Industry Committee on May 1st, 2018

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Did she see the redacted documents?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Under the previous government, environmental legislation was gutted. Fish protection was gutted, and the waterways—

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Was the chief science adviser privy to the information, the heavily redacted documents?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

This new environmental assessment process is focused on our environment and waterways. It's about rebuilding trust with Canadians, advancing reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and ensuring that good projects go ahead.

[The Chair, Liberal, Dan Ruimy]

Sorry, we have to move on.

Mr. Jowhari, you have three minutes.

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Welcome, Minister. Let's change the topic to the digital world and the digital economy. As you know, we are moving fast in an ever-changing landscape within our world. Digital is playing a huge role.

As it relates to the $4 billion and our youth, especially women, what are the government and your department doing about the digital skill set among our youth? Specifically considering that diversity is something you are a great supporter of, how is it translating into making sure we are fully diverse within the digital skill set?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Thanks, Majid.

I know that, as an engineer, you're very interested in this area.

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Just to clarify, I'm a former engineer.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

We've made a $50-million investment to teach young people to code. That's a really exciting program. To encourage more young people to consider a career in science, technology, engineering, and math—the STEM fields—we have the #ChooseScience campaign, which has delivered thousands of posters to thousands of schools across the country. It's a digital campaign, and it's receiving wonderful attention.

I'll build on what Mary asked earlier about what we have done to increase equity and diversity in universities. I talked about bringing back UCASS. I talked about our Canada excellence research chairs. I've also put in place new equity and diversity requirements for our Canada research chairs. We've had the universities put in place, by this past December, equity and diversity plans for how they plan to achieve the voluntary targets they agreed to in 2006 for women, indigenous people, people of minority backgrounds, and persons with disabilities. I've been clear that if they don't make their targets, I will consider withholding peer review.

I'd like to tell you that we're having real success with this. With our Canada 150 chairs, we were able to attract 42% expat Canadians, 58% women, back to Canada because they saw the research future here. That is a real difference, a real achievement, and it's measurable.

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Dan Ruimy]

Thank you very much.

We're going to move back to Mr. Jeneroux. You have three minutes.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister, while in opposition, you were a vocal advocate of a controversial CCSVI treatment. Its founder, Dr. Zamboni, claims that it improves the lives of patients with MS by widening their veins to allow for better blood circulation to the brain. You presented Bill C-280 in support of a national CCSVI strategy and claimed to have attended seven conferences on CCSVI, presented at three, and spent close to 100 hours reviewing MRIs and watching the procedure.

A study was recently done at UBC on this treatment. The lead neurologist, Dr. Traboulsee, concluded that there was absolutely no difference—no smidgen of a difference—between the group treated with the CCSVI treatment and the group treated with placebos. In light of this study, and in light of the fact that you're now science minister, has your opinion on CCSVI changed?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Matt, I thank you for the question.

In the last Parliament, I asked that the previous government do the science. I asked that it collect the evidence. I asked for clinical trials and for a registry for MS. The government reversed its position, agreed to do clinical trials, and agreed to do the registry. As you say, the results have been put forth, but what I asked for was that the government do the science.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Has your opinion on CCSVI changed?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

We are a government that is committed to science and evidence-based decision-making.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

I am sure there are many scientists who have been waiting for a long time to hear that answer from you, Minister.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

The scientific community, Matt, is absolutely thrilled with the Canadian historic record investment in research: $4 billion in research, plus $2.8 billion for science infrastructure, which the largest investment; the largest investment in discovery research, $1.7 billion; the largest investment, and now sustainable funding, for science infrastructure, $1.3 billion; the largest investment in the NRC in 15 years, as well as the largest investment—

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

I have 45 seconds left, so could I just get to my last question, Minister? Then I promise you'll be off the hot seat for a minute.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

—in application research in Canadian history. I think the research community is very thrilled.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

In your department's response to an order paper question submitted by my colleague, it was revealed that your department had awarded a contract of $51,000 and change to BESC Ottawa for headhunting services related to the chief science adviser position. How many candidates did BESC submit for review, and which departments, offices, and individuals were involved in the selection process?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Matt, I'd have to come back to you with the details. What I can tell you is that it was a rigorous process over about six months. We advertised the position widely. Numerous people were interviewed. We wanted to get the best candidate. As your colleague, the member for Beauce, said, she is an excellent candidate, and her appointment has been lauded across the country.

[The Chair, Liberal, Dan Ruimy]

Thank you very much.

We going to move right to Mr. Sheehan. You have three minutes.

[Terry Sheehan, Liberal, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

Minister, thank you for your presentation. You do great work, especially around the research chairs. I know that even little old Sault Ste. Marie has reached out to apply for one, for a plant lipid metabolism research project, and they're very confident in their application. I am really glad to see that the program is reaching out to the smaller areas of Canada where great research is being done.

What I'm really interested in, as well, is that in 2006 it took a legal settlement to change the program to create hiring targets for four groups: women, indigenous people, people with disabilities, and visible minorities. I read an article about that in the fall. It talked about how there hadn't been much movement for a decade, but then you implemented term limits and it was changing. That was last year. I congratulate you on that.

I want to ask about 2018. What's in the budget to increase equity in science and research?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Thanks, Terry, for the question. I know this matters so much to you because of your daughter.

[Terry Sheehan, Liberal, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

Yes, it does, very much.