Science and Research Committee on Feb. 15th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Good evening, colleagues. I call this meeting to order.

Before we start, I want to recognize Corey Tochor and thank him for the work he has done these last few weeks. Could we take a moment to recognize Corey?

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

I'd like to welcome you all to meeting number five of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research.

As you know, the Board of Internal Economy requires that the committee adhere to health protocols, which are in effect until March 11, 2022. As the chair, I will enforce these measures and I thank you all for your co-operation.

Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format pursuant to the House order of November 24, 2021. There are a few rules. Interpretation services are available for this meeting. You may speak in the official language of your choice. At the bottom of your screen is the toolbar and you may choose to hear floor audio, English or French. The “raise hand” feature is on the main toolbar should you wish to speak. I would remind you that all comments should be addressed through the chair.

When you are not speaking, your microphone should be muted. The committee clerk and I will maintain a speaking list for all members.

We're delighted tonight to have from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Dr. Michael Strong, president. From the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, we have Dr. Alejandro Adem, president. From the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, we have Dr. Ted Hewitt, president, and Dr. Dominique Bérubé, vice-president of research.

We will begin with our witness testimony, and we'll begin with Dr. Michael Strong for five minutes.

[Dr. Michael Strong, President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research]

[Technical difficulty—Editor]

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Excuse me, Madam Chair, [Technical difficulty—Editor] currently no interpretation. [Technical difficulty—Editor] Dr. Strong [Technical difficulty—Editor] French interpretation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

I'm sorry, Dr. Strong.

We will suspend for a minute to make sure that we have translation.

Monsieur Blanchette-Joncas, are you on the French channel?

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Yes, I am.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Are we good to go now? How is the interpretation now?

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

No interpretation is coming through.

All right. I'm being told that the problem is fixed. We can resume.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Dr. Strong, could you try again please?

[Dr. Michael Strong]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I wish to thank the committee for the invitation to appear here today. It is a great privilege, both as CIHR's president and as a scientist, to join my colleagues in addressing the inaugural members of Canada's parliamentary committee dedicated to science and research.

In the preamble to the act, which established CIHR in 2000, Parliament recognized that excellence in health research is fundamental to improving the health of Canadians. CIHR has since endeavoured to deliver on its mandate by investing in high-calibre, peer-reviewed research, and its translation into better health for Canadians.

As we strive to build on our successes, we see an opportunity to modernize the concept of research excellence, and address many of the challenges currently facing the research community and Canadians. It's an opportunity to firmly position Canada as a global leader in inclusive and collaborative science focused on real world impact.

The challenges of emerging health threats and a rapidly evolving world only underscore these imperatives. The current state of science and public investment in science is a subject that merits full attention. This committee's study is timely and extremely important in this regard.

During the pandemic, [Technical difficulty—Editor] remarkable drive to develop vaccines against COVID-19. In fact, we know this achievement was built upon decades of research involving hundreds of people worldwide, including crucial contributions by Canadian scientists.

What may have been less evident to many Canadians was how our research community truly rallied at the very onset of the pandemic, despite its disruptions in our lives. They initiated urgent research, guided public health responses and supported peer-review as CIHR mobilized its rapid funding, becoming the first national agency in the world to launch an open call for COVID-19 research.

CIHR has since invested over [Technical difficulty—Editor] continues to fund studies on gaps and emerging priorities. I am also proud to say that, in parallel, CIHR has continued to deliver its investigator-initiated research programs at full funding levels. This was critical.

It is important to realize that there is no overnight success in science, but rather incremental steps forward, driven by hard work, collaboration and sustained investment in both fundamental and applied research. This means supporting excellence across what we call the four pillars of health research: biomedical, clinical, [Technical difficulty—Editor] and population health. It's targeting research to help governments and health care partners address a broad range of priorities, such as the opioids crisis, mental health, climate change and reduced health costs.

As we emerge from the pandemic, CIHR is poised and uniquely positioned to contribute to building a healthier, more prosperous Canada.

In January, we established the Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies to support ongoing research for emergency preparedness, prevention, [Technical difficulty—Editor] biomanufacturing and life sciences strategy. CIHR will soon launch a new clinical trials fund to strengthen Canada's bioinnovation pipeline.

During the pandemic, CIHR also introduced [Technical difficulty—Editor] in our history. This plan outlines an ambitious vision for a healthier society built on research excellence.

Our engagement with the community identified key challenges. For instance, how do we strengthen fundamental research while continuing to support strategic priorities? How do we define research excellence, and how do we ensure that research excellence is adequately supported in Canada? How do we ensure that the best scientific evidence is quickly put into the hands of those who can use it? How do we bridge the so-called valley of death in innovation, so that discoveries in Canada lead to successful commercialization and to new solutions for Canadians?

