Science and Research committee  When I started in lasers in the 1980s, the third-largest laser company in the world was Canadian, here in Ottawa, Lumonics, and we let that go. One of the largest communications companies in the world was Nortel, and before that we said, “Oh, we have to keep the American car industry here, so we'll invest”, but we let Nortel go.

Science and Research committee  There's so much research going on in any one of our fields, and almost all science is global. When other big players are playing in certain fields and Canada does not put research dollars behind it, it's hard for us to get onto the even bigger systems out there in the world.

Science and Research committee  Well, all Canadian researchers go elsewhere. This is a big problem. Getting back to why we need to spend more money, this is one of the reasons. You can make twice as much money as a grad student at Princeton as you can as a grad student at any Canadian university. We're asking a lot of our young and most talented people to stay in Canada just for the sake of being in Canada.

Science and Research committee  Well, again, big universities have more scientists, so they will get more money, but that doesn't mean that's more money per person. Per person, the research is probably being looked after on an individual level. Big universities may have other funds to draw on to provide more help with the research.

Science and Research committee  Again, I don't represent the university. I think each type of research has its own collaborations. Canada has one big, powerful laser, and all of us who work with high-intensity lasers work through that. There will be polytechnics involved with that, as well as the universities.

Science and Research committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. As the chair pointed out, I am here as a witness because I represent a group of outstanding scientists from across the country. Our group wants Canada to play a larger role in global research and development because in the long term this research will produce societal and economic benefits for Canada.