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The declarations come after hand-wringing for years over Canada’s position in a global marketplace that was a huge theme of 1990s’ discourse and acts as a backdrop for Mr. Harper’s announcement of lucrative government scholarships to top graduate students to study and conduct research at Canadian universities.

“By attracting and retaining the world’s best doctoral students, we are building a culture of innovation and high achievement right here in Canada,” Mr. Harper said.

“This in turn will strengthen our economy and our society, creating jobs and prosperity across the country for years to come. And it will add momentum to our country’s increasing strength and ambition.

“The importance of this cannot be overstated. Research leads to discoveries and inventions, that leads to patents that build Canadian businesses and create Canadian jobs and that makes for greater prosperity for Canadian families and workers.”

Mr. Harper announced 167 recipients of this year’s Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships in stately Convocation Hall at McMaster University in Hamilton, under the gaze of decorative stone busts of luminaries such as Socrates, Nicolaus Copernicus, Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.

The recipients at McMaster are studying in the fields of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics, psychiatry, neuroscience, English, chemistry, biomedical engineering and geography.

“We are here to celebrate potential,” said Patrick Deane, president of the university.

The scholarships, announced in the Conservative’s 2008 budget and launched in 2009, have been awarded to 507 students. Most placements have gone to bring international students from the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia to Canada.

Each is eligible for $50,000 in annual funding for three years to pursue advanced research and study at Canadian universities.

National Post

ahumphreys@nationalpost.com