Our strategic plan looks to address these themes and others, for instance, by better integrating evidence into health decisions, through knowledge mobilization and learning health systems, where patients, health professionals, managers and scientists, embedded in the health system, work together to determine where the problems lie, and what the solutions should be.

[Technical difficulty—Editor] while strengthening investigator initiated research, the cornerstone of medical science.

Moving this vision forward will require a vibrant, globally competitive research community—

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Pardon me, Dr. Strong.

Madam Chair, there's a problem with the connection. The interpretation has cut out four times since Dr. Strong began speaking. Can you tell me whether Dr. Strong's connection was checked before the meeting began?

[Dr. Michael Strong]

Sorry.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Thank you, Monsieur Blanchette-Joncas. We have validated it. We're not sure where the connection issue is happening, and we apologize.

I think it's best to allow Dr. Strong to finish his last 30 seconds. Is that agreeable to the committee? All right.

Dr. Strong, it's over to you for 30 seconds.

[Dr. Michael Strong]

Thank you.

Moving this vision forward will require a vibrant, globally competitive research community. It will require us to continue to work hand in hand with our partners. With our tri-agency colleagues, we will continue to enhance collaboration and harmonization. We will work in collaboration with organizations in the private, charitable and public sectors, and we will continue to advance cutting-edge research and support innovation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Thank you so much, Dr. Strong.

With that, we will go to Dr. Alejandro Adem from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

We hope the interpretation is back.

[Dr. Alejandro Adem, President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council]

Thank you very much.

Good evening.

Thank you for inviting me to appear before your committee.

I’m pleased to join my fellow granting council presidents to exchange with you on the successes, challenges and opportunities for science in Canada.

My name is Alejandro Adem. I am the president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, NSERC.

I'm a mathematician currently on leave from a faculty position at the University of British Columbia. Before joining NSERC, I was CEO of Mitacs, a non-profit organization that builds bridges between academia and the private sector through student internships.

I am currently also serving as the chair of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee. I would be glad to discuss with you today or at a later date the important work that the CRCC is doing to collaboratively advance federal research priorities.

First, however, allow me to introduce NSERC and share with you some of the exciting work that we are doing for Canadians.

For more than 40 years, NSERC has played a critical role in supporting natural sciences and engineering research in Canada.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

I'm sorry, Dr. Adem, but we're going to suspend. I think we have to sort out the interpretation problems.

Can we suspend for a few minutes?

[Dr. Alejandro Adem]

Okay, stop the clock.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Yes, thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Colleagues, I'll resume the meeting.

Dr. Adem, we'll begin with you again, for five minutes.

[Dr. Alejandro Adem]

Good evening.

Thank you for inviting me to appear before your committee.

I’m pleased to join my fellow granting council presidents to exchange with you on the successes, challenges and opportunities for science in Canada.

My name is Alejandro Adem. I am the president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada or NSERC. I'm a mathematician currently on leave from a faculty position at the University of British Columbia. Before joining NSERC, I was CEO of Mitacs, a non-profit organization that builds bridges between academia and the private sector through student internships.

I'm also currently serving as the chair of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee. I would be glad to discuss with you today or at a later date the important work the CRCC is doing to collaboratively advance federal research priorities.

First, however, allow me to introduce NSERC and share with you some of the exciting work that we are doing for Canadians.

For more than 40 years, NSERC has played a critical role in supporting natural sciences and engineering research in Canada.

In addition to being Canada's largest funder of discovery, research and innovation, we also support creative public outreach activities, promoting the value of science and engineering and increasing science literacy among young Canadians.

NSERC has two flagship programs. One is discovery grants to support fundamental research and training. The other is alliance grants for university researchers partnering with private sector, public sector or not-for-profit organizations.

We also provide support to students and research trainees from undergraduates all the way through to post-doctoral fellowships.

In addition, NSERC partners with the other councils on important joint programs, such as the Canada research chairs, the Canada first research excellence fund and the highly interdisciplinary new frontiers in research fund.

During the past year, NSERC has invested $1.4 billion to support over 12,000 researchers and over 33,000 trainees at universities and colleges across Canada. NSERC supports 75% of all natural science and engineering researchers in Canada.

Our partnership programs have connected academics to thousands of partners in industry, government and the non-profit sector. We support research at institutions of all sizes across Canada as research excellence occurs in every corner of our country. Our trainees go on to positions in academia, government and the private sector, where a STEM background provides them with critical skills for today's technologically advanced society.

