Madam Chair, thank you for inviting me to speak with you today about the National Research Council of Canada, or NRC, as part of this committee’s study on science and research in Canada’s Arctic in relation to climate change.
We would like to begin by acknowledging that the research activities of the National Research Council take place on the traditional unceded territories of many first nations, Inuit and Métis people. Today we are appearing here in Ottawa on unceded Algonquin Anishinabe territory.
We are inspired by the relationship that the Algonquin Anishinabe have with water, which is critically impacted by climate change. We look to the water as a means of understanding climate change, as its changes in state inform us in that regard.
We recognize our privilege to be able to conduct research and drive innovation on these lands. That is why we want to pay respect to Canada’s indigenous peoples.
My name is Shannon Quinn. I'm the secretary-general of the National Research Council. In this capacity, I am responsible for advancing the Government of Canada's science, research and innovation agenda.
I'll tell you a few things about the NRC as a whole.
The NRC is one of the largest federal research organizations. It advances scientific and technical knowledge, supports business innovation and provides science-based policy solutions. The NRC’s work is undertaken at facilities nationwide, and collaborations occur at other locations across Canada.
The NRC’s scientists, engineers and business experts partner with a broad range of organizations, including governments, universities, colleges and Canadian industry. That way, scientific and technical achievements are not just confined to a lab; they find an application on the market.
The NRC's current strategic priorities, as reflected in our recently released strategic plan, are to advance research and innovation for the benefit of Canada. These areas —importantly, for the purposes of this committee—include climate change and sustainability, health and biomanufacturing, digital and quantum technologies and foundational research, primarily in the areas of astronomy and metrology.
I now turn to my colleague Dr. Anne Barker, director of the Arctic and northern challenge program, who will use the remainder of our opening remarks to speak specifically about Arctic research.