Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to speak on Bill C-13, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Act. I am particularly pleased because, along with many other hon. members, I have been working on this issue for more than a year. We were very happy to hear about the establishment of these institutes in the 1999 federal budget and we are also very pleased to have this bill before the House today.
I believe the establishment of the Canadian institutes of health research is a truly visionary and forward-looking initiative that will directly address one of the major concerns of Canadians: to increase our knowledge of health issues in order to try to get rid of illnesses and health problems affecting so many Canadians.
Bill C-13 is a huge step in the right direction, since it will ensure Canada's competitiveness in the knowledge-based global economy.
In fact, this bill, along with the 21st century chairs for research excellence in universities across Canada that were announced in the Speech from the Throne, will give Canada a competitive edge as we move towards the next century. Canadians will be world leaders in the generation of new knowledge.
I am also pleased to speak about the bill because of its importance to the city of Montreal and to the people in my riding of Pierrefonds—Dollard.
Montreal is a world-class health research centre. Health research and development is playing a major role in revitalizing our economy, creating jobs for our citizens and securing a future for Montreal in Canada in the new economy.
Montreal is home to some of Canada's leading centres of academic research. McGill University and the University of Montreal are at the leading edge of Canadian health research. Research at those universities is at the highest standards of excellence. McGill and the University of Montreal are the second and third largest recipients respectively of the Medical Research Council's MRC funding in the country.
Researchers in those universities are extremely competitive in funding competition. Their research is at the highest standard. Concordia and the University of Quebec in Montreal should also not be forgotten. Their research in the social aspect of health is opening up new fields of knowledge about our health.
Given the excellence of science in Montreal and the quality of our research, Montreal is the most successful of any city in Canada in MRC funding competitions. The MRC invested $59.6 million in 1998-1999 in Montreal alone.
In Quebec, the Medical Research Council, or MRC, is allocating $76.5 million for health research. That amount is proportionally a greater part of the MRC's budget than Quebec's population is in relation to Canada's.
I should also point out that the federal government and the provinces are co-operating in the area of health research.
In Quebec, the MRC is actively funding research, while the provincial organization responsible for health studies, namely Quebec's Fonds de la recherche en santé, is developing programs that complement those of the MRC. These two bodies have established close relations which have obviously benefited health research in Quebec.
I should also point out that the chair of the Fonds, Dr. Michel Bureau, has been actively involved in the development of the concept of health research institutes.
Since the MRC will be integrated into the research institutes, and since these will further promote health research in Canada, Bill C-13 is of paramount importance for Montreal and for all of Canada.
Researchers in Montreal are working on new discoveries and treatments that will benefit people across the country. The Montreal Neurological Institute, the Institut de recherche clinique de Montreal and the Royal Victoria Hospital are all world-class centres of research addressing the key health concerns of Canadians.
Private sector companies such as Merck Frosst and Astra have secured worldwide research mandates at their research centres in Montreal.
I will give one example of research in Montreal. Many people might not know that one of the leading experts in the area of genomic research is actually working in Montreal. It is widely accepted that genomics, the decoding of human genetic structure, potentially unlocking the keys to the treatment of disease, is the leading edge of health science.
Dr. Tom Hudson is a major participant in the work of sequencing the human genome. He is an associate physician at the Montreal General Hospital and a director of Montreal's Genome Centre. He is also the associate director of the Whitehead Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the leading genomics research centres in the world. He is also under 40 years old. In fact, last year he was named one of Canada's top 40 people under 40.
Instead of leaving for multiple opportunities in the United States, Dr. Hudson splits his time between Montreal and Boston working tirelessly to advance science in Canada.
Bill C-13 will support people like Dr. Hudson and continue to provide opportunities for him in Canada.
This investment in research has an extraordinary impact on Montreal and on all other Canadian cities. All researchers hire laboratory technicians, graduate students and other staff, thus creating more jobs in this innovative sector of our economy.
Research spinoffs may be the most critical factor for Montreal.
It is generally agreed that health industries will be one of the key sectors of a knowledge-based economy. The pace of innovation is very fast, and new research methods, such as genomics, are opening the doors to new areas of knowledge.
As hon. members know, basic research is the foundation of health industries, because it helps produce innovative goods and services. This research activity is the engine of our economy while also ensuring our competitiveness.
One only needs to look at the example of BioChem Pharma in Montreal. BioChem Pharma has its roots in a research grant years ago at McGill University. This research led to the discovery of 3TC which is one of the drugs which has turned HIV into a more manageable disease. In fact, 3TC is now the leading HIV-AIDS treatment in the world. BioChem Pharma now employs over 1,000 people in Montreal providing an innovative force to our economy.
There are hundreds of small Canadian start-up companies that are seeking to move the knowledge gained from research into products and services that meet unmet health needs. I think of Neurochem, which is looking at treatments for Alzheimer disease. There is Methylgene, which is developing leading edge anti-cancer compounds.
The interesting aspect is that these are companies located not in Boston, not in San Diego and not in Seattle. They are based in Montreal.
The Globe and Mail recently had an article about how young people are now coming to Montreal to participate in the innovative economy. It mentioned the aerospace, the animation and the biotechnology sectors. Montreal is well placed to be at the leading edge of the knowledge based economy.
Bill C-13 is an important piece of legislation to achieve this goal. The Canadian institutes of health research represent a major investment in the knowledge and innovation needed to drive our innovative economy forward.
It is also important to note that it will fund research, first and foremost, that will seek to improve the health of Canadians. The objectives in the legislation make that clear. It will fund research that will promote the highest standards of ethics in research. It will work in partnership with all sectors of the research community to advance Canadian science. It will also work to promote economic development and the translation of research into benefits for Canadians.
The creation of a system of virtual research institutes is an important innovation for Canada's scientific community. It will bring together researchers and networks, ensuring that the results of research can be used and further developed more quickly.
The creation of institutes in sectors essential to Canadians will focus research, bringing together studies from different disciplines and making it possible to attack today's complex health problems.
Increasingly, cancer research is predicated on genetic studies and cellular studies, but it also requires analysis of the environment's impact on cancer, as well as studies on the most effective treatment of cancer patients in the health care system.
Bill C-13 will make it possible to channel research strategically.
Last month, with other MPs, I attended a breakfast meeting at which Dr. Patrick Lee of the University of Calgary spoke about some very encouraging observations he had made in his cancer research.
He has discovered mechanisms in reoviruses that can destroy cancerous cells. The new cancer treatment he has come up with has made headlines worldwide. Breakfast with Dr. Lee was a fascinating affair; I was delighted to hear about the work he is now doing in Canada. He turned out to be an excellent ambassador for Calgary, Alberta and Canada.
Bill C-13 will support people like Dr. Lee, who are truly on the cutting edge of health issues that concern Canadians.
In closing, it is important to mention that the Canadian institutes of health research is first a question of health and its funding will be through peer review. This is the only determinant for excellent science.
I have no hesitation in supporting this bill, which will represent a major investment in the health of Canadians and in a more effective and innovative health care sector. I urge members of the House to support it as well, so that Canadian institutes of health research can begin their important work for the well-being of all Canadians.