Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Many thanks to the committee for the opportunity to present to you today.
I'm joined by my colleague, Dr. Brad Wouters of UHN, who can take part of any detailed questions you may have during the question and answer period.
I would like to start with the general but very important observation regarding all the organizations I represent. Does the Government of Canada consider the research hospital network and its research institutes on an equal footing with the private sector? Our network is a major economic driver and its research brings tremendous value to public health and to Canadians.
The second question that I would put to you is this: Are we really prepared to do some soul-searching and review our practices vis-à-vis a health system that has shown obvious weaknesses, a lack of national coordination, a major financial crisis and depleted human resources?
When Canadians think of health care institutions, they think of life-saving care delivered to those who need it and available when they need it. That is true and it is important. Indeed, it is foundational, but there is another side to Canada's community of health care institutions that is less well understood. Canada's health care institutions are world-class hubs for research, innovation and commercialization in the field of health. Research institutes based in health care are developing answers to the great questions of the day, working at the bleeding edge of disciplines that run the gamut from precision genomics to population health.
Health care institutions across Canada are a major economic force in Canada, employing over 650,000 employees, 8,000 to 10,000 scientists and 60,000 research staff and students. That workforce supplies the raw talent for Canada's $7.8 billion biotech industry and generates untold knock-on economic benefits for Canada.
The federal funding for wage support announced by the government last Friday was met with great relief by the health research community and may have avoided the loss of up to 15,000 jobs in May alone. We are sincerely grateful for the government's consideration and foresight in this matter.
Canada's health care organizations have taken extraordinary steps to provide care to Canadians throughout this pandemic. Steps that have been taken required major investments and incurred unforeseen expenses. The federal government has been highly responsive to Canadian businesses and has not hesitated to take steps to mitigate their significant financial losses.
The health care system—including long-term care and home care—should and must receive equal attention from the Government of Canada. The Canadian hospital system must be given access to contingency assistance programs and what's more, this decision must be viewed as one that will be carried out in the future.
With a projected deficit of $250 billion, what does the future hold for Canada's health care system and all the researchers who support it? We cannot afford to gamble on the future. The health of Canadians deserves more than a debate between governments in a power struggle that too often proves unproductive and ineffective.
With that in mind, Mr. Chair, I would ask the committee to consider the role the federal government should play in striking a better balance across jurisdictions in order to support a health system reeling from the epidemic.
Thank you very much.