Why some Canadian researchers are ‘threatened’ by a Trump admin form

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A questionnaire sent to Canadian researchers from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration asked if their work increases American influence globally, and posed other questions in line with the “America first” agenda.

According to the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), which represents 72,000 academic and professional staff at over 125 universities and colleges, the questionnaire was sent to researchers working on projects funded wholly or in part by American federal agencies.

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The association said in a March 17 news release, entitled “Trump administration threatening Canadian researchers,” that the U.S. president’s administration is “undermining the integrity and independence of academic research conducted in Canada.”

This comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to federal agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development and the Social Security Administration. The National Institutes of Health is also facing the possibility of major cuts and a funding freeze, which would affect research grants at American universities, NPR reported. Trump is set to sign an executive order shutting down the Department of Education on Thursday afternoon, according to a post on X by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Now, Canadian research projects are being scrutinized by the U.S. government.

David Robinson, the executive director at CAUT, is calling on the Canadian government “to step in to replace funding that may be lost from U.S. sources,” he told the National Post in an emailed statement on Thursday.

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“The questionnaire was developed by the Office of Budget and Management, an arm of the executive branch of the U.S. government. It was circulated to various U.S. federal agencies that provide funding to organizations and individuals outside the U.S. with a request that they forward to all parties they fund,” said Robinson.

He added that research conducted by Canadians is “vital.”

“Some of the research projects being funded by U.S. agencies include agricultural pest control management, clinical drug trials, and vaccine development,” he said, adding that they “improve and protect lives not just in Canada, but also in the U.S. and around the world.”

The questions asked on the form provide insight into how Trump’s administration is evaluating research projects, putting the president’s “America first” priorities outlined on Jan. 20 at the forefront.

Canadian researchers were asked if their project defends “against gender ideology” as defined by Trump’s executive order, entitled Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.

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Researchers were asked to confirm their research was not part of a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) project or that there were no DEI elements of the project. It included the reference to Trump’s executive order, entitled Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.

The questionnaire also asked whether the research organization was “compliant with the latest Mexico City Policy,” referring to a policy reinstated by Trump that would ensure “that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization,” per a Jan. 24 memorandum.

Other questions asked included, “Can you confirm this is not a climate or ‘environmental justice’ project or include such elements?” and “What impact does this project have in increasing American influence, trust and reputation within foreign governments?”

In the CAUT news release, Robinson said it needs to be clear “that there is no room for political interference in research in Canada.”

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“We simply can’t allow any government to direct research in this way,” said Robinson. “In the face of the Trump administration’s threats, we need a made-in-Canada solution. Ottawa must step up to ensure the vital research that is being threatened by the U.S. is properly funded and supported.”

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