Support Our Science Walk Out march on May 1st

[Gaps]

Hey GAPSers!

I'm sure you're all painfully aware how low graduate stipends and postdoc salaries are, especially given how expensive Vancouver is. One of the main reasons that has been provided by TRIUMF management as to why they can't increase salaries is that expected salaries are set for grant applicants by NSERC/NRC, so our supervisors literally can't ask for more money from the funding agencies. NSERC hasn't increased CGS scholarships since 2003, so the $17.5k CGS(MSc) scholarship should be worth $26.4 today. Yet despite this obvious crisis, any increase in the NSERC budget was left out of the 2023 budget<https://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/universities-research-granting-agencies-left-out-of-federal-budget-2023/> for the second year running, despite petitions, protests, and advice from the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System, so it's crucial we ramp the pressure up!

In protest of this neglect from our government, GAPS is joining with scores of universities across Canada for a Walk Out organised by the lobbying group Support Our Science<https://www.supportourscience.ca/nationwide-walkout>. If you support sending a strong message to Trudeau that grad students shouldn't be paid below the poverty line and that post-docs deserve a living wage, then join us on May 1st! We'll be meeting out the front of the MOB at 10am to march to the Nest at UBC, where UBC is organising at 10:30, before marching to the UBC President's office at 11am.

If you can't make it because of meetings, then leave the meetings: that's the power of a walk out! But if you want to do something more, then you can write an email to your MP<https://www.supportourscience.ca/contact-your-mp> to amplify our voices.
And if you want to create a sweet sign for the walk out, GAPS will be holding a sign making session this Friday 28th at 11am.

See you on Monday (or maybe Friday)!
Your GAPS
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