Thank you very much.
I come from Health Canada. I had been in Health Canada for a very long time. My background is that of a scientist, so from Health Canada I bring my scientific experience as well as regulatory knowledge, with which I hope I can make a valuable contribution to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
When I look at science in DFO as compared to science elsewhere, I actually feel privileged to be in this department, because science is independent, it's transparent, and it's open. For me, the scientific priorities are really well articulated in our science plan as well as in the plan of the department. So from my perspective, it's very exciting to be in an organization where science is not only part of the department but also provides a service to the other sectors.
As we move forward, some of my focus is going to be on ensuring that the science we have is quality, that it has an impact, and that it's relevant, as well as on looking at partnerships externally, with academia and industry, and also internationally, in terms of being able to get the best science possible so that we can make fundamentally appropriate science decisions.