Speaking Points
The Honourable Gary Goodyear, PC, MP
Minister of State (Science and Technology)
London, Ontario
March 15, 2013
Check Against Delivery
Good morning, ladies and gentleman. Thank you, Susan, for your kind introduction. I would like to welcome Dr. Gaffield, Mr. Normand, Ms. Turik, the Canada Research Chairs who are among us today and other distinguished guests.
I am delighted to be here at Western University to announce continued support for the exceptional research and innovation undertaken at this university and at post-secondary institutions across the country.
As you all know, Western is one of Canada's top-ranked universities, and researchers here excel in several fields. Western's medical and law schools are ranked among the best nationally. Its Brain and Mind Institute—which supports the work of Canada Excellence Research Chair Adrian Owen and Canada Research Chairs Daniel Ansari, Blaine Chronik, Melvyn Goodale and Ravi Menon—has literally put Canada on the map as a global centre of excellence in the field of neuroscience. And, of course, the Richard Ivey School of Business offers one of the best business education programs in the country.
Our government is proud to help build this well-deserved reputation in research excellence. And we are continuing to do so through our science and technology strategy.
Launched by Prime Minister Harper in 2007, this strategy has helped Canada reach the top of the OECD's G7 rankings for higher-education expenditures on R&D, expressed as a percentage of GDP.
It has also helped to attract and retain talent and to create the highly skilled workforce that is required for a more prosperous economy.
In fact, over the past decade, we have seen a net migration of researchers into the country because of the tremendous opportunities available in Canada.
Part of this attraction can be attributed to the Canada Research Chairs program. Since its launch in 2000, the Government of Canada has invested nearly $300 million annually to support research excellence in the fields of engineering, natural sciences, health sciences, humanities and social sciences.
The Canada Research Chairs are driving innovation, addressing health, environmental and social issues, and spurring economic growth—all of which serve to improve the lives of Canadians.
As outlined by the Prime Minister, our government is focused on the four priorities that Canadians care most about: their families, the safety of our streets and communities, pride in being citizens of this country and personal financial security. The Canada Research Chairs are working toward achieving these four priorities.
That is why I take great pleasure today in announcing an investment of more than $90 million to support 120 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs working at the frontier of their fields in universities across the country.
In addition, the Canada Foundation for Innovation's Leaders Opportunity Fund will provide $4.5 million for the necessary research infrastructure for several of these Chairs' projects.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is just the latest investment in what is one of our country's most successful research support programs. At this time, there are close to 1,800 chairholders—with more than 50 of them right here at Western.
Six of those 50 chairholders are sharing nearly $4 million of the support announced today. These chairholders are all conducting important research that has the potential to have a tremendous impact in their respective fields.
Take Dr. Tima Bansal for example, the new Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Business Sustainability. As I mentioned earlier, the Richard Ivey School of Business is among the country's top business schools, in part because it was one of the first schools in the country to integrate sustainability into its curriculum.
Dr. Bansal's influence was key to this achievement. Her research will bring together academics and businesses from all sectors of the economy to identify and develop sustainable business practices, helping firms manage their financial, social and environmental risks, obligations and opportunities. Dr. Bansal and her team have helped position Western as a leader in sustainability practices.
Ladies and gentlemen, with researchers like Dr. Bansal I am confident that Canada will continue to drive many of the transformative discoveries of tomorrow.
As my colleagues and I celebrate Canada Research Chairs at universities across the country today, I would like to reaffirm my belief that Canada's institutions of higher learning will continue to be pioneers in fostering the innovation, talent and ideas that will unleash new economic growth and job creation across our country.
I want to thank you, the chairholders, for the exceptional contributions you have made and will continue to make toward Canada's research excellence.
On behalf of our government, sincere congratulations, and I look forward to seeing the results of your discoveries.
Thank you.
