America’s loss can be Canada’s gain.
Today, I will expand on a point made in the preceding article – the need for Canada to welcome talented people leaving the United States:
“With a growing sense of a clampdown on government criticism and open inquiry, many scientific experts, professors, and other talented individuals are considering leaving the United States. It would be wise for Canada to welcome those individuals with open arms. This would be a great way of countering America’s tariffs against Canada. If we can draw in some of America’s most well-educated and intelligent people, Canada’s economy, reputation, and long-term potential will benefit.”
History is full of examples of nations heading down an authoritarian path and driving out some of their best and brightest citizens. The most prominent example was fascist Germany in the 1930s, where an exodus of talent ended up benefiting the Allied democracies during the war and after, as military innovation and research shifted to the civilian economy. Ironically, one of the key beneficiaries of this exodus was the United States. By becoming a free haven for the best of the best, the United States became more powerful, more secure, and more innovative than it otherwise would have been.
Russia and China have also long been examples of nations that develop significant talent only to push talented people out of the country through repression. Hundreds of thousands of young Russians fled the country in 2022 when Putin invaded Ukraine, and many of those Russians were scientists, coders, physicists, engineers, and artists – the very people who are essential to technological advancement and cultural flourishing.
Meanwhile, China is far less wealthy and innovative than it could have been because the rigid and ruthless authoritarianism of the Chinese Communist Party pushes many talented people to study in the West, and many then choose to build their lives in the West. Again, another irony here is that the United States has been a key beneficiary of Chinese talent fleeing the CCP.
But now, America is led by a President who admires authoritarian states like China, and helms a movement that gives him the space to indulge his authoritarian impulses. While the United States is not yet an authoritarian state like China or Russia, let alone fascist Germany, it is heading in the wrong direction. People can feel the increasing demonization of intellectuals, the search for scapegoats, the slashing of funding for critical research, the elevation of ignorance, and the celebration of backwardness. And in response, some of America’s most talented scientists are looking for a way out.
According to a poll by Nature, 75% of US researchers who responded to a survey said they were considering leaving the United States due to the actions of the Trump Administration:
“The massive changes in US research brought about by the new administration of President Donald Trump are causing many scientists in the country to rethink their lives and careers. More than 1,200 scientists who responded to a Nature poll — three-quarters of the total respondents — are considering leaving the United States following the disruptions prompted by Trump. Europe and Canada were among the top choices for relocation.
The trend was particularly pronounced among early-career researchers. Of the 690 postgraduate researchers who responded, 548 were considering leaving; 255 of 340 PhD students said the same.
Trump’s administration has slashed research funding and halted broad swathes of federally funded science, under a government-wide cost-cutting initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk. Tens of thousands of federal employees, including many scientists, have been fired and rehired following a court order, with threats of more mass firings to come. Immigration crackdowns and battles over academic freedom have left researchers reeling as uncertainty and disruption permeate all aspects of the US research enterprise.”
Of note, not only is America’s new direction pushing talent out of the country, it’s also encouraging talented Canadians to stay here, as is the case for Dr. Marc Ruel, who turned down a prestigious position in the U.S. due to America’s annexation threats against Canada:
“Many of the internal policies and decisions that they make are frankly none of my business,” he said. “The tipping point was really the notion of annexation, that Canada is not an independent country, especially two countries that have been the closest sister and brother of countries for more than 200 years. That discourse was very troubling to me, and I felt as a proud Canadian in my patriotic conscience I could not partake in that.”
For Ruel, if the notion of loss of sovereignty to his “beloved country” became more inflamed within the U.S., he wanted to be north of the border.
“My mandate, I felt, was something different and we had to rally, embrace together, and elbows up as we love to say,” added Dr. Ruel. “Like all of us Canadian, I felt compelled by that in my own way and wanted to do all I could towards that.”
Concrete steps Canada can take to attract talent
With more American scientists looking to head elsewhere, the fact that Canada is already on the list of destinations for many is positive. And we should act fast to capitalize on the trend. Canada should have an ‘open arms’ policy for researchers leaving the United States, and we already have the tools in place to make it happen. Here’s how we can get it done:
Expand the Global Talent Stream program, already dedicated to fast-tracking immigrants in the STEM fields.
Utilize the Express Entry system and adjust targeted Express Entry draws to favour scientists and researchers.
Utilize the Startup Visa Program and offer permanent residency for entrepreneurs looking to commercialize their research or startup technology, or biotech companies.
Classify scientific & research fields as Priority Occupations to expedite permanent residency processing for scientists.
Provinces can take action as well. For example, Ontario can utilize its Human Capital Priorities Stream to fast-track scientists and researchers. Other provinces should do the same.
This is a potent reminder that Canada has agency. The more the United States closes itself up, the more we can benefit from opening up to those the U.S. pushes away. When these opportunities present themselves, Canada must move swiftly to take advantage. America’s loss can be Canada’s gain.
Spencer Fernando
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