Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My question is for Dr. Bamji.
First of all, I'd like to thank you for being with us.
The pandemic has highlighted the fact that investments in basic research are paramount, as they have an impact on people's daily lives; they help prevent diseases, cure people and deal with the climate crisis, just for starters.
We need to stop compartmentalizing everything and seeing increased funding for basic research as simply an expense. Instead, we need to see it as a societal investment, one that allows society to better develop over the long term.
Do you agree with that and, more importantly, can you explain your point of view?