Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I have a question for Minister Hajdu.
Yesterday, we learned that a prominent Quebec researcher, microbiologist Gary Kobinger, who developed vaccines against Zika and Ebola and who is currently working on a COVID‑19 vaccine, will be leaving Quebec to head the Galveston National Laboratory at the University of Texas. His main reason was that funding didn't pose an issue there and that the projects were plentiful. Remember that Ottawa denied him the funding needed to complete his research and clinical trials for his COVID‑19 vaccine.
Although you significantly increased research funding during the pandemic year, you didn't maintain the same level of investment. A number of researchers won't be able to obtain proper funding for their research. How can we resolve this issue? During question period, you told my colleague, Mario Simard, that you were already making substantial investments, that you were in touch with scientists and researchers and that the production capacity in the country needed improvement.
When asked in the past hour, Mr. Lamarre said that basic research should be increased by 25% and then increased by 10% per year for the next 10 years to ensure that Canada catches up with the other G7 countries. Canada is currently in second last place, ahead of Italy.
Do you feel that you're doing enough right now? What will it take to really increase research funding and stop the brain drain?