I started back in 1984 with the SNO experiment, and we had a single thing in mind. There was a big question in science to be answered, and fortunately, with the support we got in Canada, we were able to do so.
SNOLAB itself, as I said, was created in 2003 with a program that was led by David Sinclair and Carleton University. I was still involved in the SNO project, although I was actively involved in the ideas that went into SNOLAB. All of us who were working on it recognized that there really had been a change as a result of the measurements that had been made with respect to neutrinos in terms of understanding where those neutrinos fit into the overall model of elementary particles and how that influences how the universe evolves.
The fact that the dark matter was not neutrinos means that we now have other particles to look for that are different from anything that has been seen. That was a program we could see; it was in the proposal to CFI, and it could be a substantial program going forward.
As I've said, there have been smaller-scale experiments that have been taking place in this area. The demonstration that SNOLAB itself functions extremely well and is the best place in the world to do these types of experiments has triggered international interest.
Yes, it was in our mind as we started out, and we were fortunate at the time. The existence of CFI is an indication of how Canada has progressed in its funding. It did not exist when we were trying to get SNO funded, and we had to go through a variety of different hoops, let's say, in order to get it funded. The existence of a single funding agency that can deal with infrastructure in Canada was a real addition to the scene.