Now then, the first part of your question refers more or less to what you just asked regarding the breadth of vision. With regard to research, we are talking about competitiveness at the national level, about combining our resources and establishing uniform standards of practice across Canada. The availability of mechanisms for recruiting patients for Canada-wide studies will clearly make us much more competitive internationally. I think that everyone wants this, and all the provinces certainly want it.
Your second question is about funding. In 1999, I told you that research was woefully under-funded in Canada. We must recognize that the efforts made in a wide range of fields over the past eight years have been truly remarkable: research chair programs have been created in order to support and to attract researchers of renowned in Canada and abroad. There are Canadian scholarship programs that encourage students to go on to graduate studies; and the recently announced Vanier scholarships have enabled us and will in the future enable us to attract very highly qualified foreign students. Finally, significant investments have been made in infrastructure.
Ten years ago, our infrastructure was sadly lagging behind other industrialized countries. We have erased that gap, and we are once again competitive. The CIHR budgets, since it was created, since the MRC went over to CIHR, have tripled in value. This all adds up to a very significant investment.
Clearly, research—and let me repeat this—involves international competition. It is very clear that Canada will have to carry on with its efforts if it wants to remain competitive at the international level. I must tell you that its competitive position is very good.