OTTAWA. OCTOBER 17, 2001
Check Against Delivery

INTRODUCTION

Thank you, David, for your kind introduction.

Good afternoon. It's a pleasure to speak to such a learned gathering about the importance of research to Canada’s well-being. It is fitting that PAGSE has convened this year’s Symposium on the Hill, bringing together researchers, parliamentarians and others interested in the advancement of science policy. PAGSE, with its research papers and briefs to Parliamentary Committees, plays a key role in providing government with commentary on science and technology issues.

Later this afternoon you will hear the research stories of several brilliant researchers in the area of cancer research. As a family physician for 19 years in my hometown of Montmagny, and also with my involvement in health issues in the developing world, I can verify the importance and impact of this research downstream.

THE VISION

In January 2001 the Speech from the Throne set out some ambitious goals for Canada in the area of innovation :

to ensure that Canada is one of the most innovative countries in the world, and to remain ahead despite the speed of globalization and technological change;
to raise Canada’s level of Research and Development investment intensity from 15th to 5th , among major economies of the world.
The Government of Canada wants to develop a national vision and strategy for innovation that will engage and challenge key stakeholders. As part of this effort the Government has committed to a doubling of its own spending on R&D by 2010. While we have taken the lead in this area over the past few years, these challenges clearly cannot be met by the government alone.

The knowledge infrastructure, the commercial environment, the human capital and the marketing of knowledge are elements that we must strengthen together to ensure Canada's leadership in innovation.

Our collective success and prosperity in the new knowledge economy will depend on the joint efforts of numerous players and experts. We are all interdependent but, at the same time, we each have our role to play. In addition to the federal leadership role, we also recognize our role in supporting the development of the science base.

With a view to creating a common outlook amongst federal-provincial-territorial governments to accomplish this goal, Minister Tobin and I met with the Ministers responsible for Research, Science and Technology, last month in Quebec City. We agreed to a series of principles that will assist Canada to become one of the most innovative countries in the world. For example, we committed to work closely together to address the long-standing issue of the indirect costs of university research.

The tragic events of September 11 in the United States give us pause. Canada faces costly new security requirements that need to be quickly enacted. However, our innovation agenda is a 10 year plan, that is a long-term agenda.

the agenda is not just about money. For success, the government must be as innovative as the private sector. There is much we can do on the innovation environment which is not about spending new money.
building consensus on a coordinated approach takes time and sustained effort. We must start now.
Canada can exert a more positive influence on the world stage if it has a strong and successful economy----developing that economy is what this strategy is about.
To move the agenda forward, I will be working closely with Minister Tobin to engage stakeholders to generate a shared national vision on innovation. This will be done by,

Release of the Innovation Paper later this fall;
Regional conferences that will engage stakeholders in both regional and sectoral issues;
A national conference that will solidify what we have learned at the regional level and begin work toward shared goals and commitments by the key partners: your governments, universities and of course the private sector.
Regular public reporting on progress.
I urge PAGSE members to participate in this process. We can benefit from your wisdom.

REALIZING OUR POTENTIAL

I think it is not an exaggeration to say that recently Canada has been causing a bit of a stir internationally. Its renewed commitment to excellence in research has not gone unnoticed.

Canada was the first country in the world to develop an innovative approach to the renewal of research infrastructure in our universities - the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The CFI was launched in 1997 as an independent agency mandated to rebuild and reinvest in research labs, installations and facilities in universities and hospitals across the country.

It’s proving to be very effective. So far the CFI has supported more than 1400 projects at 100 universities and hospitals. Every one of the projects funded to date (over $900 million) has enabled institutions to find matching funds from the provinces and additional monies from the private sector and the universities themselves. With a federal contribution of $3.15 billion, and CFI’s 40/60 funding formula, there remains much scope to address the future infrastructure requirements of research-performing institutions.

Another example is the Canada Research Chairs program that will provide 2,000 positions for researchers at Canada’s universities across the country. The federal government will invest $300 million per annum in these chairs. For its part, the CFI will invest $250 million between 2000 and 2005 to provide chair-holders with the world-class research facilities they need to compete globally and train the next generations of Canadian researchers. This combination of research and infrastructure funds gives our best young people a strong reason to stay in Canada and provide the innovation that improves the lives of Canadians.

We have also seen a doubling of the health research budget of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The 13 institutes of the CIHR address Canada’s health research needs in a new way, focussed more on outcomes and results. Close to the context of today’s session one of the CIHR institutes is a cancer research institute.

