We support this. While we welcome the introduction of a separate position for the chair of the National Research Council, we want to point out that the Conservatives have been cutting, and in fact gutting, this internationally respected institution and eliminating its capacity for discovery research.
The Conservative approach to the NRC is very troubling for our future innovation capacity. As this committee well knows, when it comes to innovation, Canada's ranking is near the bottom of the OECD. To undermine our scientific capacity and therefore further undermine our innovation capacity is travelling in the wrong direction. I want to make that point.
However, we will be supporting the creation of a separate position for the chair of the NRC.
(Clause 271 agreed to)