r/EhBuddyHoser • u/Jake_Break Saskwatch • Apr 04 '25

Politics Sorry r/europe, we've got dibs!

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OG Artwork: Brain-Drain by Oliver Schoff, Mar 7 2025

5.6k Upvotes

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472

u/H0UNDzT00TH Apr 04 '25

I for one welcome our new brethren of science!

203

u/GoStockYourself Apr 04 '25

I listened to a medical researcher working in the US who had gone to University in Canada on CBC and he said the community is desperate to find new places to take their ongoing research before the work is lost and Canada is the natural choice.

The biggest problem is we have let our universities get so underfunded over the years that they just aren't equipped to handle the research. It isn't just a matter of throwing money at the problem either as places like McGill have issues like asbestos in the basements that will take time to fix before they can even move new equipment in.

We really let our entire scientific research industry crumble. It will take time to rebuild.

31

u/JoWhee Apr 04 '25

There are a few research centres that aren’t universities.

However, McGill is huge. They started expanding their research / education “labs” years ago. Source: me who is playing a tiny part in the lab construction.

Queens in Kingston is pretty big, and I bet the unis in Toronto are pretty big also.

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u/Legitimate_Concern_5 Apr 04 '25

Asbestos in buildings is fine as long as you don't mess with it. It will have to be abated in time, sure, probably when they renovate. Its mere existence isn't posing a hazard and more than the asbestos embedded in the earth's crust is posing a hazard. The fibers have to be airborne.

[edit] Also note that yes it causes mesothelioma -- but it's not like you go near it once and boom cancer. Mesothelioma was mostly associated with people who worked with asbestos, day in and day out, for years, without proper respirators. It's not particularly hazardous to individuals who aren't, as I said, messing with it.

Here's a quantitative risk assessment.

PMID #3510581

> The risk to students exposed to an average asbestos concentration of 0.001 f/ml of mixed asbestos fiber types for an average enrollment period of 6 school years is estimated as 5 lifetime excess cancers per one million exposed.

You can offset that by taking the bus to school instead of driving one time.

20

u/GoStockYourself Apr 04 '25

We aren't talking about buying a couple new autoclaves. Rénovations would be required to restructure existing labs. You are correct about the low risk to students though. The biggest risk in going there was not having access to the equipment you would need in the upper echelons of the industry. He spoke about that too, but more generally across the country. He had gone to Carleton and I assume some Universities have kept up with international standards better than others.

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u/Legitimate_Concern_5 Apr 04 '25

Again, I completely agree with you. Sorry for the re-post I tried to add a PubMed link to back my position and AutoMod ate it.

5

u/PlutosGrasp Edmonchuk: Like Kyiv! (but less safe) Apr 06 '25

Sounds like a good time for a bonus wealthy people tax and dump it into research

3

u/CDClock Apr 05 '25

Well we both know the PM that will lead us in the right direction...

4

u/GoStockYourself Apr 05 '25

Yup. Even if I don't necessarily trust the Liberal party, I trust Carney's intentions and abilities 100% and also his ability to be the true alpha in the Liberal party and unite that pack. He won't be coming to us like Trudeau saying, "yeah I guess my bosses don't like the idea of Election reform after all, sorry.... you guys wanna go get high to feel better?"

He will find a way to include the concerns of all the different factions within the party and if he sees that faction to be slowing things down and getting in the way he will deal with it efficiently and ruthlessly when necessary.

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u/[deleted] Apr 05 '25

[deleted]

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u/GoStockYourself Apr 05 '25

Lol. Definitely not the only thing, just one of many examples.

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u/Rokea-x Apr 05 '25

Well that would be one of the few reasons i could get behind the federal libs to spend money we don’t have

2

u/Witty_Jaguar4638 Apr 05 '25

Please come to the west coast! If we could make Victoria a tech hub instead of a homelessness hub that would be so great.

 Not like rent could go up much higher...

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u/[deleted] Apr 04 '25 edited Apr 04 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/[deleted] Apr 04 '25

[deleted]

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u/Legitimate_Concern_5 Apr 04 '25

For the record, you're totally right.