; and 2) Communications to various designated public office holders to advocate for continued and increased granting council funding for the sector. (SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR) Communications with various designated public office holders regarding energy policy, innovation, and new technologies. (Policies or Programs) Communications with various designated public office holders regarding investment in sector initiatives related to Arts and Culture (primarily the antisemitism institute would fall under this category) (Policies or Programs) Communications regarding federal housing policies and government initiatives to support student housing development. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding health programming and investments to further health research and population health outcomes. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding jobs, creating skills development and work-integrated learning. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding investment in science and technology Communications with various designated public office holders regarding international education and to discuss policy changes to immigration that impact students and faculty. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding adaptation and mitigation of climate change, and other environmental policies. Communications with various designated public office holders for increased investment in sector infrastructure.

Communications regarding federal housing policies and government initiatives to support student housing development. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding health programming and investments to further health research and population health outcomes. Federal Research Granting Councils (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR): 1) Communication with various designated public office holders to inquire on the status research funding programs; and 2) Communications to various designated public office holders to advocate for continued and increased granting council funding for the sector. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding jobs, creating skills development and work-integrated learning. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding investment in science and technology Communications with various designated public office holders regarding international education and to discuss policy changes to immigration that impact students and faculty. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding adaptation and mitigation of climate change, and other environmental policies. Communications with various designated public office holders for increased investment in sector infrastructure. Communications with various designated public office holders for increased funding to the Research Support Program of SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR.

Discussions about financial sustainability measures for universities. Discussions about shared priorities related to universities including workforce, talent, and employment. Discussions on the Canada-India Talent and Innovation Strategy. Government of Canada - Universities Working Group roundtable discussion on research security. Discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) funding as it relates to universities. Student housing and community enabling campus infrastructure programs. Working group meeting to discuss academic contributions to the Defence Industrial Strategy. Immigration policies and programs related to international students and affecting universities. Discussions of education and international relations opportunities. Engaging in discussions on research priorities for Canadian universities. Discussions about research policy and programs, Canada-US relations, and their impacts on the post-secondary sector Discussions about international students, the workforce, and the benefits of a university degree. Discussions about the Global Excellence Initiative (GEI) and future funding commitments. Meeting to discuss science policy and programs, impact of Canada-US relations Recent policy changes and development of other policy tools including the Recognized Institutions Framework.

Discussion on how immigration policy and programs relating to international students can be improved to meet Canada’s economic and foreign policy goals and sharing the impacts of policy and program changes on the education sector in Canada. Advocating for the role of international education in advancing Canada’s international trade, development and diplomatic goals.

Advocating for easier exchange of students between foreign countries and Canada

Discussing the development of a trusted institution framework for the post-secondary education sector and international student policies.

Apartment Construction Loan Program (ACLP) funding support tied to the construction of new student housing Discussing the development of a recognized institution framework for the post-secondary education sector and international student policies.

Advancing biofuels policy and the benefits of biofuels for canola farmers, processors, and rural communities. Working to secure market access for Canadian canola products Working on sustainability and biodiversity policy as it relates to the Canadian canola industry and agriculture sector. Working on rail and labour policy as it relates to the movement and export of canola and canola products. Working on innovation policy to drive growth and investment in the Canadian canola industry. Supporting multi-lateral and bi-lateral trade negotiations and the implementation of existing agreements to reduce tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers on canola and its products. Implementing a national water monitoring program that supports the environmental safety of plan protection products. Ensuring that the regulation of crop protection products and seed innovations are made using the best available science. Encouraging the development of an Agriculture Policy Framework that supports the competitiveness and growth of the canola sector, including support for the federal and shared funded programs through the Agricultural Policy Framework. Encouraging health/safety/environment approval framework for Plants with Novel Traits and plant breeding innovations that support innovation. Continue obtaining support to resolve market access issues and enhance canola utilization from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's "Agri-Marketing" Program. Continue obtaining support for federal and jointly funded research programs though the Agricultural Policy Framework such as the AgriScience Cluster. The Cluster is a partnership between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the canola industry to produce research that reduces production risk, improves yield, increases market demand and enhances focus on sustainability.

Discussions with Government of Canada officials regarding Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s regulations around proof of language proficiency for both immigration and citizenship purposes.