Good morning, Chair, and members of the committee.
I'd like to thank you for inviting us to speak on behalf of the Rick Hansen Foundation and Institute. My name is Colin Ewart of the foundation, and this is Marie Trudeau from the board of directors of the Rick Hansen Institute. We're here today to talk to you about the 25th anniversary of Rick Hansen's Man in Motion tour, introduce the institute, and highlight the value and impact of the federal government's investments in Rick's visions to date.
You've likely heard of the foundation, which is responsible for implementing Rick's dreams of a world inclusive and accessible for all. You may not have heard of the Rick Hansen Institute, a relatively new organization, which is a key legacy of Rick's vision. The institute focuses on collaborative, interdisciplinary research that improves lives and contributes to finding a cure for spinal cord injury. Thanks to investments by the federal government, from all political stripes, Canada has become a world leader in spinal cord injury research and services similar to that of cancer, genomics, and HIV/AIDS.
This government in particular has been very supportive of Rick's vision through its financial support to date. We want to urge you to continue to support health research such as this. Investments in research and best practices such as those that we develop make a significant difference in the lives of people and result in significant savings to the health care system by governments across Canada.
Twenty-five years ago, we saw how one person could inspire many. After becoming injured, Rick Hansen was inspired to make a difference. He wheeled around the world--34 countries in over two years--and inspired athletes, politicians, doctors, scientists, young people, and people with spinal injuries, like Marie, into becoming difference-makers. As a result of his efforts and those of the people around him, people today with physical disabilities are looked at in a new light. The world is more accessible, and the science has become so advanced that someone with Rick's injuries today would likely walk away after treatment.
We're currently involved in the international phase of the 25th anniversary of the Man in Motion tour, following a very successful launch leading up to and during the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics. We're looking to recognize those difference-makers who have been part of our teams since 1987 and inspire new difference-makers. Between now and May of 2012, you will see Rick travel to several prominent locations around the world that he originally passed through between 1985 and 1987. With the help of the institute and our partners, these places are looking to collaborate with our work across Canada to accelerate the pursuit of the cure for paralysis and make communities more accessible and inclusive.
Following momentum-building announcements of collaboration in four countries--Israel, Australia, China, and the United States--we will return to Canada in August of 2011, and with our Canadian partners we will launch a new national relay tour across the country and recognize difference-makers all across Canada. This will take nine months in 700 communities with 7,000 participants. We'll ultimately conclude the relay tour with a significant homecoming event recognizing the day Rick returned to Vancouver.
Concurrently, a global conference in Vancouver focused on two symposium streams--cure and accessibility--and a trade show will highlight how progress can expand across the world and through the participants from over 100 countries. Canadian leadership and inspiration will be on display. Our ability to engage leaders nationally and internationally can have a profound benefit for Canadians up to and beyond 2012.
We're looking forward to partnering with and recognizing those who have been instrumental to our success over the years. We are already successfully securing partners and funding from corporations and individuals, and we plan to follow up this fall with key federal departments who will be interested in our plans.
Now I'll let Marie speak about the institute's programs about making a difference.