Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
My name is Michael Julius. I'm the chair of Research Canada and vice-president of research for Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Ontario. It's a pleasure for Deborah Gordon-El-Bihbety, president and CEO of Research Canada, and me to be here with you today.
I'll begin with a few words about Research Canada. We're an alliance for health discovery, which is a national not-for-profit voluntary organization whose members are dedicated to advancing health research in Canada and ensuring that Canadian health innovation achieves its fullest potential on the global stage.
We represent a broad base of stakeholders in this arena: research hospitals; universities; health charities; regional health authorities; professional associations; and possibly most importantly, industry. As such, we play a unique and necessary role within the Canadian health research endeavour. We are a unified voice speaking on behalf of a broad base of stakeholder organizations delivering a common message to you folks, our government.
Our philosophy is simple. Health research is a shared benefit and a shared responsibility. All Canadians are its stewards; therefore, we serve all Canadians in our efforts to improve their health and prosperity by making Canada a global leader in health research.
Research Canada has applauded the launch of this government's science and technology strategy. It provides a rational foundation that contemplates a well-aligned, systems-based approach to strengthening Canada's knowledge-based economy through innovation and commercialization.
The strategy recognizes that Canada's system of innovation is one--