Finance committee  Great. Thank you.

Finance committee  It's really investing in Canada's young people. Through the learning results we get with Canada's young people, there would be a future return on this investment.

Finance committee  We've already submitted a couple of briefs, but I'll make sure we get that.

Finance committee  Yes, a $200 million fund to enable infrastructure and programs in science centres. That's over a five-year period. What I would comment on, and this relates to what Dr. Samarasekera is saying as well, is the perceived need for a national science and technology system for Canada to really move Canada ahead.

Finance committee  It should be in there, but we'll make sure that gets covered more thoroughly, if it's not adequately done.

Finance committee  I would add that we've consulted very broadly with Albertans about what they want to see in their science centre in Calgary in the future. Certainly the environment and sustainability is on everyone's mind. They've urged us to make our future facility really exemplary of best practice in sustainability, a low ecological footprint, because there is a growing public passion to see how to do that and insist that it be done, not just for science centres but across all sectors.

Finance committee  In fact we do, and in fact many science centres across Canada are very concerned about attracting more women into science and technology. I'm very proud that Suncor, a company that's very active in the Canadian oil sands, sponsors a program for young women, to interest them in science and technology, at our Science Centre in Calgary.

Finance committee  We do. On an operating basis our facility is very similar to facilities across Canada where one-third or less of our annual operating budget actually comes from government. When we look at the capital investments made in centres, and the proposal under the Canadian Association of Science Centres for the $200 million program, that will be amplified three to four times over by private investment and investment from other levels of government.

Finance committee  Yes, in fact we're accumulating a very significant body of knowledge that young people need resources outside of the conventional school system. We get about 20% of our learning through the conventional school system, and parents, business people, and educators realize that 80% comes through informal channels.

Finance committee  Thank you. I'm the chief executive officer of the Telus World of Science and the Creative Kids Museum in Calgary, and I'm here to make the case for the role of science centres in driving the national science and technology economy, to outline the challenges facing Alberta's science centres, and to press for a national program to unleash the power of science centres that they can bring to our national economy.