This is my top priority. What’s more, I’ll tell you that Ottawa is providing leadership. The proof, as you said, is that each of the ministers refers to what Ottawa is doing. Leadership began with the publication of the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships in July 2021. That was the moment when we began working in concert with the scientific community.
However, I agree with you. I’m the first to want us to provide tools, to provide funding—we’ve done that—and to work with our provincial partners. I’m glad the provinces are involved, because the federal government’s jurisdiction over research is largely limited to funding. However, the provinces have an essential role to play. Universities and researchers also have a role to play. So, the ecosystem has to be in place.
That said, your message is loud and clear. We need to continue to play a leadership role, and that’s what we want to do.