Over the years, the support that NSERC has provided for fundamental research has yielded important technologies and solutions that have benefited Canadians. Areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum science, clean technology, biomedical engineering, etc., have been incubated and then mobilized thanks to the steady support of our discovery and applied research programs, which support ideas and innovation in all the areas of natural sciences and engineering.

In addition to working very closely with the other granting councils, NSERC is proud to collaborate with other government-based departments and agencies in the advancement of science.

In recent years, NSERC has partnered with departments like Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans, and Agriculture Canada to fund collaborative efforts between federal scientists and the academic community. Examples include research on forest fires, plastic pollution and food security.

NSERC plays a critical role in understanding and developing solutions to climate change, spending over $200 million annually to support research in environmental sciences, renewable energy, sustainable electric vehicle batteries, carbon capture and storage, and much more.

We're also helping Canadian researchers push the boundaries of knowledge through international partnerships. For example, NSERC and the U.S. National Science Foundation recently announced a joint initiative on quantum science and artificial intelligence.

As we now turn our attention to Canada’s postpandemic economic recovery, NSERC is keen to contribute to that effort in a meaningful way.

For example, last October we launched the NSERC alliance missions grants to address critical science and technology challenges to create benefits for our economy. The college and community innovation program, which supports applied research partnerships between colleges in all regions of the country and SMEs, is generating innovative solutions to local and regional business challenges.

Our agency is committed to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, seeking to address the under-representation of many groups in STEM fields, so that all Canadians can benefit from science and innovation.

Madam Chair, these are just some examples of how NSERC is supporting natural sciences research and researchers.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Thank you very much, Dr. Adem.

Now we will go to Dr. Ted Hewitt, president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

[Dr. Ted Hewitt, President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council]

Bonsoir, Madam Chair.

Thank you for your invitation to appear before this committee and also for your long-standing leadership in science and research.

I'm very proud to appear before you today as president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council since 2015. I'm also a career academic, working in Canada and internationally, including for many years as the senior university administrator, principally in the research field.

In these various roles, I've had the privilege to observe from different perspectives the many changes in the Canadian research system that have occurred over the past three decades.

At the beginning of the century, the major investments that were made in key national research programs created a solid foundation to attract talent to Canada and retain it.

This made it possible to build research expertise in Canada and gave the country's research councils the momentum to endure, grow and prosper.

Research spending by subsequent governments helped sustain that healthy growth.

I believe that Canada's academic research system today is robust. It's a system that rests on three key pillars, which are critical to its stability and success. First, of course, is the research itself, the projects, the formulation, the execution of research plans. Second are the people, not just the researchers but the new talent that's being developed at all levels in the system. Third are the research tools, the buildings, the infrastructure, and the equipment. Thanks to investments and a good balance of fundamental and strategic research over the past several decades and enhanced coordination within the research enterprise in recent years within the Canada Research Coordinating Committee, I believe that Canada is increasingly well served in all three of these pillars.

Could the system be strengthened? It could absolutely. The research enterprise and society have awakened to the critical need to break down the real barriers that exist to equity, diversity and inclusion and to advancing reconciliation with indigenous peoples through strengthening indigenous research capacity and research training. We must continue to advance multidisciplinary as well as international collaboration and effective channels to mobilize research knowledge, because we need the contribution of all Canadians to generate, deliver and share research if we're going to avoid jeopardizing innovation, technologies, commercial products and sound public policy.

As president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, or SSHRC, I want to underscore the essential role social sciences and humanities research plays in maximizing the benefits of science. The social sciences and humanities encompass a wide range of research fields, all of which are human-centred.

Innovation is about more than just technology and patents. The development, implementation, commercialization and adoption of new technologies are human factors that are greatly affected by humanities and social sciences elements. Science and technology don't happen on their own. They do not determine the merits of exploring a given technological path. People do, and that's where the crucial role of social sciences and humanities research comes into play, broadening our understanding of other humans and societies.

Canadians' social science and social sciences and humanities research are helping to address some of the most critical challenges we as a society face domestically and globally, be those pandemic recovery, economic growth, environmental sustainability, affordable housing or reconciliation. Fundamentally it's about building and sustaining a just and prosperous society. People are at the heart of what drives our future. We are well positioned to build and capitalize on Canada's strength across the disciplinary array in the social sciences, and in humanities in particular, and to build the Canada we want and need for today and tomorrow.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Kirsty Duncan]

Thank you, Dr. Hewitt.

Thank you, to all of our witnesses, for your time, your expertise and your effort.

We will now go to questions from members. This is a six-minute round, and we will begin with Ryan Williams for the Conservative Party for six minutes.