Evidence of meeting #25 for Science and Research in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cancer.
A recording is available from Parliament.
8:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Kirsty Duncan
I'm sorry, Dr. Michaud. I have to be fair.
Mr. Blanchette-Joncas, would you like a written response?
8:30 p.m.
Bloc
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Yes. Ms. Michaud, please send us your response in writing, if you could. Thank you very much.
8:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Kirsty Duncan
Thank you, all, for being very understanding.
We'll go to Mr. Cannings to finish off the two and a half minutes, please.
8:30 p.m.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
I'd like to allow Ms. Michaud and Dr. Bell to finish that thing.
How can Canada compete with the United States and Europe? You said they were treating this seriously as a moon shot. What should the federal government be doing to help that?
8:30 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, BioCanRx
Both the United States and Europe have expressed very bold visions with respect to what they wish to accomplish. I would state that our vision is also very highly lauded in that we're looking to, effectively, bring cures to Canadian patients. This is something that we are currently doing in terms of advancing CAR T-cell therapy right here in Canada, and taking a very Canadian approach in ensuring that all Canadians are able to access these types of therapies.
Both Europe and the United States have put forward incredible amounts of monies. To go back to Monsieur Blanchette-Joncas' question with respect to what has been accomplished, the advancement of immunotherapies is an outcome of the 2016 vice-president Biden's moon shot.
It is an incredible new arrow in our quiver in the treatment of cancer. I believe we will be able to see massive advances being realized and, certainly, the Europeans and the U.S. probably being able to achieve their objectives.
I'd like to say the same for Canada.
8:30 p.m.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
I'll go back to Dr. Rouleau.
This may be a very unfair question, but if you had to pick one moon shot for neuroscience in Canada.... You mentioned dementia. You mentioned developmental diseases. Maybe they're related. If you had to pick one, which one do you think Canada could accomplish with what we have now, with the people we have now, and how?
8:30 p.m.
Director, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, As an Individual
Of the neurodegenerative diseases, it would be dementia and Parkinson's disease. They're very highly related.
8:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Kirsty Duncan
Thank you, Mr. Cannings. You're always very gracious.
Dear colleagues, we've reached the end of our time here.
I'd like to thank all of our witnesses. It's a real privilege to be able to listen to you and to hear your expertise and the work you're doing for Canadians and for the country. We thank you all.
We're going to suspend, and then we're going to go in camera.
Thank you.
[Proceedings continue in camera]