Recently a special allocation of $100 million over five years was granted to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council to support research on the knowledge economy including management skills, educational requirements and lifelong learning. This Initiative on the New Economy will support researchers who contribute to keeping Canada at the forefront of the knowledge economy. It is pleasing to see increasing interdisciplinary collaboration between the life sciences, physical sciences and social sciences. Understanding these impacts will be key as we move forward with our innovation agenda.

In recent times, we have been hearing a great deal about new technologies and their impact on our present, and especially our future, everyday lives. Their application in genomics opens almost unlimited doors to research that will in turn lead to discoveries.

Genome Canada now has an overall budget $300 million dollars that will make our country a world leader in research and will thus lead the way to this "culture of innovation".

Another important aspect of biotechnology and genomics research is that it encompasses the entire range of ethical and social issues. As this element has a very direct impact on the daily lives of our citizens, it is essential that Canadians are consulted and kept informed of government decisions.

Let me also tell you about another area in which I am deeply involved. The Council of Science and Technology Advisors, which I have the privilege of chairing, draws together 22 members from outside government.

It provides advice to the government on internal, cross-cutting issues related to S&T.

In recent years the Council has prepared several reports:

Science Advice for Government Effectiveness (SAGE);
Building Excellence in Science and Technology (BEST), the Federal Role in Performing Science and Technology;
Reinforcing External Advice to Departments (READ); and
Science and Technology Excellence in the Public Service (STEPS)
The Council’s SAGE report led to a new framework for science and technology advice which was recently adopted by the government. Its implementation will improve the government’s ability to deal with science-based issues and strengthen public confidence in the science-based decisions of government.

The other reports of the CSTA have had a profound impact on the way science in government is planned, undertaken and managed, with increased focus on excellence, collaboration and partnership.

THE CANADIAN ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES

I believe there is another component of our overall system that needs to be addressed. It is a project close to my heart.

Here I speak of the need for a national science organization. This is not a new issue, but I would suggest there are at least two reasons why now is a good time for us to re-consider this issue.

As the sciences move to the centre of decision-making in all walks of life, consideration must be given to how Canada, as a society, keeps abreast of the impacts and implications of the sciences. This includes trade negotiations, in the setting of regulations and in the find of solutions to global issues such as disease control, pollution and global warming.

Last October I convened a national roundtable on the need for a national science organization. Consensus was reached on the need for an independent, multi-disciplinary, national academy to conduct assessments of the sciences underlying pressing issues.

Following this meeting, I established a working group of representatives of a broad cross-section of the societies and associations representing all the sciences in Canada to develop a proposal and seek support for its implementation. Your past Chair, Howard Alper, recently presented the findings of this working group to the Finance Committee for consideration in the next Budget. I would like to thank all present who devoted their precious time towards the creation of this worthy institution.

The Canadian Academies of Science, an arms length, not-for-profit organization, will provide a public service by ensuring independent, unbiased assessments of the sciences underlying pressing issues and by providing a representing the sciences both within Canada and internationally. The "sciences" are defined as the full spectrum sciences, including the natural sciences, engineering, health sciences, social sciences and the humanities.

The Canadian Academies of Science will ensure credible, independent expert assessments of important issues to support informed decision-making by the public, government and other stakeholders. Informed decisions in a knowledge-based society rest on a foundation of independent, multi-disciplinary assessments of the sciences. These assessments, at a minimum, will establish an extensive picture of complex issues and clarify the lines of debate. At its best, the assessment process will build a common base of understanding and establishes consensus on the questions to be answered.

Furthermore, the challenges and opportunities that arise from advances in the sciences are increasingly international in scope. Effective responses will increasingly require a collaborative approach that draws on the scientific and technological expertise resident in a number of countries. The Canadian Academies of Science will participate in joint activities with national academies around the globe. As a credible voice on behalf of the sciences, it will provide an important contribution to Canada’s international S&T relations and secure the benefits associated with collaboration.

I am committed to pursuing this issue with my colleagues in government.

CONCLUSION

PAGSE and its members are an important vehicle for advancing Canada’s innovation agenda. Your participation in the consultation process is sought.

Canada is more than a land of vast and natural beauty, with an abundance of natural resources. It is also a land of virtually limitless resources of knowledge and skills.

Capitalizing on these resources will ensure the continued economic success of Canada, and the achievement of our vision.

I look forward to working with you in meeting these challenges.

Thank you.