Thank you, Madam Chair.
Indeed, following the examination of Dr. Prigent's appointment to CIHR's governing council, it is tempting to criticize at the same time the government for its approach to health research. This is why I really want to distinguish between the two aspects of the issue.
We are clearly very concerned about this commercialization of research and I have expressed this concern in my questioning of witnesses today and last week. However, the government will move into this direction with or without Bernard Prigent. Besides, it already has imposed its strategy on the research granting councils.
So that is not the issue here. The question is whether Bernard Prigent, the individual who will sit on CIHR's governing council, has or does not have the abilities to do the job. Considering the role of the governing council and the individual powers of each of its members, and considering the fact that all of the members are also potentially in a conflict of interest because they themselves are members of subsidized organizations, I cannot see myself voting today for the motion of Ms. Wasylycia-Leis.
That being said, my concerns with the direction into which the government wants all the research sector to go remain unchanged.