Check Against Delivery
December 15, 2014
Toronto, Ontario
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for the gracious welcome.
And to Peter and Vijay, from Grand Challenges Canada and the National Council of Indo Canadians, for the invitation to join you at the Grand Challenges Canada-India Health Innovation Summit.
The Canada-India relationship was built on our shared traditions of democracy, pluralism and a mutual interest in expanding trade.
It dates back to 1951, when Canada first provided India with food aid, project financing and technical assistance.
Through the decades, our relationship has grown to include collaboration in agricultural production, infrastructure development projects, community development and institutional strengthening.
Today, our ties are strong because of the 60-plus years we have spent working together.
And they endure in large part due to the interpersonal connections that have naturally come as Canada’s Indian community has grown to reach over one million citizens.
With most of these Indo-Canadians solidly established—and many in prominent positions in all domains of Canadian society—there is no doubt about the breadth and vitality of Canada’s links with India.
Indeed, yours is a large and well-established community—one that is fortunate to be able to count on the National Council of Indo Canadians to look out for its best interests.
Like the NCIC (National Council of Indo Canadians), the Canadian government is committed to working with India and strengthening our historical ties through the dynamism of the Indian people.
Our development investments in India are examples of that. And this includes the work we are doing through Grand Challenges Canada.
To date, Grand Challenges Canada has funded 80 innovations in India, for a total investment of over $16 million. The funding has been used for projects that are being implemented by institutions based in India, and by others here in Canada and other countries in partnership with Indian organizations.
These projects come at an important time.
Many development challenges are of magnitudes that require all partners to work together to be as effective as possible.
Canada’s aim is to diversify its partnerships, thus bringing a variety of ideas to the table.
We must all seek out innovative solutions to age-old problems, and Grand Challenges Canada is a perfect example of this.
Our government funded Grand Challenges Canada to find innovative solutions to global health problems.
Including those related to the preventable deaths of mothers and children.
Since its founding, Grand Challenges Canada has supported a number of innovative and often cutting-edge solutions—solutions that are saving lives right now.
I am proud of our partnership, and of the support that our government has provided for innovative ideas that will improve the health of all citizens.
Today, as part of our $10 million strategic partnership with Grand Challenges Canada, funded by Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, I am pleased to say that Canada is supporting another innovative health idea.
The Aina device is the brainchild of a company based in Bangalore.
It is a test strip reader that transforms a mobile phone into a blood analyzer to measure glucose levels. For those suffering from diabetes, it is a health innovation that could greatly improve quality of life.
The Government of Canada is contributing $1 million to accelerate the scale-up of this highly promising health innovation. Grand Challenges Canada is investing another $1 million.
The Aina device is an example of what is possible when creative ingenuity and financial support meet at the right crossroads.
Canada is also supporting 10 new global health innovations in India that will tackle pressing global health challenges.
One of them is a life-saving baby temperature band that continuously measures an infant’s temperature and uses intuitive alarms to alert a mother when her child needs to be warmed.
This device aims to drastically and cost-effectively reduce the rates of neonatal hypothermia and severe infection.
And it is precisely the type of innovation that Canada is proud to support in the context of our efforts to save the lives of mothers and children.
Maternal, newborn and child health is our government’s highest development priority.
And we appreciate the outstanding work that many partners are doing, particularly thanks to the support they have received through Grand Challenges Canada.
By working with Indian innovators abroad, our government is leveraging expertise and innovation for technologies and practices that will make an incredible difference in the lives of those who need it most.
Thank you for using this Summit to further jumpstart Canadian and Indian efforts in the fields of global health, early child development, women and children’s health, and mental health.
The exceptional work that you do does not go unnoticed and we applaud you for your many successes.
It has been a pleasure to be here with you this evening.
Thank you.
